For franchisees that live more than a two-hour drive from the office, we recommend you stay at a local hotel, which we can arrange. We can also arrange transport if you have flown in.
Day one is the easiest as you will get to know the staff and their role in how they’re going to help you be successful in your franchise.
Intro to the staff
Shown around the showroom, toilets
Exit points and an overview of the area, including eating places
Visit training house for on-the-job training to get the feel of what the job is all about in the real world
Given an outline of training, from receiving customer details to how to enter information in the computer
The walk around the house and why we do it
Building rapport — we will go to a cafe to see if you can do that with a staff member if possible, but first we will start with our staff where possible.
Product and computer
Learn about RB and how to enter it into the computer\Type of blind
Once learnt then input in to the computer
Over and over again — different sizes, locations, keeping it simple
Never assume they know it until they can do it at least 10 times without help
This is for going over day one for the first hour
Break
New product
Verticals input
Over the next 10 days they should have learnt all products and be efficient at answering any questions
Such as is it easy to clean, will it fade etc etc
They should be able to input into computer
We run the drill over and over
This will give them confidence and give us confidence in them
They will go onsite to a home such as mine and others
Completing a test with various products
Computer — once they can input product to different parts of a house then we send quotes
And show follow-ups
What to do inside the house
Taking charge — getting to the dining room table when possible
You tell them where to sit etc
How to organise install and time frame
How to get installs and/or sales reps
When to work in the business and to work on the business
What sample blinds and shutters can do for you when the sh*t hits the fan
We can retrain you in parts you’re not sure about or we can go to your town
Is learning to build rapport when customers don’t agree
What works? What doesn’t?
Spending the budget wisely
Ask the new franchisee to teach us something — doesn’t have to be a product of sample blinds and shutters
Have a quick reference book for each product?
Computer reference book
Someone with some product knowledge will get through it quicker. No need to keep them the full 4 weeks
If they’re out of the Sydney area they will need to do study at their hotel
The day should not be more than 6 hours from start to finish — this includes breaking for a 30-minute lunch etc
Sales training won’t start until…
They have learnt product, learnt the computer and can build rapport
They have learnt how to take charge in the home
Planning their runs
Week 4 will be going over past 3 weeks
They need to get through each product before they progress to the next, even if it means going over training again
Roller Blinds, Vertical, Plantation shutters, Roller shutters, Curtains, Zip track, Folding arm awnings, Café blinds, Veri shades
Companies we purchase from and their products
What we need to add to each product such as colour style etc
Can sample blinds and shutters do the job?
There will need to be a test for each product, a test in how to input in the computer, a test in how to build rapport and a test in taking charge in the home
Each item of product training should not take more than an hour
Most companies have a lack of imagination — they always follow what others do or keep to what they did 10 years ago
The need for ongoing training — if anyone thinks they know it all then we have a problem
Training the person to be them, not like anyone else
The program will involve visiting homes but only homes we have control over
The trainee needs to know what lies ahead for the day from start and finish
