We’ve all seen the viral videos of the various egregious and often racially tinged incidents featuring an individual whose rights are being trampled by the employee(s) of a nationally known franchise. When this occurs, the franchisors must act quickly to rein in the disaster and protect their carefully curated brand.
Learn more about how savvy franchisors can mitigate these disasters before your brand sustains lasting harm.
Act immediately
There is no time to waste after someone representing your brand does something that sullies its reputation. You need to try to get out ahead of the scandal that is brewing. Depending upon the situation, this can mean anything from putting a great deal of yonder between your company and the offending franchisee to issuing a statement denouncing the actions.
Have an action plan in place before you need one
If you don’t have one already, update your company manual to include a plan for dealing with these negative incidents. Then, immediately put those protocols in place to stave off the worst repercussions.
Your plan should include the disciplinary actions to take against the offending employee and should include a full range of actions, from retraining to termination. You can use the incident as a teachable moment to ensure that all associated with your brand are better-equipped to respectfully represent it going forward.
Loop in the lawyers
Your franchise attorney should know about the problem as soon as is practical. They can help you deal with the fallout and help you re-establish your good name and brand reputation. Sometimes this might involve signing on with a public relations (PR) agency that can help you strategize for the best comeback from an unfortunate incident that could otherwise damage your brand for years to come.
