Pollo Campero’s Franchisee Satisfaction Rating is Near Perfect: Here’s How The Brand Supports Its Owners

Pollo Campero, the beloved Central American chicken franchise with over 350 locations worldwide, is being recognized for more than its flavorful fried chicken. The brand is also well-known for the robust support system it offers franchisees.

1851 Franchise spoke with Fernando Perez, vice president of operations at Pollo Campero, about the structure the brand has put in place to support franchise owners.

With each restaurant opening, according to Perez, a dedicated team of trainers is deployed to “assist franchisees across all operational facets.” The brand also offers comprehensive training at new franchise locations to ensure proficiency at every level.

“With every single opening of a restaurant, we send a very solid training team to help the franchisee get up and running, making sure they are confident with the foundation of their business,” Perez said. “Our training team supports each and every member of staff including the back of house, front of house, managers and so on.”

The support doesn’t stop once the new location is open, however. Pollo Campero offers ongoing support through operational follow-ups. Each location is assigned a franchise business consultant who acts as the main point of contact for the franchisee.

“Our franchise business consultants are very proactive,” Perez said. “They go and visit the franchisees regularly, about four times a year, conducting an operational assessment of each restaurant. This helps us identify opportunities to ensure our standard processes are being met, but also allows us to understand how we can better serve our customers.”

The franchise business consultants also provide insights on how to improve local store marketing initiatives and feedback on any areas of improvement that could assist the franchisee in achieving success. In addition, Pollo Campero offers franchisees consultant services with guidance on how to improve profitability. This hands-on approach has fostered a culture of continuous growth and enhancement, showcasing the brand’s dedication to providing the best customer experience possible.

While these in-person visits and training are incredibly helpful, Perez highlighted the pivotal role of technology in enhancing operational efficiency and making support accessible at all times. Pollo Campero’s operations manual is completely digital, for example. This manual contains all the information needed to ensure each restaurant consistently adheres to the same high standards.

“You can access the manual anytime that you need. We implemented our Campero Learning System as an online training resource; it contains training videos and examples to make new processes easy to learn,” Perez said. “For example, if a new franchisee or employee is not familiar with a particular sandwich making process, they can watch a video and be trained on the exact process in 30 minutes or less. They of course will need to practice and will find it helpful to receive guidance from another colleague, but the guide is very detailed and helpful.”

This resource equips franchisees and their teams with the knowledge and skills they need, expediting onboarding processes. Given that many employees in the QSR industry are young individuals who work for a short time before moving on to pursue education or other opportunities, this accessible digital training option makes integrating new employees quick and easy.

The impact of these initiatives is significant. Pollo Campero franchisees are incredibly happy with the corporate team’s efforts.

"Our franchisee satisfaction rate for 2023 stood at an impressive 95%," Perez said.

Although Pollo Campero’s dedicated consumer fan base is largely the result of the delicious chicken, the dedication of its franchisees is a direct result of the corporate team’s priority of supporting each member of the Pollo Campero network. Going forward, the brand remains committed to ensuring the Pollo Campero experience is a positive one for consumers and franchisees alike.

“Currently, we're implementing two new strategies with our partners to enhance overall customer satisfaction,” Perez said. “We utilize an independent system — SMG — to gauge this satisfaction through an index. Essentially, customers participate in surveys about their experiences. We collaborate closely with franchisees to continuously improve the experience for everyone. Other reputable brands like Chick-fil-A, McDonald's and KFC use this index as well. Last year and in the first quarter of this year, we are thrilled to say that we achieved the top ranking nationwide.”

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/pollocampero/info.