Achieve Consistency Across Units (Even When You Are Not There)
I’m sure walking into your best unit feels great. Everything works like a machine, all the systems are in place, and the operation runs smoothly. Is it the same when you visit your newest unit or the one that’s underperforming? It might be the same brand, but it probably feels like a completely different company.
That’s because there’s no consistency across your units, and it’s likely that, in stores that aren't meeting your expectations, things aren't being done exactly how you want.
Sadly, this is the reality for many multi-unit franchisees: inconsistent results, constant firefighting, repetitive verbal instructions, and, eventually, burnout because it feels like a never-ending story of trying to make things work the way they're supposed to.
How do top franchisees maintain consistency across all locations? How can you keep every unit performing exactly the way you want, without you having to be there? Can the business execution be as consistent as the brand execution?
The reality is that while it is not as easy, achieving consistency is achievable. There are some systems, habits, and leadership practices that you should have as a Multi-Unit Franchisee to make every unit run like clockwork and a money-making machine, which is exactly what everybody wants.
That’s what I’ll be addressing in this blog post. So let's get started.
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Go from Operator to Enterprise Leader
The first thing you must change is your mindset so that instead of being a problem solver or a “firefighter”, you become your team’s coach. That means you have to teach your managers how to do the work, solve problems, make decisions, and implement clear standards and processes in their units.
Doing this will help you shift from a franchise operator to a franchise enterprise leader.
It will be challenging, though. You’ve run and managed your business day to day, being there all the time, taking care of everything… But if you want to grow and scale, you must evolve into a coach who inspires leaders and motivates team members to take action rather than doing everything yourself.
Keep learning: 5 Steps to Turn Your Unit Managers into Problem Solvers
Follow Up on Business Metrics
Another mindset you have to adjust to achieve consistency across your units is to run your business through metrics, not your feelings.
I know sometimes you just want to go with what you think and what your gut tells you to do, but in reality, metrics should drive a multi-unit enterprise.
It's critical that you schedule business meetings with your leaders where you review and follow up on your weekly scorecards, dashboards, and KPIs. That way, you’ll be able to understand what is truly working across the units and align priorities across the team, so there's accountability instead of reaction.
This mindset change will be crucial if you want to run a successful multi-unit enterprise and achieve consistent execution across your organization.
Build Replicable Business Systems
Consistency is built through established processes, not just proximity. What that means is that you won’t achieve consistency simply by visiting a unit or showing up in person, but rather by creating clear processes for people to follow.
And yes, you have to document everything! From open to close shifts, how to do marketing, how to do inventory, how to do schedules, how to clean the unit… Literally, everything must be documented.
Once you do, you will be able to train your team members on those business systems, create repetition, and have specific KPI dashboards to monitor execution and standards against results during your audits and supervision visits. That's going to be critical.
Those field visits will keep the business standards alive and let people know whether or not they are meeting expectations every single day.
You must inspect what you expect. Remember that!
Empower and Develop Your Unit Leaders
Your managers are your multipliers. So, if you have great managers, you will have excellent execution. However, while execution is very important, having an inspired team that does great every day is just as essential to maintaining consistency across all your units.
That’s why you have to train your Unit Managers in leadership, coaching, and giving proper feedback, because these skills don't come naturally to everyone. Your leaders must know not only how to execute the task but also how to inspire their people to execute the task with excellence.
And don't forget that they also need to feel inspired and motivated. You can do that by recognizing them publicly and celebrating when they hit the high standards, so that others want to do a great job too.
In case you missed it: 7 Steps to Build a Rockstar Unit Manager Bench
Communicate Effectively
Consistency also requires great communication and a certain level of rhythm so that they know when they're going to receive information, what to do with it, and what's expected ot them.
That's why weekly manager meetings are so important! Not only do they bring the team together, but they also allow leaders to share key information, communicate what's going on, train on specific processes, and review goals and numbers.
Also, schedule monthly enterprise updates. You are going to get monthly P&Ls, so why not give your team updates on the business's financial performance?
If your leaders see the true picture of the franchise business and you teach them how to manage it, they will better understand the business and why you push them to do a great job.
It is also an excellent opportunity to identify together where the opportunities are.
These meetings will elevate the team's performance and provide an excellent opportunity to identify areas for improvement in the business collaboratively. Additionally, including leaders in the decision-making process will increase their confidence and commitment.
Don’t forget to also share the company's purpose, the goals you are pursuing, and why they matter in this situation.
You can leverage technology to maintain close communication with your team, for example, by creating a WhatsApp group. This will not only enable ongoing communication but also help build a sense of community and allow people to interact with one another, even if they work in different units.
Effective communication will help you develop your team, enhance your culture, and achieve consistency across all units.
Franchise MiniTip: 5 Ways to Share Financials with Your Leaders
As you can see, consistency comes from clear systems, great leaders, and effective communication. If you want to achieve consistency, scale intentionally, and maintain the same level of excellence in all your units, this is how you do it!
Want to learn more about how to build the systems, processes, and procedures to inspire your people and create consistent results among all your units? Explore COMMAND, our training program for franchisees who are growing a multi-unit enterprise.
Reflections:
- Are you more of a franchise operator or an enterprise leader?
- How well-documented are your business systems?
- Is your decision-making process based on feelings or metrics?
- How can you enhance communication with your leaders and team members?
