UPS: First-Year Training Critical
September 16, 2008
Mail Boxes Etc. positions new franchisees for a strong start
By Sarah Boehle
The first year is critical for a new The UPS Store franchisee. As an entrepreneur, the owner wants to get off to the best possible start. It's a goal shared by franchisor Mail Boxes Etc. Inc. (MBE).
While MBE has always offered pre-opening training, marketing assistance, and operational standards to its franchisees, it decided to take a closer look at the pre-opening onboarding process a few years ago in order to determine whether improvements could be made.
To that end, a cross-functional team was appointed to analyze the store-opening process, including pre-opening training. The analysis included a financial and sales performance review, interviews with regional support personnel, focus groups with in-store trainers, and formal and informal feedback from new franchisees.
According to MBE Training Manager Ina Federal, analysis results helped the team focus its attention on areas such as small-business financial acumen and customer service, marketing, and technical competencies. "These critical business skills can be a factor in achieving positive business results within the first 12 months," says Federal.
To enhance the learning curve, MBE launched the New Franchisee Development Program in 2006. Training recently spoke with Federal about the program, its impact and her tips for success.
Training: How is the new program an improvement on the old one?
Federal: The old program primarily relied on lectures and workbook activities, with few interactive activities. In the new program, lecture time and reliance on PowerPoint have been significantly scaled back, with a greater focus on imparting information through interactive techniques. We use a roundtable setup, and learning maps are used to enhance discovery learning and participation. There are opportunities for interaction at every turn.
Training: What does the program entail, specifically?
Federal: We use a five-step process that focuses on both the participants and their trainers:
1. More than 30 Web-based training (WBT) modules were created that cover the nuts and bolts of store management. Topics include regulatory compliance, products and services, marketing tools and techniques, finance, and systems. Both new and existing franchisees can also create specialized curricula for their store managers and associates. The WBTs lay the foundation for the in-store training that is conducted in an actual center.
2. After completing the online courses, new franchisees begin In-Store Experience I (ISE I), their first formal training with a certified trainer. This hands-on training focuses on the tools, equipment, and processes used in the store for daily business operations. It also includes real customer interactions and "staged" activities to ensure all parts of the operation are covered. The 45-hour course covers all day-to-day operational activities from opening procedures to end-of-day tasks. Participants complete daily assessments as well as a comprehensive online assessment at the end of ISE I.
3. A comprehensive In-Store Trainer Certification program was implemented. The certification program teaches adult learning principles and covers the in-store training curriculum, thus establishing consistency and uniformity among all trainers nationwide and ensuring similar training experiences for all new franchisees.
4. The "university" training program offered at our home office in San Diego was completely redesigned into a very interactive eight-day, blended-learning program. As the two in-store experiences (one before and one after the university course) cover most of the operational competencies, the new University Business Course (UBC) focuses on the core business skills needed to manage a small business. It incorporates the latest in adult learning techniques, such as learning maps, simulations, and discovery learning. Its primary purpose is to teach basic small-business management and financial acumen that new franchisees need to run their business.
5. The final phase is ISE II, during which new franchisees return to a store for more on-the-job training and are expected to implement and apply the practical knowledge gained from the UBC. Participants spend 50 percent of the time processing actual customer transactions (with the trainer providing feedback and reinforcing key concepts). Upon successful completion of ISE II and an online assessment, new franchisees are prepared to open their stores.
Training: What are the results of the program?
Federal: The overall response has been highly favorable, with 95 percent of participants indicating overall satisfaction with their in-store and UBC training.
It is still too early to compare some key business results such as profit-and-loss statements, but we are seeing positive performance trends as measured by a variety of assessment tools. While there are many factors that impact any store's performance, franchisees who have experienced the new training program exhibit a strong understanding of business concepts and an ability to apply them in the real world.
Training: What tips can you share with others who are interested in implementing something similar?
Federal:
• Have a very good measurement plan in place. Don't wait until after a program like this is already up and running to start looking at how you'll measure its impact. There was so much going on with ramp-up that we didn't have our participant evaluation forms in place prior to launch. If we did it again, we would have some of the same questions on the participant evaluations now in use at least a year prior to implementation.
• Gather detailed feedback. With the old program, participant evaluation of the in-store training was limited and informal. Now, participants complete a comprehensive ISE evaluation. This evaluation isn't the standard "smile" sheet. We ask very detailed questions to determine what, exactly, each participant learned and did during training. The evaluation serves two purposes: It holds trainers accountable for providing the training as designed and it helps us to determine the participants' level of satisfaction with training—and whether changes or improvements to the program might be warranted.
• Certify. The trainer certification program was instrumental in establishing consistency and uniformity among all training centers. Just as a typical UPS Store customer can expect the same product offerings and service at any store nationwide, new franchisees can now expect a standardized training experience from any certified in-store trainer.
• Continue to certify over time. We have approximately 200 certified trainers in the field, some of whom only train new franchisees once every few years. The sporadic nature of the job makes it difficult for these trainers to remain proficient. To ensure that the material remains fresh and top of mind, we require every trainer to be re-certified on an annual basis.
Mail Boxes Etc. (MBE) Inc. is a UPS company based in San Diego, Calif. In 2008, UPS placed 49th on Training magazine’s Top 125 list, an annual ranking of organizations that excel at human capital development.
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