Franchise Manuals is Your Ideal Partner

Before you begin thinking about creating your Franchise Operations Manual, it is important to know the function of the Franchise Operations Manual. As you make the decisions about what to include and what to exclude, a firm understanding of the purpose of the manual will make those decisions easier.

A Franchise Operations Manual serves four main functions:

#1 - Authority Document

First, the Franchise Operations Manual is the “authority document” of the franchise System Standards. The System Standards are the standard procedures that a franchisor requires of all franchisees in order to duplicate a favorable customer experience in every location. The customer experience is the driving force behind profitability. Your Franchise Agreement will refer to the Franchise Operations Manual as the System Standard.

#2 - Protecting Your Brand

Second, the Franchise Operations Manual is the most effective tool for protecting your Brand. A company’s Brand is one of its most valuable assets. The Brand is also the asset that is at most risk when a company decides to franchise. When you franchise a concept, you are putting your Brand in the hands of other people, all of whom likely have different ideas about the best direction for the company. A properly prepared Franchise Operations Manual with well-defined and organized System Standards will be one of the few tools you have to protect the Brand from franchisees (usually with good intentions) when they try to act on their vision for what is best for your Brand.

#3 - A Principal Tool For Training

Third, the Franchise Operations Manual will likely be a principal tool for training new franchisees. It is the Your Company for Dummies? book. For many franchisors, most of their franchisees will not have experience in the industry. They may not have any business experience at all if they happen to be a retired teacher or military person. Your manual needs to be a document that not only trains them on your system of providing a favorable customer experience, but also one that brings them up to speed on how to manage a business. It will also serve as a reference document after training has been completed.

#4 - Help You Sell Your Concept

Fourth, a well prepared document of the procedures that has helped make your company a success will help you sell your concept to potential franchisees. Your Franchise Operations Manual will help you support the claim that you have a well documented system for success.

Producing a Franchise Operations Manual can be a daunting task. Lucky for you, it happens to be our favorite topic. Give us a call. It’s free to ask questions and we promise not to hound you with phone calls afterward. 214-736-3939 – kit.vinson@franman.net

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