3 Ways AI is Improving Franchise Development and Workflow Processes

In short

Rob Lancit dates AI’s noticeable effect on franchising to about five years before this October 2024 article, and describes how franchisors have put it to work since. The common uses he lists are customer service chatbots and virtual assistants that answer basic questions and book appointments for franchisees, predictive analytics over large datasets, and marketing campaigns personalized by purchasing habits and online behavior.

He gives three ways brands use it to compete: better decisions about where to open and what to promote, lower operating costs through automated inventory, service and scheduling, and stronger franchisee support based on real-time data.

The three ways in the headline concern development itself. First, market analysis: choosing a site and reading local consumer behavior becomes a predictive exercise, which also helps candidates decide. Second, personalized strategies for prospective franchisees, built from performance metrics and local demand data. Third, lead generation, where AI identifies quality prospects faster and some brands test predictive models of which candidates are likely to proceed and succeed.

He ends on jobs. Automation reduces some administrative roles, and he argues it also creates demand for people who can manage AI systems and interpret the data, while freeing staff from routine tasks.

Summary by the editors of this site. The original is Rob’s own writing; read the original at the source.