First Year Make or Break: Helping Small-Business Owners Succeed with Training
Business management skills, employee training and customer relations are crucial to the operation of an efficient, successful and sustainable franchise.
By Kevin Foley
A small-business owner who’s just starting out may have the dedication to succeed, but without access to proper training and previous business experience, results can be hard to achieve. The first year of a new business is crucial; it is essentially the “make or break” period. The right resources and training can make all the difference.
Establish goals to achieve results
For many, owning a business is appealing because it provides the opportunity to be your own boss, but ultimately the responsibility to succeed begins and ends with the owner. Setting goals for the business and having a plan to achieve success is critical. Quality training can provide the tools franchise owners need to really understand what it takes to run a business and create measurable goals.
From the internal mechanics of running a business, to front-of-the-house customer service and management, training establishes a foundation for owners to develop, learn new skills and stay relevant within their niche or market. By going through the training process, owners can examine their motivation, develop the necessary knowledge and skills and focus on serving their customers.
For example, The UPS Store offers a comprehensive training program for new franchisees designed to help them develop the business acumen and day-to-day operational skills and knowledge needed to own and operate a The UPS Store center. Many of these skills are transferable and would prove valuable to any entrepreneur seeking a new venture or looking to sustain their current business.
“It was appealing to have the chance to be self-made, and franchising allowed me the independence to develop my own goals and take the business to the next level,” said Alex Chambers, a franchisee of The UPS Store. “The positive work atmosphere, opportunities to grow and customer interaction are a perfect combination for a challenging, yet equally rewarding career.”
Understand your customers
As any business owner knows, happy customers are the key to success. It’s critical to be aware of customer needs and understand their motivation for choosing a particular business. Owners should also be aware of the competitive landscape to differentiate their business from others in the same market.
A major benefit of opening a franchise and joining an established brand is that there are many resources already available. Franchisees have the benefit of already knowing the types of customers they’ll be serving and the types of products they need. As a member of a franchise network, franchisees have access to the brand’s marketing and advertising materials, along with brand research and customer insights. Nevertheless, it’s important to make sure content is customized to unique customer needs.
To ensure top-quality customer service, owners should engage in their communities to keep a finger on the pulse of customer needs. Gaining feedback on a day-to-day basis can help the owner stay accountable for adjusting services to meet those needs. Additionally, networking with other owners in the area can be an invaluable resource in understanding the needs within the community.
Train employees
It’s also crucial that owners make training their employees a priority. After all, employees are often the first touch point for the customer. According to a benchmark study from Cvent, customer retention rates are 18 percent higher on average when employees are highly engaged. To successfully communicate with customers, employees must first fully understand the business model and overall objectives.
Training gives owners an opportunity to educate employees about the business while creating a positive work environment to motivate and engage everyone on the team. A successful model can provide employees with an arsenal of tools to help grow the business and work as a stronger, more cohesive team.
Additionally, employees need to fully understand how to use the equipment and technology essential for the business. Owners should establish training for any special skills that might be required and should follow up with continued help and guidance along the way. If employees are trained with the business model and goals in mind, the owner can hold them accountable.
Take advantage of resources
Training also offers a great opportunity to network within the community and discover the resources available. Pursuing a franchise opportunity allows access to a network of other franchise owners, which is an important resource to consider and explore. The ability to network with other franchisees can provide great insight into what it takes to make a business successful.
Industry newsletters and magazines are great resources for learning about training opportunities. They can keep owners up to date on the latest trends and alert them to local events that might help them expand their professional networks. Organizations such as SCORE and local small-business organizations often provide and recommend training resources. These organizations can also open doors to community seminars and events.
Ultimately, business management skills, employee training and customer relations are three of the most important things required to be efficient, successful and sustainable. When small-business owners understand these fundamentals of running a business, they are better able to set goals, educate employees and meet the needs of customers. These essential business skills are most often gained through training, which is the key to putting owners on an unwavering path to success.
Kevin Foley is vice president of human resources, training and development for The UPS Store. Find him a fransocial.franchise.org.