How Franchisee Onboarding Can Be Accelerated With eLearning Strategies

Posted by Ashwin Raj on April 29th, 2021

The franchising business in India was worth INR 938 billion in 2012. In 2017, it reached INR 3,570 billion, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 31%. The market will reach INR 10,500 billion by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 24% — Source.

Yes, this is an excellent bit of news. However, not every franchisor experiences long-term success. There have been reports of several franchises staying in the market only for a couple of years. Why? Creating a franchise organisation that survives tough competition requires dealing with economic fluctuations and changing customer demands. Hence, the only way out is to deliver a consistent, high-quality customer experience, which is wholly reliant on your franchisees. Franchisees are your brand ambassadors, and they know the game. They strive for not only their success but also the growth of your franchise. They have invested a lot and, therefore, own a working stake in your business. So, how do you sustain them? By delivering high-quality franchisee training.

Leading franchisors dedicate a considerable amount of resources and money to creating the perfect franchisee onboarding training program. But what factors work in tandem to design the suitable franchisee training modules that build a skilled, engaged workforce and attract new franchisees? A robust, comprehensive, ongoing learning solution should produce the desired results like meeting corporate training platform goals, reduced training cost, less training times, boost in sales, and decreased turnover rates.

Therefore, today, let us examine the elements that make a successful franchisee training program. We will also see how eLearning plays a crucial role in reaping the benefits of a comprehensive franchisee onboarding process.

What Should You Consider While Designing a Franchise Training Program? How Can eLearning Help?

Continuous and Structured Learning

The onset of successful franchisee training begins with disseminating basic operational skills. You should then proceed to polish and build these talents over time. For any profitable business, training is a never-ending process. It is a part of the continual organisational culture. With experience, training must be responsive. So, how do you start? Begin with a detailed plan that includes forethought of how to promote a logical skills progression. For instance, after educating your franchisees about the significant, basic tasks, follow it up with soft skill sessions — such as communication, leadership, and solving conflicts. You can complement this with training that targets the personal goals of the trainees — like business analysis, expanded ownership, or advanced sales and marketing.

Franchisees will also require on-the-job instructions so that they know how to tackle the challenges that arise in the field. Offer them resources to solve issues through on-time, flexible learning sessions. These measures boost engagement levels and enhance retention rates. Additionally, keep in mind that different individuals have different learning needs. Try to accommodate everything in your training model by providing a variety of learning opportunities. eLearning can offer Contextual training by incorporating tools like gamification — which stimulate interest and engagement.

eLearning is beneficial in several other ways when it comes to continuous learning. For instance, digital training is asynchronous and is available on a franchisee’s schedule — anytime and anywhere. They can find that ideal balance between personal and professional goals when you offer them a comprehensive Online Learning Management System. For instance, PlayAblo offers bite-sized, on-demand franchisee training, leading to a boost in retention and absorption rates.

Alignment with Individual and Organisational Goals

A franchisee who is a master of both operational and soft skills is a valuable asset — who deserves a permanent place in your organisation beyond the initial contract period. It would be best to consider ample training opportunities to align the franchisee’s goals with your organisation’s objectives. Tailored and customised learning sessions help the franchisee to fulfil his/her ambitions. — which translate to a boost in financial and marketplace benefits.

Playable deals with customised franchisee training programs that help organisations in realising quantifiable ROI. How? An engaged and motivated franchisee will leave no stone unturned in aligning his/her personal goals with company-wide targets. Organisations can recoup some costs of an extended enterprise technology platform by charging for specific content. Why? Because franchisees are willing to pay for courses that will help them advance professionally.

Continuous franchisee training is vital to groom a modern, agile business. Companies that invest in immersive training programs witness reduced turnover rates and higher profits, among other benefits. Just like your employees, franchisees can take advantage of a good training program — especially a blended learning model (which combines offline and online training). It ensures learning on the job while also providing on-demand, mobile-optimised, and bite-sized lessons.

Transformation of Boredom to Engagement

Franchisee onboarding training involves distributing several complex and long-winding learning materials such as an operations manual, training at the franchisor’s headquarters, and onsite training. You also need to consider ongoing training via refresher sessions.

In each of these steps, ensure that the training sessions are lively and interactive. PlayAblo’s eLearning program offers a mixture of training formats such as video, live class integrations, and quiz-based modules. A combo of the above creates an inviting training environment for franchisees. Moreover, as per studies, franchisees retain more information when they use multiple training formats, which take into account visual, auditory, and tactile learning methodologies.

Finally, after each learning session, you need to ensure that your franchisees have grasped the knowledge required to perform the necessary tasks. So, how do you take care of that? With PlayAblo’s assessment-based e learning management system solution! You should develop an effective online training program that couples assessment tests with certification on core competency issues. Periodic refresher training that introduces new products, services, or procedures must also form a part of the curriculum.

Conclusion

Franchisees are a part of your external workforce, and hence, they hold a unique place in your organisation. They may be independent, reliant, and solo operators, but still, they are an integral segment of your company. Therefore, your L&D team should invest enough resources in allowing them to engage in structured learning. At the same time, you should also consider that they are semi-independent and seek their direction. Hence, leave no stone unturned in designing a collaborative learning program that keeps franchisees connected and loyal to your organisation.