Strengthening Internal Communications to Drive Alignment Across a Complex Franchise System
Challenge
As the parent company of Applebee’s and IHOP, Dine Brands was focused on driving operational performance, strengthening its brands and supporting franchise growth across a large and diverse network. Achieving those objectives required strong alignment among corporate team members, field teams and franchisees.
Leadership recognized that internal communications played a critical role in helping stakeholders navigate change, understand business priorities and stay connected to the company’s broader vision. However, they needed a clear understanding of what was working, where gaps existed and how communications could better support business performance.
Strategy
Linhart PR conducted a comprehensive assessment of Dine Brands’ internal communications ecosystem to uncover opportunities for greater engagement and alignment. Rather than focusing solely on communication channels, the assessment explored how information flowed across the organization and how communications influenced culture, collaboration and business understanding.
The goal was to provide leadership with actionable insights that could strengthen connections across the franchise system while supporting long-term business objectives.
Execution
Linhart designed and implemented a multi-phase communications audit that gathered feedback from stakeholders across the organization, including:
- In-depth interviews with senior executives
- Focus groups with corporate team members
- One-on-one conversations with field team members and franchisees
- Evaluation of existing communications surveys, channels and vehicles
Insights from multiple audiences were analyzed to identify recurring themes, communication barriers and opportunities for improvement.
Results
- Delivered a clear roadmap for strengthening communication effectiveness across corporate teams and franchisees
- Identified immediate opportunities to improve information-sharing and demonstrate leadership responsiveness to stakeholder feedback
- Provided recommendations to enhance existing communications strategies, channels and content
- Helped create stronger alignment between team members’ day-to-day work and broader business goals
- Established a foundation for improved engagement, culture-building and organizational connection across the Dine Brands system
- Generated actionable insights leaders could use to support change management and future business initiatives
