Of the many concerns business operators have about franchising, probably one of the greatest is this: what if we stop being “us”? The silver lining is that culture is scalable if you Franchise My Business.
Make a list of what is happening, step by step, in every location. Please no generic words like quality or friendly, get descriptive. Some examples of this are: Call the customer within 2 hours, or another could be price guarantees. It should include the best practices that the organisation follows. For advice on how to Franchise My Business, contact Ashtons.
Franchise culture should be encapsulated
You incent and reward culture. Include your standards in:
How things are done – your operations manual
Your training (why it matters)
What do you check vs. the checklist or audit?
Your KPIs (what gets tracked)
Hire for cultural fit, not just skill set
You can teach a process to a franchisee, but it is much more difficult to change your attitude. Have a values-led recruitment process. Scenario questions. Values-aligned test for the reference checks.
Don’t wish the founder farewell
Your early franchisees will take their cue from you. Ongoing phone calls, visiting sites, and a robust onboarding process make it easier for franchisees to replicate the right behaviours.
As you scale, protect the culture.
Develop feedback loops: hear from customers, franchisees, and staff – change training/standards quickly if required.
