The majority of franchise and non-franchise businesses have implemented, or plan to implement the following tech: livestreaming, video on demand, custom mobile apps and AI chatbots.
Drilling into the numbers (Table 1) shows a difference of approach to technology between non-franchise and franchise operators, with a total of 86 per cent of non-franchise operators using or planning to use livestreaming and a higher number – 92 per cent – of franchise operators going down this road.
Video on demand is also more popular with franchise businesses, with 85 per cent of non-franchise operators using or planning to use it, vs 94 per cent of franchise operators.
The opposite is true of custom mobile apps, with 94 per cent of non-franchise operators using or planning to use them vs 86 per cent of franchise operators.
The adoption of AI is further behind the curve, showing the potential for growth in this area. Again franchises showed greater interest, with only 77 per cent of non-franchise operators saying they are using or planning to use AI chatbots, against 86 per cent of franchise owners.