As higher-ups, there is a lot of work that goes into our day-to-days to ensure excellence amongst every aspect of our business(es). Managing production, employee welfare, resolving conflicts and complications, creating new ideas, and serving the vision of what the company set out to do is just at the top of the list; there’s many more responsibilities and duties beholden to those overseeing a company. And it’s even more important when you’re not just taking care of and managing one business, but multiple through a franchise.
Franchises are more and more popular than they have ever been, anyone starting a company will most likely have dreams of one day expanding and offering their goods and services to the masses. But what comes with a bigger venture, comes the potholes and missteps of operating such numbers. So having open and consistent communication through these roadblocks is paramount to improving and preventing further problems.
That’s when digital signage comes into play.
Using digital signage to standardize operations across locations is arguably the best way to see consistent growth not just from a consumer standpoint, but internally as well. Less room for miscommunication, backed-up orders, unclear responses, and discord amongst each location.
Today we’re going to be breaking down:
- Why Standardizing Operations Amongst Franchise Locations is Important
- Using Digital Signage to Standardize Operations
- How Shift Can Help Keep Your Franchise Locations Running Efficiently
Creating a standard of excellence throughout each franchise location is how to build a better business.
Why Standardizing Operations Amongst Franchise Locations is Important
As we know, managing a business means managing many moving parts, and that’s exponentially more apparent in a franchise. Think of a Rube Goldberg machine:
To get to point H, you need to make sure point A starts right. Image courtesy of Medium via Vernier Software & Technology.
Every point and operation has an important role to play in order to make sure the final outcome is done correctly and on time. Not one thing can be delayed or interrupted or the whole flow of the final goal will never be reached. Franchises and businesses alike are like Rube Goldberg machines, you need to make sure from the very top things are set up correctly so that the floor and service lines can work efficiently.
From a managerial perspective, this means laying out clear and concise steps, rules, and guidelines to handling and completing certain tasks to ensure that the final product/service is delivered to the customer with no issues.
For example, if you’re cooking a burger and your signature style of making it consists of it being char-grilled and put together using the kitchen’s own secret sauce recipe, then you will want each location to follow the same step-by-step process to guarantee that its profile stays the same. We want our franchise to be like if we were all still under one roof, creating the same products, with the same methods, but separately in various towns, cities, states, etc.
Standardizing operations from one location can take some trial and error, but making it so that each franchise location follows the set standards requires a lot more communication. Laying out each of these processes will make it so other managers and overseers from franchises away from homebase can reach the benchmarks the original operation has made.
Many times through the public eye, one location of a franchise will be used as a point of judgement regarding the business as a whole. Some customers and consumers will take their experience at said location and use it to decide whether they will go again, whether it be that same location or a different one somewhere else.
These protocols set up to create a service or product are essential to gaining feedback on what works and what doesn’t. Through sales numbers, recorded foot traffic, and reviews, how you standardize operations can make or break future franchise locations.
Using Digital Signage to Standardize Operations
From the back rooms to the sales floor, a synchronized follow-through of rules and guidelines guarantees operational excellence.
Standardization in any kind of business franchise will lead to:
- Improvement of customer and employee satisfaction
- Reduction of operational costs
- Increased production
- Prevention of confusion and delayed line work
So it’s of course going to be valuable for any kind of corporation to have a flexible and efficient tool to properly integrate their standardization practices in the workplace so they can see these benefits come to fruition.
What is digital signage?
Digital signage is a connected network of display screens like televisions, tablets, phones, kiosks, and digitized menus, that provides information, advertising, merchandise, and/or training regarding a business, school, or another type of similar environment. It can be used as a communication tool between HQ and offices, the kitchen to the waitstaff, and social/advertising teams to customers.
Some use digital signage to open up more learning opportunities for training purposes, while others use it strictly to maintain a modern standard for their business, i.e. touch-screen kiosks and digital menus. It’s also a great tool to use when you want to let staff know pertinent information regarding a change in protocol or reminders of the good work they’re doing through encouraging words and statistics based on their current work day.
As you can see, using digital signage to standardize operations across locations would be most advantageous as it can effectively speed up and clear up any needed reports and communication.
Here are some examples of its uses:
Consistent Production
We said a little earlier how we want our franchise to be like if it was still under one big roof, and having your products/services be consistent is how we do that. Through providing the tools and information on how to make x, y, and z; along with the steps needed to complete specific service requests like all the other locations do it, you will create a synergy between each franchise location. You won’t have location A doing it completely differently than location B and so forth.
Real-Time Updates
Keeping franchise locations aligned is how you keep workers and customers happy. If higher-ups want to roll out an upcoming deal or flash sale, through digital signage everyone will be up-to-date on what it is. This way there’s no lost communication between franchise locations, which would be frustrating as a consumer if you heard that there was a “buy one, get one” sale happening but you get to a store and they don’t have it up because that location didn’t get the notice in a timely manner.
Easy Data Transference
When you have multiple franchise locations, you’re going to be pulling in different numbers each and every day. Some stores might have more businesses than usual and some might be offering their typical daily numbers. You as a manager will be able to see this information come in fully through digital signage. It’s not just a one-way street, managers from other locations will be able to report back constantly what their day looked like so you can understand what you may need to fix or pay closer attention to.
Introducing Processes Standarization
Making certain that every level of employee knows how to operate in your business is vital to the work environment, especially when they are representing a brand. Having a clear set of rules, regulations, and practices for team members to read and learn from is how you ensure consistency amongst each franchise location. For instance, if you are making flower bouquets, each location will be provided, via the digital signage, on how to make a specific bouquet that goes out identically to another store.
Maximizing Training
Odds are if you have a franchise you’re putting out consistent products and/or services that require a steady workflow, which means when it comes to training it can be tricky to get the hang of things if there isn’t sufficient enough data being received by a new employee. Having digital signage there to create microlearning opportunities, providing reminders on job skills, and offering encouraging words is a great way to increase employee retention and reduce turnover.
How Shift Can Help Keep Your Franchise Locations Running Efficiently
We know what digital signage is, but what is digital signage software?
In the simplest of terms, digital signage software is like the settings of your computer system. Here you can control the resolution, the wallpaper, the font size and color, the brightness, the dashboard colors, and so much more. In business terms, a digital signage software is the “hub” where you can control all of the digital content displayed on every screen that’s linked up. You’re able to make and adjust layout design for menus, products, and services; as well as display new information that comes your way.
There are so many options out there for digital signage software, but only one that lets you effectively standardize operations across locations.
Shift is known for bridging that gap between management and employees. At HQ you can use many of its functions to offer real-time updates once and send it out to every franchise location immediately; that way you don’t have to single out each individual business.
Working with well-known companies and businesses like Buffalo Wild Wings, Burger King, Avamere Living, and more, we are made for franchises in mind, and that includes yours, no matter how many locations you have, we will be able to provide you with the services you need in a timely manner.
We’re looking at:
- Seamless, Centralized Communication
- Automated Content Creation
- Visualized, Real-Time Data
- Easy, Scalable Deployment
- 11% increase in revenue
- 21% increase in operational profitability
- 25% improvement in employee retention
With the Content Navigator tool, Shift can efficiently update any digital signage screens to give updates on company news, spotlight employees, and give updates on current projects.
Through real-time communication of goals, notices, everyday messages, and employee recognition, we can make it so you have standardized operations amongst every location with a few clicks of a button.
A DSS (digital signage software) is a two-way street, as a manager you’re going to be looking at a lot of numbers and sales, so having that come back to you almost instantly is going to be very helpful with your next business moves.
Shift is always building new integrations and API connections so you can know that you’ll always have reliable resources to fall back on. Try a risk-free 60 day pilot and see how it works so you can introduce microlearning in HR in the most streamlined way possible.
Using Digital Signage to Standardize Operations Across Locations
We learn quite regularly how truly beneficial communication is, in our personal lives and our work lives, it saves the dreaded trope of miscommunication, and increases production at a fundamental level. Losing that can harm a singular business, let alone an entire franchise, so having a tool like digital signage and a reliable digital signage software is how we effectively change our problems into solutions. Through standardizing operations with a tool like digital signage, you’ll be able to see the benefits effect every location equally.
