As franchisors know, the first step toward any successful system-wide project is getting franchisee buy-in and empowering franchisees to participate. By implementing a franchisee portal for technology deployments, franchisors can give their franchisees ownership and control while deploying new solution system-wide.
The franchisee portal that we offer for our clients allows franchisees to go beyond hardware procurement and request additional services in an a la carte manner as needed. In addition, franchisees can provide payment in their preferred method through the portal.
In some cases, corporate pays for a portion of a new technology deployment while the franchisee makes up the difference. Using a portal makes it easier to split payment for hardware or services between the franchisor and the franchisee.
The key to deploying rapidly and consistently across a nationwide franchise is making sure the assets being deployed are fully functional, fully kitted, and fully configured prior to arrival at the store.
At Level 10, we build, kit, and configure our clients’ equipment in our technical center so that the devices are prepared to plug and play when delivered to stores. Completing the staging, integration and kitting of equipment from one central location dramatically lowers onsite times, decreases the number of revisits and improves quality.
A successful nationwide deployment requires national oversight and management of field services, but a local approach. Franchisees are likely familiar with the regional technicians who have been serving them over time, so maintaining the localization they are used to is important.
Level 10 mimics that local approach on a national level by selecting and assigning technicians based on zip codes. We also set the scheduling to support the geographical timing of the rollout, and ensure franchisees are provided with scheduling windows to better accommodate their unique timetables. With a partner that can provide nationwide management and visibility of regional technicians, franchisors can ensure the same level of service franchisees are used to, all while improving the quality of each install and lowering costs.
Franchise systems present unique challenges for merchants faced with ever-increasing demand for technology advancements in stores. By following these steps and partnering with an expert in large-scale IT deployments, franchisors can better navigate their next technology project.
These are just a few ways franchisors can ensure their next technology deployment is successful and consistent throughout their franchise system. Check out the rest of our tips by viewing our webinar, “5 Keys to a Successful Franchise System-Wide IT Deployment” here.