1851

No two franchises may be the same, but franchisors and franchisees will save themselves a lot of headaches in the long run if they implement certain best practices. 

1851 Franchise spoke to franchise veterans to gauge their thoughts on best practices. 

1. Go For The Pros 

As a franchise owner, it may be tempting to be in two places at once and know everything, but the good news is that you don&rsquo;t have to. Successful franchise owners will tell you that delegating is key, as is investing in having the right people on board. 

&ldquo;My experience is its one of those things where you really have to seek out the weakness, whether its sales or CS or whatever it is, and then seek out professionals,&rdquo; said Mike Gould, Founder and CEO of <a href="http://www.houndstownfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=3-operations-tips-to-keep-in-your-playbook-2707156" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hounds Town USA</a>, a daycare for dogs. &ldquo;The average franchisor may be a brilliant or passionate business person, but they might not have the specialization required to address that point. It may cost a little more, but a person who is penny wise and pound foolish is a real issue in this industry, so it&rsquo;s worth seeking out the pros.&rdquo;

Hiring the right center directors is especially important from a brand perspective. Employees who are passionate about the brand will ultimately be the best representatives.

&ldquo;You need to have the right people operating the stores &mdash; people that believe in your brand&rsquo;s mission and values and people who are eager to execute on the brand&rsquo;s promise,&rdquo; <a href="http://franchise.wbu.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=3-operations-tips-to-keep-in-your-playbook-2707156" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wild Birds Unlimited</a>&nbsp;Chief Development Officer Paul Pickett said. &ldquo;You need people who engage with and embrace the brand&rsquo;s culture.&rdquo;

2. Training. Training. Training. (And Did We Mention Training?)

Investing in heavy-duty training from day one - and continuing to train employees on a regular basis after they&rsquo;ve started - is critical for brand consistency and success. Franchisees, center directors and individual employees are more likely to excel when expectations are set and prioritized from the beginning.

&ldquo;When you are creating a training program, the instinct is to fit every single aspect of your operations into the training,&rdquo; Josh York, founder and CEO of <a href="http://www.gymguyzfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=3-operations-tips-to-keep-in-your-playbook-2707156" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">GYMGUYZ</a> said. &ldquo;If you&rsquo;ve got a two-week training program, chances are the franchisees aren&rsquo;t going to retain everything. You&rsquo;ve got to make sure you are focusing on the things that are crucial for them to succeed.&rdquo;

The same attitude toward&nbsp;training must apply to every employee at a center.

&ldquo;When we see a new name at a restaurant, we&rsquo;ll reach out and help the franchisee make sure the new person is trained properly and that everyone is set up for success,&rdquo; Lance Vaught, the Vice President of Operations for <a href="http://www.penn-station.com/franchise/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=3-operations-tips-to-keep-in-your-playbook-2707156" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Penn Station</a> said. &ldquo;That kind of dedication assures that every link in the chain that is our franchise is strong.&rdquo;

3. Show Your Face

Don&rsquo;t be the faceless executive behind a closed door. Visiting locations and keeping it personal with the center directors and other representatives are crucial to long-term success. By connecting with the boots on the ground, so to speak, franchise owners can show their employees that they are approachable and can be easily reached for advice and guidance.

&ldquo;I&rsquo;m always shocked when I talk to franchise professionals in any department who don&rsquo;t spend a lot of time with their franchisees,&rdquo; Pickett said. &ldquo;Not just new franchisees, and not just the most successful ones - you need to see for yourself how all of them are running their stores. You need to know why some stores are doing better than others and try to put your finger on what the differences are. For development, you need to know which characteristics and skill sets and personalities are proving effective.&rdquo;

One-on-one time between franchisees and executives can also be helpful. 

&ldquo;People are blown away by how focused we are on operations,&rdquo; Vaught said. &ldquo;Other brands have one rep for every 75 restaurants, we have one for every 20 or 25, so we spend a lot more one-on-one time with franchisees. We&rsquo;ve always felt its important that franchisees have a personal connection with their area reps, which in turn gives them a personal connection to the corporate office.&quot;

3 Operations Tips To Keep In Your Playbook

1851 Franchise

Regular training, onsite visits and hiring the right people will help set your franchise up for success. 

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

3-operations-tips-to-keep-in-your-playbook

TruBlue Home Service Ally

TruBlue’s Home Maintenance Plans: Peace of Mind for Homeowners

trublues-home-maintenance-plans-peace-of-mind-for-homeowners

Caring Transitions

Caring Transitions Targets Peoria, Illinois, for Franchise Growth

caring-transitions-targets-peoria-illinois-for-franchise-growth

Caring Transitions Celebrates a Strong Start to 2025 With 19 New Franchise Sales and Momentum-Building Training Events

caring-transitions-celebrates-a-strong-start-to-2025-with-19-new-franchise-sales-and-momentum-building-training-events

Right at Home

Right at Home 30th Anniversary in Home Care with Right at Home Logo

Celebrating 30 Years of Excellence and Future Innovations in Home Care

celebrating-30-years-of-excellence-and-future-innovations-in-home-care

Why TruBlue is the Ideal Franchise for Multi-Unit Owners: Scalable Growth With a Purpose

why-trublue-is-the-ideal-franchise-for-multi-unit-owners-scalable-growth-with-a-purpose

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands - 1851 Franchise

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands

doordash-acquistions-deliveroo-sevenrooms

Crumbl Franchise Investment - TSG Consumer Partners -  1851 Franchise

TSG Consumer Partners Takes Minority Stake in Crumbl, Signaling Franchise Growth Potential

crumbl-franchise-investment-tsg-consumer

Yum Brands Reports Strong Q1 Results with Big Boost from Taco Bell

yum-brands-reports-strong-q1-results-with-big-boost-from-taco-bell

QSR: McDonald’s Gains Momentum With Chicken Innovation, Value Deals and Franchisee Support

mcdonalds-franchise-recovery-chicken-strategy-value-deals-2025

The Future of Franchising: Trends and Predictions for 2025 and Beyond

the-future-of-franchising-trends-and-predictions-for-2025-and-beyond

Layoffs Surge to Pandemic-Era Highs, Opening Doors for Franchise Growth

layoffs-surge-to-pandemic-era-highs-opening-doors-for-franchise-growth

Franchisee spotlight image with Randy and Sandy Craft, Children's Lighthouse logo on blue background

The Crafts’ Successful Journey from New Parents to Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees

the-crafts-successful-journey-from-new-parents-to-childrens-lighthouse-franchisees

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Amy Lepke and family and Papa Murphy's logo

After 14 Years as a Stay-At-Home Mom, Amy Lepke Returned to Papa Murphy’s — This Time as an Owner

papa-murphys-franchise-amy-lepke

Franchisee Spotlight with Micki Waters and Papa Murphy's Logo

Work Mom: How Micki Waters Became a Mother Figure to Her Entire Papa Murphy’s Team

work-mom-how-micki-waters-became-a-mother-figure-to-her-entire-papa-murphys-team

District Taco Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-district-tacos-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Franchisee spotlight image with photo of Robert Trujillo and UWRG logo on blue background

How Robert Trujillo Expanded His Construction Business With UWRG

how-robert-trujillo-expanded-his-construction-business-with-uwrg

3 Operations Tips To Keep In Your Playbook

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS