A franchise operations manual is a vital document for every franchise. If creating such a large and important document feels overwhelming, never fear! In this article, we’ll explain how to make a stellar franchise operations manual that helps your company succeed.
Why a Franchise Operations Manual is Essential
Every successful franchise is grounded in a manual. In order to provide the same experience at all locations, franchisees need a central organization method that maintains consistency. A company-wide manual provides exactly this structure and protocol so that every location can flourish, no matter the location.
Your company’s manual is an important training and operations tool. Your goal of providing stellar service necessitates a clear and uniform resource that provides information to all employees. An operations manual is exactly this tool.
A franchise manual also helps your company avoid legal pitfalls. With detailed explanations of local laws and regulations, the manual helps ensure compliance with all related rules.
What to Include in a Franchise Operations Manual
- A meaningful introduction. From the beginning of your manual, make your company’s brand and ethos clear. Include your mission statement and code of conduct. Provide biographies of the company’s leaders. Set the tone for the rest of the manual and the workplace attitude that you want to cultivate.
- An explanation of the company structure and the process of establishing a new franchise location. Make the franchisor-franchisee relationship easy to understand. How do the two entities communicate with each other? What is the flow of information? What is the process to start a franchise location? Answer all of these questions in this section.
- Training materials. What would a manual be without instructions? Here, explain everything employees need to know to do their jobs well. From interacting with customers to running machines, explain all aspects of the day-to-day job.
- Information about company policies. Every employee should be familiar with company policies. This is simply a matter of safety and legality, as well as good service. Be sure that your franchise operations manual provides all the important information that any employee needs to know to keep themselves and your business safe.
- Software and operations instructions. Franchises frequently use advanced franchise management software systems that facilitate communication between locations, as well as between franchisor and franchisee. Make sure your manual clearly explains your software and operations information.
- Marketing advice. Franchises need to market themselves to attract customers and be successful while also adhering to company branding and standards. Provide guidelines for both online and paper marketing. You can even provide links to online templates or to your company’s custom web to print portal for printed marketing material. Make sure these materials are comprehensive. After all, each location’s success is vital to your whole company’s success!
- Other information. It takes a lot of information and knowledge to successfully run a franchise. Be sure to include any other information that employees will need. These depend on your franchise and the service it provides.
Franchise Manual Table of Contents
As you’re building your franchise manual, you might be wondering how best to organize everything. Here is a sample franchise operations manual table of contents.
- Introduction
- Profile of the company
- Mission statement
- Code of conduct
- Biographies of the CEO and management team
- Explanation of the brand
- Pre-opening information
- Relationship between franchisors and franchisees
- Communication expectations
- Reporting processes
- Process of opening a new franchise location
- Selecting a site and building or remodeling a location
- Acquiring a license and insurance
- Staffing
- Establishing inventory
- Grand opening
- Relationship between franchisors and franchisees
- Personnel
- Employee positions and requirements for each position
- Hiring and terminating
- The training process
- Company Policies
- Client interactions
- Quality and standards of service
- Handling complaints and problems
- Operations and Software
- Opening and closing procedures
- Cleaning standards and procedures
- Software explanations and instructions
- Inventory procedures
- Office equipment explanations
- Marketing
- Overall marketing strategy
- Branding guidelines
- Approved media
- Paper marketing techniques
- Online marketing techniques and social media
- Links to further marketing resources on the company’s website
- Other resources
- Industry-specific information
- Online resources
The Print Authority Prints Franchise Operations Manuals
Now that you’re ready to create your franchise operations manual, The Print Authority is ready to help you print it. We specialize in business printing, and we can take care of the design, print, and distribution to all of your locations for a variety of print and print-related materials. We love using printing to help franchises succeed! Contact us today.
