Wild Birds Franchise Owner Kyle Odom Thrives On Building Relationships

Why did you purchase a Wild Birds Unlimited franchise rather than start an independent business?

My franchises are my independent business. However, I specifically bought Wild Birds Unlimited franchises for several key reasons:

• The proven business model was replicable across markets.
• Support structure around products and suppliers, marketing, and technology infrastructure.
• Brand awareness in the marketplace.

Were you focused on a specific industry or brand from the start?

As a longtime Wild Birds Unlimited customer, I focused on this franchise as my number one target. I did look at other industries and brands, but my familiarity with the Wild Birds Unlimited customer experience ultimately drove me to that as my sole consideration.

Which of your prior skills and experiences are most helpful in your Wild Birds franchise?

Focusing on optimal customer experience is the key driver behind my entire business. I have corporate career experience in customer acquisition, customer experience management, and customer retention. I use these skills every day in managing and growing my franchises. I also believe in employee well-being and have experience managing that throughout my career. I believe (and experience has shown) that if employees know that they are valued and have ownership in their jobs, they will be better equipped to take care of customers and elevate the Customer Experience in my business. Teamwork does not happen on its own…it must be structured and managed to be effective. One of the most critical elements of any business is the company’s culture. My experience in Quality Management helps me establish and maintain a culture focused on continuous improvement and excellence.

When researching franchises to buy, what criteria mattered to you most?

My top driver was finding a customer-focused, productive business model aligned with my values and interests. Specific criteria that I looked at included industries or markets that had personal resonance for me, the model’s proven commercial success, a culture that values people as well as results, independence to create my own business within the franchise framework, and proven positive Franchisee experience demonstrating a successful Franchise model.

Did you use FBR’s website or download franchisee satisfaction reports?

Yes! I referred to FBR and reviewed the Satisfaction Survey results and Awards as part of my decision-making process. The survey results over several years clearly showed that the Wild Birds Unlimited Franchise model accommodated my criteria.

During your research, what questions did you ask franchise owners?

I spoke with other owners and visited existing stores. This is part of the WBU Discovery Process in their onboarding model. Franchise HQ provided a solid model to follow for store visits, and that structure proved helpful. Other Franchisees I spoke with were open and honest in their feedback. My questions to Franchisees revolved around satisfaction with the franchise, return on investment, customer buying patterns, community involvement, and hiring/training practices.

Which questions did you ask Wild Birds franchise leadership?

I asked many questions of the franchisor. Our discovery process was bidirectional by design, and it allowed me every opportunity to ask questions through the stringent process. Some critical questions I focused on related to the overall strategy and direction of the brand in an ever-changing retail world. Having no prior retail experience, I wanted to understand how the strategy had changed over time and where the next big opportunities were, specifically around customer acquisition and product development. I also had plenty of questions about the technology infrastructure of the franchise, as there were new software platforms going into implementation at the time.

What were your biggest challenges when you first started your Wild Birds franchise?

I acquired my first franchise in the Fall of 2019. We all know what happened in the Spring of 2020, so the pandemic was certainly a challenge, as it was for everyone. Having acquired the first franchise as an existing business, another of my challenges was staffing. There were key personnel I needed to keep, and the rest would be new hires. Having no prior experience in retail staffing, I relied on guidance and input from the WBU Franchise Support Center to help me source and hire the right team members.

How does the franchisor support and encourage your success?

WBU Franchise offers several Coaching Models. Based on the model an owner chooses, the support will vary. As an owner of the Enterprise Model, I have regular meetings with my coach and am offered the opportunity to communicate bi-directionally. The marketing plan is outlined clearly, and store owners can follow it as tightly or loosely as they choose, adding their marketing elements using the franchise’s components. I am constantly impressed with the support of the WBU Information Systems team. They are solidly customer-focused on the experience of their store owners when it comes to technology. I am an elected member of the WBU Franchise Advisory Council, which allows me to have regular, direct interaction with franchise leadership and management. This allows me clear insight into the best practices of the most successful Franchisees in the system. Our annual WBU Leadership Conference is critical in helping Franchisees improve their operations.

What are you most proud of and why?

I am very proud of our customer relationships. We regularly survey our customer base and the input from customers is pure gold to me. I’m proud of the results and even more proud of some of the language they use in their feedback. Where in the world have you ever seen the top keywords in customer feedback be “love,” “joy,” “happiness,” and “kindness”? That is what our data shows, and it tells me that we are doing things right. Another indicator is that we have doubled our revenues since I acquired the business five years ago! I’m proud of that.

What advice would you give to new or potential franchise buyers?

As in any business, the end result is dependent on the energy an owner brings to it. It is awesome to have the framework and support provided by the franchise, but it’s my business. The most critical element to me is having the right team members in the right roles to provide the optimal Customer Experience. If I clearly communicate my mission, values, and expectations, the team can run with it and build a replicable, scalable Customer Experience.

To learn more about the Wild Birds Unlimited franchise opportunity:
Visit wbufranchise.com, email [email protected], or call (888) 730-7108.