What support do franchisors offer franchisees when it comes to staff? Pizza Hut is predominantly home delivery and takeaway, though across the Australian network there are 14 restaurants explains Andy Masood, franchise development manager. When franchisees undergo their initial eight week training, part of the education is how to interview staff and what questions to ask.
When franchisees undergo their initial eight week training, part of the education is how to interview staff and what questions to ask.
Once a new store opens with a fresh franchisee at the helm there’s a trainer coach on hand. Franchisees are under close guidance for two weeks, explains Masood. “It’s real world training, and there are more experienced people around.”
That means staff as well as franchisees can get to grips with the operating systems of Pizza Hut.
Staff training is all online and employees complete online modules. It’s tracked and visible to operations and HR.
“We have casual staff because the QSR [quick service restaurant] industry is a business very much designed around customer convenience; the consumption pattern is 5.30 onwards is the peak, dinner time rush. A business has to ensure staffing for this,” says Masood.
With a business the size of Pizza Hut, there’s plenty of experience in staff management. The franchisor has distilled its learning and established management tools online.
“We invest heavily in a digital platform. New point of sale takes us into the 21st century. There are two aspects – order taking is very efficient, and the back end is sophisticated: it records product sell, customer frequency, busy half hours.”
The resulting information produces a weekly performance on the basis of the previous three weeks, and suggests an ideal roster, but with the facility for the franchisee to adapt it to changing circumstances. “It gives the franchisee the opportunity to intelligently judge,” says Masood.
For instance, in wet weather, people order more deliveries rather than takeaway, and that alters the staff requirements.
There’s no doubt the QSR industry is heading towards convenience and at Pizza Hut about 40 percent of business is online or mobile.
“The online segment of our business is fast growing as the customer is looking for a higher degree of convenience. Especially when it comes to delivery, Pizza Hut is one of the leaders in the business space and is continuously investing in technology to improve the customer interface.
“Pizza Hut online sales mix is almost at 40 percent and we anticipate that this number will increase to 50 percent in the near future.”
The details
- Average store investment: $320,000
- Franchise term: 10 years with one 10-year option
- Hiring: one to two weeks prior to opening
- No of staff: from seven to 20; all casual, manager full time