Franchising Training and Support

One top benefit of the franchise industry is how much franchising training and support you receive. Franchisors provide various levels of guidance and assistance to help you succeed. In some cases, they supply support programs for that initial launch and growth.

In these cases, franchises are both profitable and educational. However, some franchisors provide little to no support. Deciding how much support you need and should expect can be challenging. Let’s look at the various training schemes available and their advantages.

Key Details about Franchising Training and Support

Firstly, the level of franchising training and support will vary from franchise to franchise. Each brand provides a support system that aligns with its interests and goals. Also, it depends on the franchise's available training budget. It’s best practice to research franchisors and see what guidance they offer.

A well-established franchise dedicates a massive amount of funds and time to its franchisees. It ensures they receive the required guidance to succeed from the start. However, franchises with low resources won’t be able to do the same.

Secondly, you’ll find the franchising training and support structure in the franchise agreement. It accompanies the clauses related to the fees and obligations of each party. It details how much guidance you’ll receive through every phase of your business.

Discovery Day: Get to Know Your Potential Franchisor

Bear in mind that what franchisors promise and deliver aren’t always the same. Therefore, it’s a good idea to speak to existing franchisees before you sign the agreement. Discover if they received the offered training and support mentioned in their contracts. They’ll usually give you an honest account, but it’s best to approach more than one.

That’s where discovery days come in. The purpose of these events is twofold. For you, it means meeting potential franchisors and learning more about their operating models. You’ll also have the chance to see what franchising training and support they provide.

For the brand, the franchisor gets to learn about your skills on offer for the franchise. You may even get a tour of the facilities and meet existing franchisees. That’s your moment to pull them aside for a quick interview. Remember to ask them about the brand’s support and training policies.

Before you sign on with a franchise, check to see if they offer discovery days. You’ll learn a lot about the company and whether its culture and education meet your needs.

What Support Do UK Franchises Offer?

Now you know why franchising training and support is important. You've seen how to get more information. Let’s take a look at the various types of guidance provided and what to expect.

1. Initial Training

Most franchises provide extensive training and support programs to new franchisees. That’s what makes franchises so attractive to entrepreneurs. They let them start a new business with no previous experience, even in a new sector.

Few franchisors expect you to have detailed industry knowledge when joining them. For them, this initial training is of the utmost importance. It’s their way of ensuring that you maintain brand standards throughout the network.

This initial franchise training varies in length across brands. It depends on the complexity of business operations and available information. Also, it is based on the support budget they are willing to invest in you. A more established company will offer more detailed education than one with fewer funds.

Common topics include business and financial management plus operating digital systems. You’ll learn about hiring and training staff while studying brand marketing methods. In most cases, you’ll need to undergo tests before you can start your franchise business. It ensures that you gain the skills and knowledge needed for success.

2. Franchise Operations Manual

Entrepreneurs aren’t always aware that franchise operations manuals exist. Franchisors develop these vital documents for new franchisees investing in the business. They explain the rights and responsibilities of each party. What’s more, there’s a detailed account of business models and operations.

This operations manual is an essential tool. It provides the training and support you need to run your franchise. However, it’s a living document that you need to maintain. As you grow your business, you’ll need to update it along the way with your lessons learned.

3. Ongoing Training and Mentorship

Many franchises offer ongoing franchising training and support once you establish your business. These include workshops, seminars, and conferences. Attendance is usually voluntary or compulsory. Some will assign you a support team to assist you throughout the franchise agreement period.

Good franchisors will go out of their way to provide ongoing support. It’s in their best interest to ensure you succeed and remain on top of your game. Therefore, you should take advantage of these educational opportunities. Also, be aware of any networking events on offer.

As you develop your business, franchisors will offer more advanced training. They invest in extra support and training programs for specific industry needs. It ensures that the service standards improve over time.

Experienced franchisees may provide mentorship for new franchises. After a few years in the business, they have valuable insights to share. You can learn from them to avoid mistakes they made in the beginning.

4. Financial Aid

There are good franchisors that help get the funding you need to start your franchise unit. That’s not always the case, though. When it is available, it happens in one or two ways.

Franchisor financial lending: Some brands partner with major lenders. Suitable franchisees receive the minimum investment needed with ease. When back by a popular franchise, you can get up to 70% of the needed capital. If you’re affiliated with the British Franchise Association (BFA), you have more chance of success. Lenders will know you are more likely to turn a profit with BFA support.

Business plan assistance: Some franchisors help create an effective business plan. They know what you need for lenders to help you with your initial investment. Financial projections are included, based on the brand’s experience. With this invaluable information, you have a better chance of obtaining funds.

5. Selecting a Location

We’ve shown you how to perform a local market study in three easy steps. Before you can do so, you need to select a good location for your franchise. The clients in this area will determine the personas and community needs for you to serve.

Franchises sometimes offer support in locating and preparing a site for a new business. They may even be able to share details on profitable regions. If your business is ideally positioned for your audience, you’ll have a better chance of success.

The process isn’t always that simple. You won’t easily find a fabulous location and then sign the paperwork. You need to balance your priorities, being realistic with your budget. Look for commercial properties close to the centre of town. Check to see where there’s high foot traffic with plenty of sales.

If you choose a quieter area, you may not make enough sales to keep afloat. What’s more, your local study should include your target market. If the right people aren’t shopping in your area, you won’t make money.

When needed, franchisors outsource this task to expert real estate agents. They partner with professionals with experience in franchising and your industry. Alternatively, they do it in-house with an experienced team.

6. Marketing and Advertising

With the right brand, your franchisor may have control over national advertising. That’s because they’ve already determined how best to represent the franchise. If portrayed consistently across the network, it appears more professional and competent.

If you develop a poor marketing campaign with little effect, it could smear the brand image. That’s why franchisors like to regulate marketing across all franchisees. That doesn’t mean you can’t do local campaigns. You’re free to create promotional materials for your region, appealing to your local customers.

What happens if you don’t have much marketing experience? Well, franchisors also provide marketing templates and programs in some cases. You can alter them for your purposes instead of reinventing the wheel. What’s more, you can place ads in newspapers, on radio, or even your social media accounts. All of this helps to raise awareness of your franchise’s services or products.

Are you ready to be supported in franchising?

Not all brands provide the same franchising training and support. The main difference is with how much support they are willing to give. We’ve listed the most common types of assistance above, but they’re not always available.

Before you sign that franchise agreement, first see what support the franchisor offers. Enlist the help of an expert who has experience with franchise contracts. Point Franchise UK can also aid you with any specific areas of concern if needed.

Once you are happy with the contract and level of support, you’ll have access to a wealth of expertise. You won’t be alone in running your business. Remember: your success is their success.