For those of you unfamiliar with the franchise television series, Undercover Boss, featured on each episode is a different senior CEO, owner, or executive of a different company/corporation who goes undercover as an entry-level employee within his/her own company. During his or her time “playing” an entry-level employee lacking experience, the CEO spends time in several different low-ranking roles within the company.
This is a show I, myself, find particularly interesting mainly for the end results that transpire from the CEO’s experience in these low-ranking positions. After discovering the flaws within their system, they may have previously been unaware of, and getting to know the “low men/women on the totem pole” who work hard to keep their company afloat, the boss is usually awakened. The CEO is awakened to these defects they were previously unaware of, and also learns of the struggles and challenges their employees are facing each day at work, and in their personal life. Following this “in their shoes” eye-opening experience, the CEO usually rewards the employees at the end of each show largely, for their efforts, and often puts into place new business practices to help fix the flaws found.
Although these are the main reasons the show intrigues me, recently I had a new thought. Working for a franchise system myself, I find it crazy that the employees at all different franchise branches, had no idea who the owner, or CEO was of the company they worked for. Two things to take into consideration when addressing this point is: A) The CEO is given a “makeover” to disguise his/her appearance and B) These franchises featured on the show are usually extremely large. Nonetheless, I found it quite interesting, and concerning that employees of a company don’t even know the company’s “head honcho” by his or her voice, making me realize that these entry-level employees have never even spoken to the CEO.
Most often, the franchise systems featured on this show are within the restaurant/food and beverage industry, but there are also some service-based industries featured on occasion. Since The Brothers that just do Gutters is a smaller, up and coming franchise, it is understandable that our system is run a bit differently and has less of a “corporate” feel. However, knowing the business model and support system here well, I find it very hard to believe that any potential franchisee or employee, even in 20 years from now, will have no idea who Ken and Ryan (Brothers Franchisors) are, at least by their voice. Of course, there will be some employees that do not know Ken or Ryan well through the course of their franchising journey, but they have created a system and roles that specifically allows them to dedicate themselves to being a support system for all their franchisees and their branch’s needs.
Of course, I cannot predict the future, and with changing times comes changes in technology, systems, and business practices. After all, adapting is how a business survives. But, even if our franchise reaches a higher corporate level where personalization with each employee becomes challenging, I believe Ken and Ryan will always be overwhelmingly present within their business systems across all divisions, because that is how they have structured their corporation to run. They know support is one of the most important things franchisees are looking for, not only for themselves, but for their business location, and their employees. Because of this, The Brothers that just do Gutters’ franchise system is based predominantly around providing continued, and real, support.
All this being said, if your franchise corporation gets so large that employees have no idea who the higher-ranking persons are within the company, especially the owners, it may be wise, and truly eye opening, to get “back-to-your-roots” and experience “a-day-in-the-life” of your entry-level employees. This could be as simple as setting aside time to speak with franchise locations to address their concerns and manage expectations. If there were flaws within your company or its business model, wouldn’t you want to know? The best source to find these flaws is from those that are experiencing them, and working with them, or against them, each day. I am not blind to the fact that in a very large system, this may be nearly impossible, but it is something to think about, and maybe something worth putting ahead of other tasks you may believe to be a higher propriety. The entry-level workers within your corporation are often the face of your company, and they are in communication with your consumers, day in, and day out. It is important to know that they are right for this role, and if they are, it is untimely the CEO’s job to make sure they are being treated well enough by the business systems put into place to stay around for a while.
If you are interested in owning your own business and you want to know your company’s franchisors, personally, a Brothers Gutters franchise may be the right investment for you! If you are interested in learning more about the history of The Brothers that just do Gutters, our franchise opportunities, or you want to hear Ken and Ryan’s story, contact Ken Parsons directly today!
This article was written by KayLyn Boccia, a Marketing Team Member for The Brothers that just do Gutters.