Training and Preparation: Equipping New Franchisees and Employees for a Successful Start

January 26, 2017

The best training programs go beyond how-tos and tactical execution. They empower franchisees and employees to take ownership of their roles and work as an extension of the brand.

By Justin Wetherill

Handing over your name, image and reputation to a franchisee requires equal parts trust and preparation, so it’s important to develop sophisticated systems and processes to train new franchisees and employees to best represent your brand. Training programs are about more than learning the ropes; they set the tone for your entire enterprise and allow for a standardized customer and employee experience across locations.

In the world of franchising, inconsistency is the biggest threat to success, and that threat grows alongside your brand. Ensuring a seamless brand experience across locations requires a tremendous amount of work and investment, but the payoff is invaluable. As a leader, do you wonder how you can foster consistency while still expanding across markets and growing your team? Through exhaustive training and preparation.

Since 2009, uBreakiFix has grown from one Central Florida location to more than 275 stores across the US and Canada. To maintain this volume of growth, we have had to develop effective communication channels and streamlined systems and processes. We invest heavily in our training systems and have experienced great returns in terms of customer experience, franchisee interest and, of course, profit.

Tip No. 1: Offer a versatile learning experience

Structure is an important consideration when developing a training program. Creating a multistage process is a great way to introduce, elevate and reinforce your team’s understanding of your brand’s mission and expectations. Using a variety of techniques, such as lecture, written materials, videos, live demonstrations, role playing, hands-on training, guest speakers, breakout sessions and more, allows you to target different types of learners and provide both a theoretical and experiential understanding of your company’s internal and external goals and processes.

Lay the groundwork for success. At uBreakiFix, all new location owners, their managers, and sometimes even their technicians will come to Orlando, Florida, for three weeks of business and tech repair training at the home office. The first two weeks are spent learning the fundamentals: culture, internal systems, repair processes and customer service standards.

This initial operations training is followed by a phase of shadowing during which the team goes to a local, corporately owned location to observe the processes in real time. Shadowing allows your team to gain valuable experience before diving into the business, instilling confidence in each member.

Reinforce corporate training at home. After three weeks of boot camp at corporate headquarters, we send the owners, managers and technicians back to their stores with an on-site trainer to spend their first three weeks of business with them. Sending additional support helps to reinforce your team’s initial training and give them an opportunity to apply their new tools and skills at home, knowing they have support should they need to troubleshoot.

Tip No. 2: Train for culture

Culture is king. Sharing your company’s culture with franchisees early is a crucial step in aligning their personal goals and values with those of your brand. Additionally, your franchisees and employees are more likely to work hard and take ownership of your systems and processes if they feel a part of the team.

Never take customer service for granted. While technical know-how is important, your customer experience is what will set it apart from others in your sphere. Customer service is the lifeblood of your company and often overshadows technical service, so it is imperative that franchisees and employees learn brand-appropriate messaging, transparent communication and top-notch interpersonal skills.

Tip No. 3: Communication channels

Training doesn’t end after onboarding. Learning should never be a one-and-done process; the best training programs are continual.

At uBreakiFix, we have a help desk at our home office with an entire team dedicated to supporting our owners and employees. Any question a store employee has regarding business, repair or customer service can be answered in real time by one of our support representatives. Yes, ongoing support and internal systems require more time, money and resources, but it’s well worth it to ensure consistency across locations.

Use metrics to regularly evaluate success. Check stores’ performance using a metric system that grades on a host of parameters, based on what you feel is most pertinent to running a healthy, successful location. At uBreakiFix, we prioritize customer service, so our metrics evaluate different elements of the customer experience, which naturally translates to running a profitable business.

Preparation is an investment

Ultimately, the training experience is a great opportunity for your team to build as a community and rally behind your company’s vision. For that reason, it’s necessary for any business to treat training as a priority. When you prioritize the owner experience as well as the customer experience, success is an automatic byproduct. With a solid foundation and understanding of the business and its systems, franchisees and employees will have the confidence and tools necessary to handle every possible scenario in alignment with your brand’s values. Healthy organizations find longevity by fostering consistency, and a sophisticated training system is an investment in your company’s future.

The correlation between preparation and success cannot be overstated. The best training programs go beyond how-tos and tactical execution. They empower franchisees and employees to take ownership of their roles and work as an extension of the brand. You will not regret the time and resources you invest because the return will be well worth it.

Justin Wetherill is President of uBreakiFix. Still in his 20s, he has grown his firm to more than 140 retail gadget repair franchise locations in the U.S. and Canada.