Franchise Training vs Franchisee Coaching

Does your franchise system need franchisee coaching if you already have solid franchise training in place? What are the main differences between the two?

The franchise model is a structure of business where franchisees (franchise owners in local communities) invest in opening their own business location and follow the processes and branding that have been built for the franchise.

Because following the brand’s processes is such a key part of bringing a franchise business to a local community, initial and ongoing training for the franchisee is a crucial part of the franchise system.

Beyond the initial training, and even ongoing training, for your franchisees, there is a big need for franchisee coaching to ensure that franchisees can grow their business effectively, stay compliant, and even support franchise development.

In this blog post, we’ll go over the differences between franchise training and franchisee coaching and how to use both to improve your franchise system. 

Franchise Training: The Definition

When a franchisee is awarded a franchise, they’ll need to understand how to successfully run the business. Franchise training is the how-to of the operations of the business and some basic business skills training like reading a profit & loss report or doing payroll.

Franchise training is often advertised and promoted through the recruitment process to show potential franchise owners that they will have everything they need to start their business – which is great! Franchise owners need to know that they will be well-equipped when they first start their business. 

In fact, getting access to training and resources is often a large reason franchisees become franchisees instead of starting their own business.

Examples of Effective Franchise Training

Training is often split into two: Initial training and ongoing training. 

Initial training is conducted over a set period – sometimes a few weeks, sometimes months – and begins as soon as a franchisee has been awarded their franchise. It continues often into their grand opening.

Initial and ongoing training can be done in a variety of formats:

• Online via video for training on the brand, processes, etc.
• In person at an existing location for hands-on training like how to make the sandwich at the sandwich shop, learning how to open the shop, etc.
• Operations manuals that outline all the processes and systems of the business and can be referenced after training is complete.
• Online modules for franchisees to work through in their onboarding process.

The ongoing training is similar to the initial training except it is delivered once the franchisee has an open business and may need updating on certain skills.

Franchise Training is the Foundation

Training is an essential part of a franchise system – it gives the franchisee the how of running their business. Having a strong training program is the first step in successfully supporting franchisees. 

The next thing to discuss when it comes to a successful franchise system that is far less common but equally as important is franchisee coaching – also called Field Coaching.

Franchisee Coaching: An Ongoing, Proactive Approach

Training is the how, but coaching is everything else. Franchisee coaching is the process of ongoing, proactive business coaching for your franchisees and can be done right from when they start as a new franchisee. 

Field Coaching is the modern term for this practice, and it involves a whole list of strategies and practices:

• Regular coaching calls in a group or 1:1 
• Helping your franchisees with vision planning
• Supporting franchisee goal-setting
• Creating action plans
• Holding franchisees accountable
• Supporting franchisees with their mindset
• Monitoring and keeping franchisees compliant

Field coaching is also a great opportunity to regularly check in with your franchisees to ensure they are still doing well with their initial training, even helping you spot when they need some more ongoing training or skill development.

For years, franchisee coaching wasn’t a popular practice. 

Instead, franchise brands would conduct initial training and then have compliance audits where someone from the home office team would conduct reviews to ensure all franchisees followed the initial training, branding, and SOPs correctly.

But franchising has evolved — now more and more brands are providing franchisee coaching (Field Coaching) for their franchise owners.

Types of Field Coaching

Field coaching comes in different forms – the most popular is the 1:1 strategic growth coaching conducted by a well-trained Field Coach team.

1:1 coaching means your franchisees will have regular (monthly, weekly) calls with their designated coach where they will set goals, review action plans, dig into mindset hurdles, and solve problems before they become too big an issue.

When 1:1 coaching is not feasible, or when you have the capacity for peer groups with your franchisees, group coaching is also a great format with numerous benefits for franchisees.

Peer group coaching allows franchisees to hold one another accountable, learn at a faster pace, and create more happiness and community in their business. Group coaching is also a great cost-effective strategy for franchise systems.

A Balanced Approach

A successful franchise system has both excellent franchise training AND proactive franchisee coaching to ensure franchisees know the how-to of starting and running a successful business as well as the strategy, mindset support, and accountability to grow and thrive in their business.

When you have BOTH of these programs put in place in your franchise you can leverage these programs and see more success in your system by: 

• Standing out to potential franchisees in your recruitment
• Seeing better results in your franchisee royalties. 

It’s a two-pronged approach to excelling as a franchise system.

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Have more questions about setting up an effective franchisee coaching framework? Get on an initial call with our team to learn more about our Field Coach training, fractional coaching services, and franchisee performance groups!

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