Each franchisor will offer its own type, depth and amount of training, but every franchisor should use it to give franchisees the tools they need to succeed. After all, the more successful their franchise, the more franchisees they will attract and the wider the brand will be seen as a household name, securing long-term success.
After a bumper 2022 for Petpals, and with several new locations due to launch early this year, Director Kevin Thackrah discusses the importance of putting new franchisees on the right footing and the benefit this will have on both franchisee and franchisor. Speaking to Robbie Brown, franchisee of the brand’s most recent launch in Christchurch, Kevin hears how Petpals’ thorough training set his franchise up for a successful start to 2023.
When you have gone through an extensive recruitment and selection process to identify your new franchisee, it is imperative you ensure that they are adequately trained. At Petpals, we only recruit franchisees who demonstrate genuine love and care for pets that align with our brand’s core ethics and values. When animal lover and pet parent Robbie Brown first enquired about investing in a Petpals franchise, we could see that he was the perfect fit.
Robbie Brown launched his Petpals location in Christchurch in December, recognising the need to respond to the growing demand for high-quality pet services in the area. As with all of our franchisees, we provided Robbie with a comprehensive initial training programme, delivered at both our head office and in-territory. As a franchisor, you should be mindful that your franchisees will come from all walks of life and various previous careers, so it is important to take the time to understand their skill sets and tailor the training and support to suit their needs.
At Petpals, we recognise that the training and support we offer our franchisees is not a one-size-fits-all process. We believe it is a privilege to look after someone’s pet, so we understand that the training we offer our franchisees is the core building block for getting the most out of their business whilst also protecting our core values. Robbie says that this training reaffirmed his belief that Petpals would bolster his mission to provide excellent pet care to his local community. “I was fully trained in pet handling and behaviour, pet first aid, elderly pet care and pet sanitation before launching my Petpals business,” said Robbie. “I even got to spend a day looking after cats and dogs as part of my training – what’s not to love? It just reaffirmed that it was the right thing for me! I wanted to pair myself with the best to bring the quality of service our local community deserves.”
When new franchisees launch, it always serves as a reminder that our expertise and knowledge as a franchisor and industry player are fundamental to helping our franchisees succeed at the beginning of their Petpals journey. Now, just a month after the launch of Petpals Christchurch, Robbie is seeing fantastic results that are a testament to the training and support that laid the foundations of his business from day one.
For the first quarter of 2023, we are looking forward to introducing more franchisees into the network, with the launches of Milton Keynes and Crawley in the coming months. We cannot wait to welcome even more franchisees into the Petpals family this year, reach areas of the country previously untouched by the quality pet services Petpals provides and train and support them to ensure a successful future in their new ventures.
Since we launched in 2001, it has become clear to us that a thorough, tailored training and support programme is mutually beneficial for franchisor and franchisees, as well as our clients. They will gain the skills and expertise they need to develop rewarding and profitable franchise units, so you can get on with growing the brand as a whole. You need to build a practical training and support programme to avoid ending up with unsuccessful and dissatisfied franchisees, which will ultimately damage your reputation and brand growth. With several Petpals franchises successfully launched in 2022 and more to follow in the coming months, we have seen the benefits of providing extensive training support that maintains franchisee success and attracts prospects.
