Fewer Hats - BlogFewer Hats - Bloghttps://www.fewerhats.com/blogsSun, 26 Oct 2025 17:47:10 -0700http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[Finding a CRM for your franchise]]>https://www.fewerhats.com/blogs/post/Finding-a-CRM-for-your-FranchiseIf you are a franchisor, then you understand the importance of managing the relationships you have with your franchisees. It is your job to be attenti ]]>

Finding a CRM for your Franchise

If you are a franchisor, then you understand the importance of managing the relationships you have with your franchisees. It is your job to be attentive, responsive, and supportive to each unit you have in your franchise system. There are a number of software platforms out there that help you manage these important relationships. Customer relationship management software (CRM’s) help you automate, analyze, and streamline the relationships you have with your franchisees. The software industry has grown significantly and choosing a CRM platform has become overwhelming. At Fewer Hats, we help franchise brands select, customize, and deploy software for their organization. Over the last few years we have built numerous relationships with a large list of software providers. We provide an unbiased opinion on which platform will fit your needs and fall within your price range. We have worked with numerous franchise brands over the years who wanted to improve the way they manage their franchisee relationships with a CRM. In order to avoid making a costly mistake, I highly recommend that you ask the following questions about customization and automation capabilities if you are currently shopping for a CRM platform.

Customization  - make sure you understand how customizable a platform is before committing to it. Ask the following questions;

  • Can I add my own custom fields?
  • What type of custom fields can I add? (Examples below)
    • Drop down fields
    • Numerical fields
    • Multi-Line fields (write a whole paragraph)
    • Function fields (enter your own algebra to calculate things based of the information in your CRM record)
    • Lookup fields (mapping one record in the CRM to another)
    • Multi-Select fields
    • Date and time fields
    • File upload fields
    • Checkbox fields
    • Percentage fields
    • Long integer fields
    • User mapping fields
  • How many custom fields can I add?
  • Can I create AND SAVE reports and filters based off of custom fields that I add?
  • Can I reorganize the placement of fields?
  • Can I customize the names and organization of modules in the CRM?
  • Can I create NEW CUSTOM modules in the CRM?
  • Can the CRM make time zone adjustments based on the location of my franchise locations?
  • How many custom email templates can I create?
  • What kind of customization can I do within the email templates I create?
  • Does the CRM allow me to “Mail Merge” fields into my email templates?
  • What kind of data sharing rules does the platform have?
    • Can I create parent child viewing rules for an area developer to only be able to see information on their own units?
    • Can I create regions with associated data sharing rules?
    • Can I create field based sharing rules where corporate can see fields that franchisees cannot?
  • What kind of custom reports can I create?
  • Can custom reports pull information from multiple modules?
  • Can I create visualizations (graphs, charts, gants) for the reports I create?
  • Can I create MY OWN custom dashboards full of the visualisations from the reports I created?
  • Is there a cost to create a custom report?

Automation - before committing to a CRM you need to understand if the platform will help you wear FEWER HATS by automating portions of your business. Make sure to ask the following questions;

  • Can I create MY OWN customized workflows? (Examples below)
    • Based on a trigger such as (when a record is created), and the record status says “Franchise Broker Lead”, immediately send out a custom welcome email template and then 3 days later a text with a task for me to follow up with the lead.
    • Based on a trigger such as (when a franchise office renewal date is 3 months out), set a task for corporate to schedule a time to talk about renewal and send a “we love working with you {insert franchisee name}” text to the franchisee.
    • Based on a trigger such as (franchisee forgets to submit monthly revenue report by the 5th day of the month), send out a text daily reminding them they need to submit their report until it is completed.
    • Based on a trigger such as (if a franchisee falls below a performance KPI that I define), set an alert for my team that we need to reach out to them to help them improve their performance in that area.
  • How many customized workflows can I create?
  • Are there ever costs associated with customized workflows?
  • Does the platform have an FREE and OPEN API?
  • Does the platform have any native integrations?
  • Does the platform have integrations to tools like Zapier.com

I could go on and on about questions you should ask before you commit your organization to a specific CRM platform. Rolling out new technology to a well established franchise with many franchise units can seem overwhelming. Prior to committing to a specific platform you should seek the advice of a software consulting firm like Fewer Hats that understands the nuances of the franchise industry. Remember that software companies are going to try and sell you on their platform. If you don’t ask the right questions while you are evaluating a platform then you might make a costly mistake for your business. We love helping brands make well informed decisions on software, and we do it for FREE. The software industry has become so congested that you can not afford to shop for tech with naivete.


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]]>Sun, 03 Feb 2019 11:04:22 -0700<![CDATA[How Clint Eastwood and Brad Pit leverage tech]]>https://www.fewerhats.com/blogs/post/how-clint-eastwood-and-brad-pit-leverage-techI have four siblings; one brother, two sisters, and the Chicago Cubs. Growing up in Chicago meant that baseball wasn't merely America's favorite pasti ]]>

How Clint Eastwood and Brad Pit leverage tech

I have four siblings; one brother, two sisters, and the Chicago Cubs. Growing up in Chicago meant that baseball wasn't merely America's favorite pastime, it was a part of the family. My father taught me to love the game and be loyal to "Our Team". He used to share wisdom such as "If you want to marry a loyal woman, marry a Cubs fan". Whenever a new baseball movie hits the box office, I'm usually the first in line. Two recent baseball films seem to illustrate two very different perspectives on how we leverage technology for a business.

Trouble With A Curve
I already knew I would love this film before I had the privilege of watching it because it's lead role is played by the legendary Clint Eastwood. In the film, Eastwood plays a talent scout that has been in the business for many years! Despite his older age that is beginning to get the best of him, his experience and history with the game gives him an edge over the other scouts in the film. Most of these other scouts rely on advanced algorithms, saber metrics, and probabilities to recruit young aspiring athletes. Eastwood's approach is much different, he simply watches and interacts with the players. His decisions are fueled by intuition that took years to develop. In the film there is a young player who has most of the talent scouts drooling. Eastwood notices something the numbers don't. The young player has trouble hitting a curve ball. The signs are subtle and easy to overlook but they are unmistakable. Sooner or later pitching staffs would come to see what Eastwood sees and be able to significantly reduce his effectiveness and value as a ball player. The old timers intuition helps his team avoid a bad investment.
The lesson we learn: Although advancements in technology have significantly increased our efficiency in the workplace, there is still a place in today's business world for the human element. Things like as quality service, politeness, structure, and common sense will never be obsolete. Trust your gut if you feel strongly about a business decision that you're struggling with. Remember, you can't outsource you're own competitive advantage. Go and take a good hard look at your company. Walk a mile in your customers and employees shoes. Despite how your business looks on paper, there may be aspects of your business that have "trouble with a curve".

Money Ball
The lady killer Brad Pitt stars in this film and it surprisingly seems to have the same exact plot as "Trouble with a curve" but with one exception, it's offers a reciprocal viewpoint. Rather than relying on experience and intuition, Pit relies on statistics to find players that most other scouts overlook. He finds players that to the common eye seem flawed. He looks for talent that can do the one thing he cares most about, getting on base. Even if it's ugly and unconventional, if you can get on base, you have a place on the team. In this true life story, Pitt's character assembles a group of misfits that has the majority of the baseball community laughing at him. Although the team gets off to a slow start, they end up being one of the best teams in the major leagues. He was able to produce more wins than organizations that had twice the resources and triple the payroll.

The lesson we learn: By carefully analyzing data, you will notice trends that can otherwise be overlooked. If you understand what is really important to your organization then you should find a way to monitor and measure it. Technology allows you to do this to a degree that is mind boggling. Acting like a data scientist is a sure fire way to have a "winning season". Again, you can't outsource your own competitive advantage. Nonetheless, you can constantly monitor and measure what makes you unique and by doing so ensure you're on the right track. You don't need to be the industry leader with an unlimited budget to set yourself apart and carve out a place for your company in your industry. It takes attention to details and an understanding of what your company cares most about.

Summary
Whether your approach to business resembles the characters played by Brad Pitt or Clint Eastwood, you need to face one cold hard fact; the game is different these days. Few people would dispute the fact that over the last 10 years technology has disrupted and changed the way we do business. Effective marketing strategies that used to consistently bring in new customers now seem like a waste of time. Achieving customer loyalty has become increasingly more difficult. The tools we use to stay competitive in business can seem like something of science fiction to our grandparents. Even if you wouldn't consider your business as technologically advanced as the Millennium Falcon, one thing is irrefutable: YOU HAVE ACCESS TO A LARGER POOL OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY TO CHOOSE FROM IN ORDER TO BUILD, RUN, AND GROW YOUR BUSINESS THAN EVER BEFORE.

The very first step in leveraging technology is developing a clear understanding of your competitive advantage or approach to business. What makes your business unique? If your competitive advantage is customer service then you should be exploring new tools that enhance your customer service experience. If what makes your franchise system a unique offering is an uncomplicated and replicable system of generating healthy profits, then you should be relentlessly exploring tools that make the execution of your brand promise to your clients as simple and profitable possible. The technology industry has grown so fast that you can spend a ton of time selecting, customizing, and implementing new technology for your business. As the saying goes, "the way you eat an elephant is one bite at a time". Once you know what sets your company apart in your industry, start there. Leverage technology that helps you improve in that one specific area. Don't let your competitors beat you where it really counts. In order to stay competitive in today's business landscape, you need to be leveraging technology. I believe both Pitt and Eastwood would agree.
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]]>Fri, 13 Apr 2018 11:03:58 -0600<![CDATA[Millennials, McDonald's, and Miley Cyrus]]>https://www.fewerhats.com/blogs/post/millennials-mcdonald-s-and-miley-cyrusMillennials in the workplace can be quite challenging. Wikipedia defines a millennial as a “person reaching young adulthood in the early 21st century” ]]>

Millennials, McDonald's, and Miley Cyrus

Millennials in the workplace can be quite challenging. Wikipedia defines a millennial as a “person reaching young adulthood in the early 21st century”. They’re typically known for being gifted with technology and inept with social skills. As the transfer of wealth and responsibility is beginning to shift from baby boomers to millennials, they’ve been the focus of many discussions. I’m currently in my mid 30’s so some might consider me a millennial. Anytime someone refers to me as a millennial, I quickly relate one of the following stories with the hopes to disqualify myself from the label,

  1. I didn’t grow up having a cell phone. When I was done with my extra-curricular activities I would make a collect call home from a payphone. My family would pick up the phone and hear something resembling “You have a collect call from: I’m done with football I'll be by the gym come pick me up now”.
  2. I remember having to make sure everyone in the house wasn’t using the phone before signing into my AOL account. I remember sitting in patience as I listened to the dial-up ringtone play. I would watch the “running man icon” anxiously as I was being connected to the internet and finally being elated when I heard “You’ve got Mail!”
  3. Lastly, I remember being devastated at Blockbuster video when only the cover case of the movie I wanted to rent was remaining on the shelve. As a last ditch effort, I would typically rummage through the recently returned bin to test my luck, even if it meant I had to rewind the VHS myself.
So whether I should be considered a millennial or not is up for debate. I think recent skits like the one featuring Miley Cyrus on SNL have me jaded about the title of a millennial CLICK HERE. Despite how you might feel about millennials, there is one thing of which I'm certain: Consumers are progressively using more and more technology to influence how they spend their disposable income. If you want to stay competitive as an organization then you need to evolve just like your consumers. You need to be thinking about the millennial generation. Selecting and deploying technology for an organization can be a time consuming and a costly endeavor. I address how to get started in a previous post entitled “How Brad Pitt and Clint Eastwood Leverage Technology” CLICK HERE. In this post, I want to address the mindset one must have to leverage technology like a millennial.

Price versus Value
I willingly hand over money each month for things like Netflix, Ring, and Spotify. In preparation for this article, I decided to add up all the technology based bills I pay on a monthly basis. Although I won't share the exact number I came up with, I will share that it was in the hundreds. I was quite surprised by how much I was spending on technology. If you would have told me 10 years ago that I would soon be spending hundreds of dollars a month on technology that didn’t exist yet, I wouldn’t have believed you. So why don’t I have an issue paying these bills now? The answer is quite simple; PRICE IS ONLY AN ISSUE IN THE ABSENCE OF VALUE.
It is easy to look at new technology and only see the bill. If the price is all you are looking for then it is the only thing you will see. Before you start looking at the cost of technology, I highly recommend that you consider what value it will bring to your company.

If you have a clear understanding of the impact greater efficiency will have on your business, then new technology won't be so painful. What makes your business unique? If your company’s competitive advantage is customer service, explore ways to add value to your customer service experience. Don't let your competitors beat you where it really counts. If technology can help you improve your business where it matters the most then ask yourself “What is it costing me by not leveraging technology?” If technology can bring more value than it costs, then you shouldn’t hesitate.

McDonald’s is still paving the way
Let’s take McDonald's for example; They’re yet again setting an example for the franchise industry. In an article posted on Business Insider on Jun. 23, 2017 by Author Hayley Peterson, it was announced that “...the company is rolling out kiosks, which allow customers to order and pay for their food, in thousands of stores.” This use of technology is expected to “...speed up the ordering process and give people more control over customizing their food, while reducing opportunities for human error.” The article also states that “analysts expect the kiosks will help boost McDonald's sales, in part because they will help increase efficiency in restaurants.” Although these kiosks will add additional operating costs that the organization didn’t previously incur, they’re also gaining efficiency and a boost in sales that they didn't have before as well. Getting your food quick and easy has always been the backbone of the McDonald's experience. Technology is now allowing them to stay true to their roots. Increased sales and efficiency will more than make up for the cost of implementing the kiosks themselves.

Summary
My dad used to tell me “If you want to catch a fish then you have to get your line in the water. Choose your water wisely tho, because knowing which pond to fish matters more than your line!” Consumers are increasingly choosing to swim in ponds that are filled with technology. Consumers are progressively using more and more technology to influence how they spend their disposable income. Make sure your business is paying attention to the pond it is fishing in. PRICE IS ONLY AN ISSUE IN THE ABSENCE OF VALUE. Although your business might be spending more than ever before on new tech tools, you really can’t afford to ignore technology.


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]]>Fri, 13 Apr 2018 10:10:52 -0600<![CDATA[Tips for shopping for tech!]]>https://www.fewerhats.com/blogs/post/tips-for-shopping-for-techA few months ago I went shopping for a new car. I had a vague idea of what I wanted but I wasn’t completely sold on any one brand, make, or model. The ]]>

Tips for shopping for tech!

A few months ago I went shopping for a new car. I had a vague idea of what I wanted but I wasn’t completely sold on any one brand, make, or model. The only thing I had officially committed myself to was buying a used car in order to save money. Purchasing a car is not an everyday activity for me so I was a bit unsure of where to begin. I decided to search online for local used car dealerships. I came across a website of dealership that impressed me. They seemed to have a large inventory selection, special sales offers, and a convenient location. I was getting filled with excitement and anticipation that I had come one step closer to purchasing my new set of wheels. I raced over to the dealership filled with this excitement to check out their inventory first hand. When I arrived at the dealership I felt a bit confused. The business looked much different than what I had seen on their website. The car lot looked much smaller, the office looked like it was falling apart, and it was unclear where I was supposed to go to get help.

After wandering around the car lot for a few minutes, I was finally approached by a car salesman. I told the salesman that I was ready to buy a car but that I wasn’t really sure what I was looking for. Without asking anymore questions, the car salesman proceeded to parade me around the lot telling me exactly what I wanted. Without knowing anything about me he suddenly understood exactly what I was looking for. He started a well rehearsed pitch on all the features and specifications of his favorite car. The longer he talked the more he killed the excitement I had about buying a car. He insisted that we take his favorite car out for a test drive to really get the full experience. He took a copy of my drivers license and away we went. This guy could not shut up and continued to babble on about things I couldn’t have cared less about. I found myself just wishing that this whole experience would come to an end. We got back to the dealership and I promptly began to leave. The salesman seemed confused by my rush to get going. He had assumed there was no way that I was going to leave his lot without buying a car. The pushy salesman tried to stop me from getting in the car I wanted to replace and insisted on talking more. I kindly insisted on leaving. As I drove away I realized that at least in this instance, the stereotype of the pushy used car salesman seemed to fit the mold.
As an operational consulting firm with an emphasis of leveraging technology, our team does a fair amount of software demos. We are constantly being solicited by software companies hoping to have us rep their software to our clients. I have seen numerous software companies with really flashy websites but very underdeveloped tech. Our team has listened to countless hours of sales pitches from software companies. The other day during a sales pitch from a marketing software platform, I started getting flashbacks of the horrible experience I had with the used car salesman. I realized something in that moment that I couldn’t deny. I realized that I shared part of the blame for the negative experience I had with the salesman. Although I think all sales professionals should spend ample time asking their potential clients great questions, let’s not forget the responsibility of the “buyer”. If you want to avoid a painful sales pitch then come to the pitch having done your homework. If you don’t come to the pitch with your own questions then you effectively give up all control to the salesman.

Most technology companies prep their sales people with a rehearsed sales presentation that they regurgitate day in and day out. I personally don’t have time for salespeople to show up and throw up generalized content. My time is valuable and I also want to respect the time of the sales professional. Here are a few tips that will allow you to get the most of your software demo or sales pitch;

1. Start every sales pitch by telling the salesperson exactly what you care about and exactly what you want to see. When shopping for technology for your company, do not show up to a sales pitch like I showed up the the used car lot. If you have an understanding of the features you really care about then you will likely get the answers you really want.

2. If the salesperson launches into an explanation of features you don’t care about then let the salesperson know. At first I felt that this was a rude thing to do but then something dawned on me; sales professionals want to make a sale. It’s helpful not rude to be vocal about the features that won’t influence my purchasing decision.

3. Be very clear with the salesperson before they start their presentation about your “must haves” and “deal breakers”. If you can disqualify the platform prior to listening to a long sales pitch, then you can save yourself and the sales professional a lot of time.
Make sure you do your homework before shopping for technology for your company. Understand that you have a responsibility as a buyer to understand what you want to buy. Take some time to educate yourself prior to speaking to sales. Speak with other people using similar technology to the one you are shopping for. Ask them what they love and what they hate about the technology. The software and tech industries have become very congested over the last few years. This is a good and a bad thing for the buyer. It’s good because it means that you have more options than ever before. It’s bad because it also means you have to do a lot more research to do. There is no such thing as perfect software or technology, but there is such a thing as a perfect fit.

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