How can you ensure your franchise training program is consistent?

Ensuring consistency in a franchise training program is vital for the success of individual units and the overall brand. A comprehensive approach involves developing detailed training materials, implementing a standardized curriculum, and utilizing a Learning Management System (LMS) for centralized access. Train-the-trainer programs empower staff, and standardized schedules ensure timely training. Regular updates, continuous support, and a feedback loop maintain relevance and responsiveness. Incorporating e-learning modules enhances accessibility, and monitoring compliance through audits ensures adherence. Fostering a culture of consistency reinforces brand standards, contributing to operational efficiency and a reputable brand presence.

We have a very strict feedback system and if feedback about a trainer is not very good over a couple of months we remove the trainer. Our standards are very high for trainers. We also have implemented live interactive quiz games at the end of each session to test their knowledge and if people struggle in one area, we know what our trainer has to focus on. We also track franchisees heavily post training for the first month and if there is customer service issues, we will make them do retraining.

A role based in the cloud operations support for initial onboarding training and ongoing support with a common unified communications platform. This way you ensure every franchise location has the current up-to-date training procedures and standards since they are instantly updated and confirmed by each location and by person in each role with layered in checklists for support & compliance.

Our manual is only 13 pages! It's personally written by the CEO himself and our franchisees can vote in or vote down changes to their own manuals.

There is great (inexpensive) software that looks and feels like a website with security protocols that draws information on its pages directly from Google Drive, so every time HQ/ ZOR updates or makes changes to THEIR Google Drive document it automatically updates the manual and, if this software is used as the platform for a franchisee's website, every franchisee would get the new information in real time. No more need of sending updated info to franchisee to upload.

Our training is in person every three weeks in a 120 seat lecture theatre, we all use the same slide templates and are assessed very hard by our CEO every training. We also use Kahoot for our quizzes and talent LMS when we need to deliver the program online.

Going beyond the “check box” measures of compliance is where Training Systems can have great impact! Many L&D professionals use the ADDIE process for creating training content…yet the Evaluation step rarely goes beyond the check for “completion”. Taking the time to ask for feedback can not only influence the success of a project, but also transform existing core training systems. An opportunity for Franchisors to learn from their audience (Franchisees and their teams), ensures systems are not only working, but engaging drivers of a culture of continuous learning within your Franchise system. #HOTperspectives #Franchising #ElevatingSystems #Feedback

We survey every franchisee straight away after training and all comments are scrutinised. We will then be directed by the CEO to improve or remove people depending on the level of the score and any negative feedback.

Practice is a different from training. "Training is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that requires reinforcement and revision." Which is essentially deliberate practice. Deliberate practice needs goals, coaches, and clearly defined measures of success and failure. In an a franchise system, deliberate practice is different for each role: from the entry level to the CEO. But deliberate practice is required to ensure consistency of execution.

Our franchisors provide 8-12 meetings a year and at these in-person meetings training is always paramount with outside people brought in to provide value to our franchisees.