ISN'T IT INTERESTING! THE BEST WANT TO BE EVEN BETTER
by Win Robinson


Recently our firm sent out a questionnaire to a certain group of franchises asking if they wished to get more information on a range of subjects that we had selected to assist and improve franchisees performance. We have had a good response but guess who they were? Yes, they were already the top performing franchisors, still wanting to improve and proactively looking for ways to assist themselves and their franchisees. I guess that's how they got to the top. They are continuously looking for the best information to help them succeed.

Progressive franchisors recognise that modern franchising is a complex business and both they and their franchisees require continuos updating and retraining to keep them up to speed and at the top of their markets.

Every franchisee wants good training up front to learn the business. Good training is more than simply learning how to deliver the product or service. Franchisees should learn:

• Standards and operating procedures
• Technical operations on products and services
• Leadership and business management
• Problem solving
• Advertising and promotional methods
• Customer service philosophy and procedure
• Staff management including recruitment, supervision and motivation
• Techniques for staff training
• Purchasing, ordering and inventory management
• Financial management and business plan development
• Communications, both internal and external
• Health and safety and security issues
• Conflict resolution
• Legal obligations and issues
• Tips for understanding the customer experience
• The understanding of what drives the business (KPIs)

Good franchisors ensure that franchises receive effective ongoing training. The hallmarks of great franchisors are offering new products, updating research, implementing new product development, installing state-of-the-art technology, introducing better methods of customer service and repositioning franchises in the market.

The reason most people chose to become franchisees is to obtain the training and support in running a business. A good franchisor recognises this and caters for it in the operation of the franchise. There should be an ongoing learning and personal development programme that teaches the franchisees the best practice in running a business. Instead of having to study at university or polytech, being a franchisee of a good franchise system means that you should get similar training but via a more practical hands on method. It's also a lot more interesting and relevant when you're learning on your own business.

And For Recognition
Wouldn't it be a great idea if after four years of good and still improving business results in the operation of your franchise, you graduated as Bachelor of Business Administration (Practical). Well its up to the franchisor to keep improving and developing the performance of the whole network so that everybody has the opportunity to get great results.

Good franchise consultants can assist the franchisors to develop and implement great performance improvement programmes.

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