The agency said feedback from members had identified "clear desire for a renewed approach to business support" that better reflects and meets the needs of franchisees, who range from industry newcomers to experienced travel professionals.
"The business recognised the need for a flexible support model capable of meeting a variety of business needs and ambitions," said GoCruise & Travel.
One immediate change is a simplified proposition for prospective franchisees, which will in future see GoCruise & Travel offer two start-up packages for new starters.
GoStart has been designed for individuals looking to launch quickly and efficiently, featuring the essential tools they need to start selling; GoPlus, meanwhile, is more comprehensive, including business mentoring, complementary conference and event opportunities, and extended one-to-one training.
Planned and ad hoc mentoring
For existing franchisees, GoCruise & Travel is placing a renewed focus on collaboration, knowledge-sharing and ongoing development.
New support options include bi-monthly scheduled business support calls with the agency's business support team; daily support through the franchise service centre; a dedicated business development calendar to keep franchisees informed of upcoming initiatives and opportunities; and online franchisee expertise sharing sessions, allowing franchisees to share best practice, growth strategies and insights.
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In addition, GoCruise & Travel is rolling out a new franchisee business expert programme, providing structured peer-to-peer mentoring and support tailored to individual business needs. The agency said the initiative had been designed to utilise the experience that exists across is network of franchisees.
"Franchisees will have access to business owners who have built successful travel businesses over many years and are willing to share their expertise on topics such as customer acquisition, client retention, business operations, social media marketing, handling challenging situations and identifying new growth opportunities," said the agency.
Planned mentoring programmes will last from between three to six months, but there will also be opportunities for ad hoc guidance focusing on specific business challenges.
'It's clear they're listening'
Colin Martin-Weekes, GoCruise & Travel's Head of Franchise, said: "Our franchise community is incredibly important to us and ensuring we listen to our members and act on their feedback is critical to our success.
"We are continually looking for ways to innovate and introduce new initiatives that genuinely benefit our franchisee businesses. This enhanced support structure reflects our commitment to helping every franchisee achieve their business goals while remaining part of a collaborative and supportive network."
GoCruise & Travel Franchisee Rich Rochester added: "It's clear GoCruise & Travel is listening and acting on franchisee feedback. In the last six months alone, we've seen new system developments introduced, with more on the way, alongside a significant increase in events that bring franchisees, trade partners and head office support together. It's the kind of franchise that genuinely backs you to grow your own business."
