How QSRs Train Franchisees and Staff for Success
Brands are focusing on intensive coaching, e-learning and customer service.
Most quick service restaurants are running boot camps these days designed to prepare franchisees and staff for the rigorous demands and challenges of the industry.
Some chains run training programs that last for more than a month, especially when it comes to equipping franchisees with the right skills to create a booming business. Meanwhile, store staff members are being trained to improve customer service and operational efficiency from an increasing number of mediums, including digitally through e-learning.
Coaching franchisees
Franchisees receive more coaching these days, spanning store operations, marketing, financial planning and even leadership. Aside from being given a thick manual, franchisees more often than not also train under a mentor figure such as the business coaches at the Ferguson Plarre bakery chain.
“Franchisees receive intense initial and then regular ongoing training on everything from how to write their business plan, bank submissions for finance and then of course the basics like how to make amazing coffee, set up local area marketing campaigns and run your Ferguson Plarre store from open to close. As a point of difference, we employ Business Coaches rather than Business Development Managers,” says Steve Plarre, chief executive officer at Plarre Foods Pty Ltd, which operates the bakery chain.
Over at Roll’d, franchisees go through a 4-6 week training program at the centralised QV location in Melbourne with emphasis given on how to run a profitable business, says founder Bao Hoang. Roll’d franchisees and their staff are also taught how to provide great service and offerings to our customers.
A similar model combining franchisee and staff training is used by Gelatissimo, in what they dub as a Gelato Academy which has been purpose built as a comprehensive and dedicated training department, according to Fred Pose, franchise development manager at Gelatissimo. The Academy is headed by expert gelato maker Anna Temellini who conducts master gelato courses for experienced staff and also all induction training for new franchisees and staff.
Customer service
Customer service is emerging as a critical area for both franchisee and staff training because it can be the competitive ace to help a brand rise above the fray. At Roll’d customer service is viewed with equal importance as food safety.
“New staff in our existing stores is taken through an extensive 2-week training program in store where other experienced team members take them through each process within our store with emphasis on food safety and customer service,” says Hoang.
Healthy Habits, meanwhile, has packed customer service training into 5 modules with a few hours of video footage. “This will be rolled out to other key areas and supported by face-to-face training as well. We meet regularly through both operations and workshops to ensure that staff and franchise owners remain sufficiently expert in all that they need to effectively compete,” says Mark Buckland, managing director at Healthy Habits.
Modules seem to be effective for training similar to how classes focus on just one topic to help with knowledge retention. Burger Urge uses such a modular approach and it fits well with their goal of teaching staff the proper procedures to run the store.
“We offer an extensive staff development program, which is broken into modules and teaches each staff member step by step how to do everything in a Burger Urge store,” says Pete Kilroy, marketing manager at Burger Urge.
Brands like Muzz Buzz are even dipping into e-learning to gain an edge and further enhance the impact of modular teaching and mentorship.
“We have just launched our first e-learning module, allowing Team Members interactive learning and consistency which are set to complement our traditional training methods. We are continually looking at ways to improve and sustain our Team Members skills sets and operational knowledge as we continue to grow,” Warren Reynolds, executive chairman at Muzz Buzz.
Serge Infanti, managing director at Foodco Group, operators of Jamaica Blue and Muffin Break, says franchisees and staff can access am online web portal to learn more about compliance training, policies and induction.
Focus on the individual
Infanti adds that training needs to be customised now to fit an individual rather than rolling out standardised training for everyone. This helps keep pushing the strengths and knowledge of a franchisee and staff, growing their potential and personal investment in the company.
Twice a year the whole company is brought together for additional training in areas such as cultural diversity, leadership, financial training, says Infanti. An individual training needs analysis is conducted with each performance review and additional focused skill based training sessions are allotted as needed such as Project Management skills.
Infanti says the group tries to see what franchisees and staff need to succeed, and if this happen to be additional education, then options are provided to help them in that regard.
“We also support our staff to complete tertiary and post graduate education with courses such as Graduate Certificates and MBA’s currently being studied,” he says.
