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What makes a great franchisee

The Greene King franchise model puts people at the heart of our pubs. That’s why it’s so important to have the right franchisee in the right pub.

Whether you’re interested in running a Hive or Nest pub, the qualities we look for in our franchisees remain the same.

Here, we take a closer look at the attributes required. Do you fit the bill? If you do, we’d love for you to get in touch.

Are you self-motivated?

To run a Greene King franchise pub, it is crucial that you are a self-motivated individual.

Your aim is to become part of the community, attract customers to the pub through local activities and live sport, and to lead your team to create great customer experiences. Your goal is to provide a safe place where everyone can socialise, whether it’s with the group they arrive with or the regular faces they always see.

And although you’ll have a Business Development Manager (BDM) by your side to help you along the way, ultimately, it’s down to you to make it all happen – so you need to be a go-getter!

With that in mind, are you a people person?

Greene King are looking for franchisees who can build a strong team, keep morale high and encourage a positive work culture.

Although you are the franchisee and often seen as the ‘face’ of the business, having a motivated team around you will ensure that even in your absence, your pub is always providing exceptional customer service – making your customers feel valued and looked after, and, most importantly, to keep them coming back.

The perfect franchisee will be a confident communicator with the skillset to connect with people from all walks of life and to make everyone feel included.

Can you lead from the front?

As mentioned, you will be seen as the ‘face’ of your pub so it’s important that you are confident and charismatic but can also command the respect of your team.The ideal candidate will need to:

  • Lead from the front, and be visible to both the internal team and customers.
  • Work closely with the BDM, preparing for business reviews so that it is time well spent.
  • Identify trends in your local area, using initiatives, and delivering on activities that drive results.
  • Plan and prioritise your workload and that of your team, by also knowing when to ask for help.
  • Manage your team as individuals, knowing how to get the best out of them and how to support them with what they need.
  • Empower your team with the freedom to succeed, spending time training, coaching and developing them to help you run a great pub.
  • Be marketing savvy – so that the pub can be promoted through digital channels, special offers and collaborations.

Are you organised?

Managing a team of people requires strong organisational skills – from sorting out rotas, and payroll, to dealing with multiple customers and their differing needs.

You will need to be compliant with the implications of self-employment such as VAT, PAYE and National Insurance for both you and your staff.

It’s not just the admin side that needs to be organised - creating a bespoke rhythm of the week is also vitally important to the success of a franchise pub.

Having a regular schedule of events helps to establish you in the local community so your customers know what to expect and attend the events that they enjoy. 

Speaking of which, are you prepared to take a leading role in your local community?

To run a Greene King franchise pub, you must possess a genuine love for hospitality and enjoy creating an inviting atmosphere for your customers. You must want to be an influencer within the community and have the confidence to take on the challenges that it brings.

From hosting events to supporting local charities, your pub needs to become a hub for social interaction and be seen as the ‘local’ that people feel connected to.

In doing so, you will be creating a proper local pub that customers can rely on with tried and tested food, drink and entertainment across different parts of the week.

This will build loyalty, drive repeat business, and ultimately increase your sales too.

Can you work well under pressure?

No matter what business you are in, challenges arise. But how you deal with them is what will set you apart. From staff issues to slow sales, a brilliant franchisee will approach these problems with a pro-active, positive attitude and find solutions that will keep things running smoothly.

You’ll need to:

Respond to customer feedback positively and continuously take action to improve service and standards.

Have resilience under pressure – you’ll need to hold your own and make important decisions.

Be confident working in a fast-paced evolving environment.

Identify and prioritise areas of your pub performance that need focus and the confidence to act decisively.

So, if you are…

  • Self-motivated
  • Sociable and a good leader
  • Brilliantly organised
  • A community leader
  • Good at working effectively under pressure

Then we would love to hear from you!

If you would like to know more about how our Hive & Nest Pub Franchises work, find out more here

If you would like to start your Greene King Franchisee journey, please give us a call on 01284 843200 or use our Live Chat functionality to discuss more.