In this blog it is our intention to answer the following questions for you:-

  1. What is a franchise operations manual;
  2. Why a franchise operations manual is important;
  3. How did Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald’s approach his franchise operations manual?

1. What is a franchise operations manual?

A franchise operations manual is simply a collection of systems, procedures and checklists that clearly spell out how to do every single task in your business. These include each step required to open, close and everything in between!

Systems should be developed and documented in manuals that can be used for training team members, delegating work, and using day to day. These systems and manuals make it clear for every single team member what needs to be done and how, leaving you (the business owner) more time to work on and develop the business.

At Fitness Matters Franchising, our Founder Kylie Courtie loves systems! Kylie was lucky to be trained in the McDonald’s Management Development Program and uses McDonald’s as her benchmark for systems!

2. Why a franchise operations manual is important?

Edward W Demming (redesigner of the Japanese car industry), completed a study showing that only 4% of mistakes in business were due to human error. That is, particular people making a mistake. The other 96% was due to a lack of systems!!

Further, one of the 6 core human needs is “certainty”. In other words, humans need consistency so on each visit to your business, they know what they are going to get! It’s like when you go to a McDonald’s Restaurant, (whether or not you like McDonald’s) there is a consistent look and feel, the toilets are usually clean and the food always tastes the same.

When you provide your customers an inconsistent experience each time, they will most likely not return as there is no certainty. Think about a time you visited a business for the first time and received great customer service only to return and find it was terrible. Did you go back??

A number of things happen when you systematise processes:-

  1.  YOU don’t have to do the process.
  2. Others less skilled than you can do it.
  3. When you have systems, you automatically develop ‘a way of doing it here.’

That ‘way of doing it here’ or ‘culture’ not only makes things happen in a totally predictable way, it also makes your business asset worth much more. Why? Because you have a way of doing it here. Your business is no longer reliant on you!!

Think about this concept by comparing a local hamburger store to McDonald’s. In which would you rather own shares? McDonald’s, most likely. Why? Is it because McDonald’s makes better hamburgers? Probably not. You’d take those shares because it works like clockwork, it works so you don’t have to. McDonald’s has a ‘way of doing it here.’

Ray Kroc’s approach to systems – Start with the end in mind!

The first thing to do is “start with the end in mind!”. When Ray Kroc founded McDonald’s, he had absolutely no intention of working behind a counter. In fact, he never even made a hamburger.

Ray Kroc began with a different end in mind. He envisioned literally thousands of McDonald’s stores around the world, each doing exactly the same thing in a totally predictable manner. Knowing that, he knew he wouldn’t be able to work in them, hence they would have to work without him!

Take a minute to get inside Ray Kroc’s head – Ray wrote a book called ‘Grinding it Out’ about his Macdonald’s experience. This is how he started thinking—how he began with the end in mind. He said to himself:

“I’m going to have hamburger stores that do the same thing in a totally predictable manner without me. What do I have to do to make that possible?”

He then developed processes and systems structured around how to hire people, the colour the restaurants should be, the way a restaurant should be managed, right down to the way they should heat their buns.

Franchise Operations Manual at Fitness Matters

Fitness Matters have the best and most extensive systems in their operations manual than any other fitness franchise model. At Fitness Matters we believe that systems are essential to provide consistent high levels of customer service. It also supports us with training and allows us to focus on the important things like helping our members achieve results!! Fitness Matters have a system for nearly everything – we even have a system called OFI – “Opportunity For Improvement” so if a team member identifies a better way of doing something then they simply complete an OFI so the system can be reviewed and changed across the group!

The Fitness Matters franchise opportunity is backed by systems, training and support so even if you have no prior experienced working in the fitness industry you are still able to run a Fitness Matters franchise.

For more information on running your own Fitness Matters Franchise submit a franchise enquiry today!