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Franchise New Zealand | Autumn 2026 | Year 35 Issue 01
Let’s start with a basic question: do your franchisees have customers?
Of course they do. Plumbers. Electricians. Cleaning companies. Hairdressers.
Auto repair. HVAC technicians. Every service franchise has customers. Real
people who use their services and pay for them.
Here’s the next question: do those customers make repeat purchases?
A homeowner or business calling a plumber for a burst pipe this year will
need another service in the next couple of years. A salon client coming in
every six weeks is a repeat customer. A business booking a monthly cleaning
service is making regular purchases. A homeowner who had gutters cleaned
in spring might need them cleaned again in autumn. A student may have
younger siblings who will also need a driving instructor in 18 months’ time.
Repeat customers are everywhere in service franchises, and the length of
time between repeat purchases can vary hugely.
So, here’s the real question: are you doing anything to keep those customers
coming back to you instead of calling someone else?
The blind spot
Service or trade franchise networks might be excused for thinking that
formalised customer engagement and loyalty programmes are for shops and
restaurants only.
But that thinking is outdated in today’s competitive environment. And
your franchisees may be missing out if your network does not develop a
formalised network-wide strategy for customer retention.
Loyalty isn’t just about points for buying shampoo. It’s about customers
choosing your franchise, coming back to your franchisees, and spending
more with the group. It’s about staying top-of-mind when they need a service.
It’s about building relationships instead of just transactions.
Service or trade franchises have something retail or hospitality doesn’t
always have – customers with real, ongoing needs. People need repairs
and maintenance. Businesses need regular cleaning. These aren’t one-time
purchases or ‘nice-to-haves’. They’re ongoing needs.
It can be tempting to assume that, just because your customers need these
services, they need you and your business. The reality is, that unless you have
developed a strategy for keeping those customers loyal to your business, they
could move to another service provider at any time.
Maximising potential
If your customers are already coming back for one service, they are your
best prospects for additional services – as long as you have taken steps to
engage them properly. Do you have systems in place to thank them for their
business? Do you regularly remind them about other services they might
need or want, now or in the future?
John A. Norrie explains
how the importance of
developing customer
loyalty strategies is
often overlooked in
franchise systems
outside the retail sector.
CUSTOMER
LOYALTY
MATTERS
Franchise Management
I bought a
Pit Stop franchise
and I’ve never
looked back
Franchise opportunities nationwide.
Call Stacey 027 406 3744 for a chat.
Visit www.pitstop.co.nz/franchising
Image: www.stock.adobe.com/Boumenjapet