By Shawn Saraga
It has been said that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at anything. This averages to about five years of full-time work. So why do franchisors provide you with mere days (or, in some cases, weeks) of training to prepare you to run a business that can take others years to master?
Get the answers you need
There is a reason franchisors promote this as enough training—after you are open, they provide the ongoing education and support to help you run the business. Being a franchisee is like being in business for yourself, but not by yourself, and proper training is a key part of this equation. Here are five questions about training you should ask any franchisor:
1. What is covered in my training?
A franchisor should have a very comprehensive answer to this question. A breakdown of the training time should be provided and training manuals should be made available to you.
Great franchisors have new franchisees participate in on-the-job evaluations (OTJs) under a trainer’s supervision. This helps set the stage for you to learn the skills required to participate in the business.
The quality of the trainer will also speak volumes about the franchisor’s ability to provide proper, competent training. You should also use feedback from the trainer when evaluating your decision to join a brand.
2. Who am I being trained by?
Everyone has a different and unique learning style. Meeting the trainer in advance and getting an understanding of what to expect and what is involved in training will be very helpful. Most great franchisors have professional trainers involved in helping bring you into the system successfully.
Find out from the trainer if the training will be more hands-on or theoretical. A hands-on trainer who throws you into a business and expects you to operate without enough theoretical training can leave you scrambling for answers and feeling less confident in your abilities. On the opposite end of the spectrum, too much theoretical training can leave you feeling overconfident, with ill-conceived notions of the practical challenges you will actually face as a business owner. An even-handed approach that combines both theoretical and practical learning is typically the most grounded method.
3. Where does my training take place?
Knowing where you are going to be trained can help you understand the franchisor’s training benchmarks. Some do nothing but in-class training before opening, because they don’t want too many of their existing franchisee’s bad habits being transferred to a new recruit. If you come across a system like this, take it as a warning sign; it may not have sufficiently successful locations operating today. Franchisors that tend to focus more on the classroom training may also leave you with false expectations of the work you’ll be required to do after opening.
If you are to be sent to a training store, visit that store first, see what the business operations are like and determine if they meet your personal standards. Most great franchisors select training stores run by top performers, who can then pass along their great habits and work ethic to new franchisees.
4. When does training take place?
As mentioned previously, find out the number of hours you will be required to train up front; some franchisors have a minimum number of hours to complete prior to being approved. Others have actual tests you will have to pass to show you have been sufficiently trained before you are allowed to open your business. However, prior to opening, you may have full-time jobs or family requirements that require your time and attention. Before you agree to join a franchise system, make sure you will be permitted to participate in the full training schedule.
Numerous franchisees try to cut corners on training to open a business earlier. Remember, this is the only pressure-free time you will have to learn about running the business without actually having a business to run. Try not to short-change yourself, your business and your fellow franchisees by cutting your training time short. After all, franchising isn’t about putting you in business tomorrow, but keeping you in business for the next 10 years.
5. What’s the one thing I can do to make my training more effective?
One challenge franchisors face is that most people joining a franchise system have a successful past of some kind. They have been able to save a significant amount of money and have achieved certain career ambitions. This gives those candidates a knowledge base they want to apply to their new franchised business. Prior experience, however, can be very misleading.
A good franchisor will tell you the one thing you can do to make your training more effective is listen to everything the trainer has to say. Your past experience doesn’t count for much when joining a franchise system. What counts more is the ability to come to the table with an open mind to learn a new profession while letting go of your old way of doing things. This can be very hard for accomplished professionals to do, especially when they come with preconceived notions of what’s involved in the business they are joining. These people have walked the beaten path for years (if not decades). The best way to successfully follow the same path is to learn from those who have walked it before.
Shawn Saraga is the Founder and President of the Franchise Academy. To learn more or book a meeting time please visit www.shawnsaraga.com