Franchises are no exception. Quality control is crucial to any organization’s success. The main goal of a franchisor or business owner should be to maintain quality standards across the entire franchise system.
Both franchisors as well as franchisees can benefit from a franchise system that is based on best franchise operations management practices.
- All outlets must maintain a consistent level of service and product quality
- Instil customer service confidence
- Brand Equity
- Plan proactive actions
- Cost-effectiveness and resource efficiency
- Reduce waste
- Reduce mistakes
The key to a franchise’s sustainable growth is to establish and maintain a high-quality Franchise Management. Franchise brands can be destroyed if they place too much emphasis on franchisee recruitment, sales pressure and quality management of the franchise.
What are the key success factors for quality franchise operations management?
The Key Drivers are a combination qualitative and quantitative performance indicators.
1. Find out your All-Star Franchisee profile
Franchisees are the key to any franchise’s success. The franchisee extends the brand and brings their unique perspective to the team. Franchisors should look for franchisees who fit with their management style and culture. The more diverse franchisee profiles, the more customized the franchise management program must be. The franchisor’s organisation will be drained of resources if it tries to cater to all profiles.
It is crucial that the franchisor can document and catalogue the tools required for growth in a systematic way. The role of the franchiser is to guide the franchisees to reduce their learning curve. The level of attention required for each franchisee will increase if they are all different. This makes it harder to standardise the management system.
Motivated franchisees are more likely to offer customers high-quality products and services that meet the brand’s standards. Motivated franchisees will be more likely to provide high-quality service and products that meet the brand standards.
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2. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Develop a clear and concise SOP
Franchisees’ role is to duplicate the success of their franchisor. To do this, it is necessary to document the processes performed by each department of the franchise. Documenting your SOPs is the first step to a quality Franchise Operations Management.
It is important to clearly define roles and responsibilities so that everyone knows what to do. A well-documented SOP not only helps to ensure quality Franchise Operations, but also extends the Franchise Agreement by expanding all areas of compliance and performance statements.
3. Create a Systematic Training Program
The SOP is used as the foundation for specific training programs that are designed to ensure Franchisees at all levels can consistently deliver high-quality service. Franchisees, for example, undergo a planned intensive training course that includes training in each key operational area that impacts the quality of operations.
This ensures that the same quality practices are applied to all key services and operations. It is therefore important that all franchisors customize their training material based on their franchisees’ market, irrespective of the industry they are in. It is also important to make sure that the product or service is in line with the core brand identity to ensure consistency of franchise quality.
4. Franchise Quality Assurance: Ongoing Support
Although intensive training is important, it is only the first step to a quality management of franchise operations. Franchisors must provide their franchisees with ongoing support in order to maintain consistency throughout the franchise term. It is essential to keep a line of communication open with franchisees, whether it’s through hands-on support or remotely.
Franchise Operations Management Technology is used by many franchisors to track performance and facilitate communication. This franchise management software allows franchisors to easily communicate with franchisees about any new developments. They can also implement new trainings remotely or on-site, conduct store audits and track progress.
5. From Day 1, implement franchise quality operations management practices
Franchisees who are not informed about the best practices for quality franchise operations management from the beginning will find it more difficult to comply once they have developed their own expectations. It will be more difficult for a franchisor ensure Quality Operations in a franchise network if Franchisees are not briefed on the quality franchise Operations management practices from the very beginning.
Both the franchisors as well as their franchisees must be committed to a quality Franchise Operations Management. While it takes a lot of effort to maintain Franchise Operations Quality, this will help the profitability and sustainability.
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