Infographic - Food franchise pre-opening schedule (Click on image to enlarge view)
Infographic - Hotel franchise pre-opening schedule (Click on image to enlarge view)
In life and in business, preparation is everything. Opening a franchise is a business dream for many people, but a franchisee’s approach to the months of planning that precede opening day will determine the business’s initial success. While the franchisor will guide you through the process, it’s essential that a franchisee understand the timeline that comes before Grand Opening.
While ever franchise is different, the pre-opening process – from the day you receive pre-approval to the day you open your franchise – typically takes up about half of a year. The beauty of franchising is that you’ll be partnering with a corporate entity who’ll have turned opening a franchise into a science. That said, the launch phase is driven by the franchisee and your preparedness is essential.
The length of the time it takes to launch a franchise will vary on the franchise, its industry and the construction and training demands. The general process of launching, though, is consistent across all franchising industries. The first step involves will always involve sorting out the financial and legal issues that will get your business off the ground. At this stage, you’ll be communicating regularly with your own lawyers and the franchisor’s legal department. You will sign the legally-binding agreements, including licensing deals, in this period, which tends to take up about a month.
Once these formalities are dealt with, your main focus will be opening the franchise itself. The length of this process will be determined by whether your franchise requires a new building. If so, you will be working with a design team and agreeing on a building site. New buildings can take months to construct but you will need to keep an eye on the evolution of the building. The process is less-demanding, though equally-important, if you’re moving into a pre-built office or a resold retail space. Once the physical space exists and the signage provided, the interior must be fitted to suit the franchisor’s requirements. Timewise, this is the longest phase in the prelaunch process.
The next phase of your launch - the orientation period – will probably prove the most critical. There is a dual element to this training regimen – firstly, you will travel either to the franchise’s corporate center for intensive franchisee training or spend a comprehensive amount of time on-site with another franchise. Then you will have to hire and train your staff. At this stage, Grand Opening will be weeks away and the stress of getting every pre-opening detail right will inevitably clash with the anticipation of opening your own business. The week before opening might be the most critical. You’ll have to provide some last minute training and hold a soft opening.
Manage all of the details properly and a successful opening can easily turn into a successful career in franchising.
Your Request List