In Short
- Training is Essential – Franchisee training ensures consistent operations, brand alignment, and long-term success.
- Use Multiple Training Methods – Combine written manuals, classroom training, onsite experience, and ongoing learning to maximise effectiveness.
- Cover Key Business Areas – Training should include marketing, operations, customer service, financial management, and compliance.
Tips for Businesses
A well-structured training program is key to a successful franchise network. Provide clear guidance on branding, business operations, and legal compliance. Use a mix of training methods and conduct regular assessments to ensure franchisees meet performance standards. Strong training fosters franchisee confidence, strengthens brand consistency, and enhances overall business success.
The success of your franchisees is also your success. Accordingly, it is doubly important that you set your franchisees up to deliver the best possible results. The key way to do this is to develop a robust training program that covers everything your franchisees need to know to operate successfully within your franchise network. This article will take you through four things you should know about franchise training programs in New Zealand.
1. What Are Franchise Training Programs?
Franchise training programs refer to the critical training given to franchisees after they sign a franchise agreement. A large part of this training will occur before they begin operating their franchise. Training programs are critical to giving franchisees the skills to operate and represent your brand successfully.
Franchise training programs often cover several different skills, such as:
- business management, including accounting, human resources and legal skills;
- branding and marketing; and
- industry-specific skills, such as how to make food or sell clothing.
2. Importance of Training Programs
Franchisee training is key to the success of each franchise branch and the overall franchise network. Training will teach franchisees everything they need to know and align your franchisees with your business’ culture, values and mission.
Continue reading this article below the form3. How to Deliver Training Programs
Once you have understood what a franchise training program is and its benefits to your business, you need to consider how you will deliver these training programs.
Training will often take several forms, including written and in-person training. Let us explore several delivery methods for franchise training.
| Training Type | Explanation |
| Operations Manual | The operations manual serves as a guidebook during training and the primary method of quality control across the entire life of your franchise. An operations manual should cover all aspects of business operations, including what goods or services can be sold, what suppliers can be used, the cost of goods or services, what technology or equipment can be used and how all marketing materials are to be used. |
| Headquarters | Most training will start at your franchise’s headquarters. This will serve as ‘classroom’ training, covering theoretical information such as corporate history, company philosophy, reporting requirements and legal and accounting information. |
| Onsite training | This allows new franchisees to work alongside and shadow you or other franchisees to learn the ropes of day-to-day business operations. Depending on the franchisee’s experience level, the learnings at onsite training will differ. Onsite training may take place over several days or weeks. |
| Ongoing training | You should deliver ongoing training to ensure franchisees keep on top of new franchise developments. Furthermore, you should vary ongoing training in its delivery, such as through headquarters training, onsite training or even seminars and workshops. |
| Competence testing | Franchisees should undergo routine competence testing to ensure they are absorbing their continued education. These tests will help you identify issues that the franchisee needs to work on and better understand where there are gaps in the education you are providing. |
What to Include
Finally, you must understand what information you should include in your training program. Across the various delivery methods, you should cover the following information:
1. Marketing and Branding
Franchisees should be aware of your marketing material and how to use this properly. Where you have intellectual property, you should educate your franchisees about their rights and best practices for its usage.
2. Reporting
All franchisees need to understand how to manage business records. Part of this includes specifying any information they need to report to you.
3. Managing Employees
Franchisees must learn best practices regarding employment. For example, this involves knowing:
- when to hire employees;
- how to retain employees; and
- the franchisee’s rights and obligations as an employer.
4. Equipment, Technology and Supplies
Franchisees need to know the types of equipment they need to run their business and how to use these properly. This includes the use of technology such as accounting software.
5. Customer Service
Franchisees must be trained on the best practices and principles when interacting with clients in various situations. You should have clear customer service standards.
6. Operational Fundamentals
Franchisees need to master daily operations and management practices to maximise efficiency and profitability. This will include learning how to make or deliver your business’ goods or services.
This publication provides you with the fundamentals for franchising your New Zealand business, including set up, branding and management.
Key Takeaways
Developing a robust training program is vital to ensuring your franchisee’s success. Your training programs should cover everything your franchisees need to know to operate successfully within your franchise network. When developing your franchise training program, you must consider:
- what a franchise training program is;
- the importance of franchise training programs;
- how to deliver your training program; and
- the content to include in your training program.
If you need help developing a franchise training program, our experienced franchise lawyers can assist as part of our LegalVision membership. For a low monthly fee, you will have unlimited access to lawyers to answer your questions and draft and review your documents. Call us today on 0800 005 570 or visit our membership page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Franchise training programs refer to the critical training given to franchisees after they sign a franchise agreement. A chunk of this training will occur before they begin operating their franchise. Training programs are critical to giving franchisees the skills to successfully operate a franchise and represent the brand.
Often, training will take several forms. This includes written training in the form of an operations manual. In addition, in-person training should be consistent with practical and theoretical training. Finally, training should be ongoing and incorporate some form of competence testing.
We appreciate your feedback – your submission has been successfully received.
