Omnichannel x multichannel: With the acceleration of digital trends, including the integration of the franchise as the main sales channel and distribution center, multichannel has become omnichannel. In other words, a greater strengthening of the franchise system.
According to Cristian Chaussard, director of Flexa – Digital Technologies and Services Platform – the franchising model, where the franchisor sells its know-how to other entrepreneurs, is more than consolidated in Brazil. But did you know that many franchises still resist expanding their business beyond the physical store?
Despite the encouraging numbers of e-commerce and the evolution of Brazilian consumption habits – today we are almost 60 million e-consumers (E-bit, 2018). Many networks still prefer to keep their businesses offline only. The main reason is that the insertion of a new sales channel is usually perceived as a threat. This means that there are already many franchise networks on the web. For some, they still separate online from offline, binding franchisees with contractual requirements only to offline.
Isso acaba gerando conflitos desnecessários entre franqueadores e franqueados. O e-commerce da empresa vai competir com cada unidade? Loja física não pode mencionar loja online? O que acontece é que muitos gestores não enxergam a oportunidade. Quando a ideia de criar um e-commerce não é excluir franquias, mas envolver toda a cadeia de negócios.
Unity is the strength of omnichannel
Unity really is strength and in this case, it can not only help you earn more. But also to reduce costs, organize suppliers and guarantee the quality of service at all units!
When it comes to conflict management between franchisors and franchisees and supplier management, there are two possible solutions for franchises – both using marketplace technology:
1. E-commerce Descentralizado: criação de uma loja virtual da franquia que utiliza cada unidade como “centro de distribuição” das compras realizadas na internet.
2. Online Supply Center: creation of a portal for registering suppliers – companies responsible for the inputs that the franchise needs to operate – with the aim of guaranteeing quality standards in all units.
Decentralized e-commerce
De fato, o modelo de negócio de uma franquia exige um e-commerce diferente do convencional. Uma franqueadora costuma distribuir suas lojas físicas em vários lugares do país, com diferentes proprietários. Bem como, cada uma com o seu estoque independente e processos singulares, que variam para cada empreendedor.
Neste contexto, é impossível desprezar a força dos franqueados. Portanto, incluí-los no processo de vendas do e-commerce não é uma opção, e sim a única saída! Uma das soluções para o e-commerce para franquias é o e-commerce descentralizado.
Involving franchisees in the sales process
Neste modelo de marketplace, a franqueadora, que investe em e-commerce para venda direta ao consumidor final. E oferece para cada unidade da rede uma loja virtual “montada”, which will be hosted on the same brand portal.
In this case, the franchisor does not have physical stock, it only provides the technology and forwards orders made through the online platform to the physical store. And it uses variables to choose the best store to fulfill a given order. Whether due to geographic proximity, draw or queue (when orders follow an order and franchisees have to wait their turn).
When the stock is managed only by the units, with total independence, the franchisor becomes leaner. In addition to tying up less capital, it standardizes the display of the brand's products and has information available about its entire network. Integrating stocks and receiving replenishment alerts. The franchisee gains administrative independence and greater control over his region.
É importante que toda a rede de franqueados esteja pronta para o e-commerce descentralizado. Ou seja, escolha começar por aquelas que tenham estrutura e experiência para prestar o serviço. Bem como, que tenham mais interesse – você pode definir níveis de participação como preferir.
Ominichannel: Online supply center
The growth in the number of franchise units brings yet another challenge for managers: maintaining quality standards in all stores. No matter how far they are from each other.
To ensure this standardization, there must be strict control over the chosen suppliers. That is, the franchisor must be able to intermediate purchases made by all franchisees. In addition to controlling what is being purchased, having access to purchasing data and information about product quality. To solve these problems, the franchisor can create a marketplace platform for registering suppliers: the online Supply Center.
Finally, the integration of physical and online is already a reality. Franchise networks need to balance the value chain and centralize their efforts on serving the final consumer (CPF). In this way, the network omnichannel will be strengthened and created value (R$) for the brand.
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