How to Convince Corporate to Invest in New Software

Is the software you’re using to manage your franchise location causing more harm than good? Consider approaching corporate to inquire about switching. 

Transitioning a company to new software is no easy task. So, how can you communicate with corporate and clearly make your case? Here are a few pro tips.

Compare your options across key points

What are the most important things that your software must be able to do? Think of elements like: 

• Text and email messaging with your clientele 
• Technical support from the software 
• Streamlined digital marketing abilities 
• Exposure to potential customers 
• Appointment booking and rescheduling 

Make a master list of everything you’re looking for. Then, you’ll want to compare your current software and the software you potentially switch to. Ask yourself, who’s checking the most boxes, and who’s not quite standing up to the challenge? 

Make it easy for corporate to see how your options all stack up and compare to each other. 

Time is money: Do the math for them

Corporate-level team members often speak in numbers — you need to communicate with them in their language. 

Here’s an example. You might be noticing that it takes your staff member two hours to set up a new client in your current software. You’re confident this could be done in 30 minutes, with better software. 

How much is it costing your franchise to pay that employee for those two hours of work? How much money would you save by eliminating those extra 90 minutes? 

Now, extrapolate this. If your employee is creating an average of five new user accounts a week, that’s 10 hours of work. How much does that cost each week? Per month? Per year? 

These are the numbers that get will corporate’s attention. Additionally, ensure you present a solution to the problem. With new software helping you accomplish this task faster, how much time and money will your franchise get back? The ROI matters. 

Power in numbers: Call your fellow franchisees

Now that you have your ROI numbers, call on your fellow franchisees. Does your brand have a franchisee council? Are you well-connected to other location owners? If you know they too are interested in moving to new software, work together while creating your plan around why moving to a new software makes sense. Showing the numbers across multiple locations can quantify how moving to new software can positively impact the entire brand. 

Corporations are more likely to listen if they know multiple franchisees are interested in trying something new.

Offer to pilot the new software

Understandably, corporate might be hesitant to move all its locations to new software in one fell swoop. Offer to be the guinea pig. 

Aside from getting a demo of the new software you’re considering, you should also ask them for the opportunity to pilot it for a few months. (This is something Mindbody requires.) If you can wrangle a few more locations to do this with you, all the better. 

During the pilot, consider these questions: 

• How is the migration experience? 
• Have you been able to import all your current data without losing any? 
• Are you getting the technical support you need from the software company? 
• How much time is it saving you, and on which tasks? 

You’ll want to be armed with this information when you go back to corporate to share the results of the pilot. Especially when it comes to the migration of data, companies want to be sure they’re not going to lose anything in the transition, because this is information that can be challenging to recover, if possible at all. 

Don’t forget about your KPIs — these are especially important. Corporate will want to know specifically how new software will help your location perform better. Do you think different software will help you: 

• Miss fewer calls at the front desk? 
• Reduce the number of no-shows? 
• Improve your email open rate? 

Call out these numbers as areas that you’re aiming to improve. 

Moving an enterprise company to new software is a big ask, so be prepared for it to happen in stages. The first step? Going to corporate prepared with the tips we’ve given you and making your case. With a pilot program, your company will have a chance to see if this software is the right fit. 

Are you interested in testing new software for your franchise location? Request a demo of Mindbody today.