[[enter your company here]]

franchise/business operations outline

[[Enter Your Company Here]]

[[InsertImage Here]]

Suggested images include:

  • Staff or employees wearing the logo-wear
  • What you do (action shots)
  • Location shots (picture of one of your units/interior, or exterior)
  • Logo

Operations Manual Outline

Core Content:

  1. Introduction
  2. Start-Up
  3. Accounting
  4. Employee Management
  5. Safety and Security
  6. Customer Service
  7. Marketing
  8. Sales

This document includes the following outlines to show as an example:

  • Business Operations—Service
  • Business Operations—Food Service

Introduction Outline

  1. Manual Purpose and Organization
  2. Correspondence and Communication
  3. Manual Terminology
  4. Welcome to [[Enter Your Company Here]]
  5. Mission Statement
  6. Vision Statement
  7. [[Enter Your Company Here]]History
  8. About Our Founder/Team
  9. Ethical Standards
  10. Legal and Regulatory
  11. Confidentiality
  12. Definition of Trade Secrets and Confidential Information
  13. The [[Enter Your Company Here]] Operations Manual
  14. Social Media Policy
  15. Social Media Legal Requirements
  16. Change of Address
  17. Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) and Franchise Agreement
  18. Independently Owned and Operated
  19. System Compliance
  20. Complete Franchisee Training
  21. What Franchisees Can Expect from Corporate
  22. What Corporate Expects from Franchisees
  23. Keeping an Eye on the Competition
  24. [[Enter Your Company Here]] Franchise Visibility
  25. Brand Identity, Trademarks and Copyrights
  26. Logo Usage
  27. Conclusion

Startup Outline

  1. General Guidelines
  2. Pre-Opening Checklist
  3. Form the Business
  4. Different Types of Business Entities
  5. Obtain Business Licenses and Forms
  6. Business Accounting Records
  7. Insurance
  8. Required Insurance
  9. Additional Named Insured
  10. Property Replacement
  11. Hire a Lawyer or CPA
  12. Initial Equipment Package
  13. Site Selection
  14. Home Based Franchise System
  15. Location Based Franchise System
  16. Computer Hardware and Software
  17. System Backup
  18. System Maintenance
  19. Technology Services
  20. Additional Office Equipment
  21. [[Enter Your Company Here]] Business Number and E-Fax
  22. Training Requirements
  23. Training New Employees
  24. Continuing Education and Training Opportunities
  25. Annual Franchise Meeting (AFM)
  26. Code of Conduct While Attending Training or Seminars
  27. Grand Opening
  28. 14 Week Grand Opening Checklist
  29. Promoting the Grand Opening
  30. Grand Opening Invitation List
  31. During the Grand Opening
  32. After the Grand Opening
  33. Conclusion

Accounting Outline

  1. Financial Privacy and Confidentiality
  2. Roles and Responsibilities
  3. Franchise Owner Obligations and Opportunities
  4. Financial Support Roles and Responsibilities
  5. Benefits of Financial Management
  6. Financial Management Terminology
  7. Break-Even Point
  8. Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP)
  9. Benchmarks
  10. Gross Profit Margin
  11. Cost Of Goods Sold
  12. Expenses as a Percentage of Sales
  13. Net Profit Margin
  14. Hiring an Accountant
  15. Accounting and Bookkeeping Methods
  16. Cash Method Accounting
  17. Accrual Method Accounting
  18. Chart of Accounts
  19. Reports
  20. Profit & Loss/Income Statement
  21. Balance Sheet
  22. Statement of Cash Flow
  23. Payments to Corporate
  24. Royalties
  25. National Marketing Fee
  26. Technology Fee
  27. Royalty and Marketing Fund Payments
  28. Sending Payments and Reports to Corporate
  29. Taxes
  30. Retaining and Storing Records
  31. Bookkeeping
  32. General Accounting Procedures
  33. Daily Accounting
  34. Weekly Accounting
  35. Bi-Weekly
  36. Monthly Accounting
  37. Quarterly Accounting
  38. Annual Accounting

Accounting Outline - con't

  1. Payment Transactions
  2. Credit Card Processing
  3. Checks
  4. Payroll
  5. Taxes
  6. Federal Income Tax
  7. Federal Unemployment Tax: FUTA
  8. Sales Tax
  9. Payroll Taxes
  10. Payroll Reporting and Payment
  11. Independent Contractors vs. Employees
  12. Charitable Donations
  13. Conclusion

Employee Management Outline

  1. Introduction
  2. Labor Laws
  3. General Federal Laws
  4. Employer Responsibilities
  5. Americans with Disabilities Act
  6. Age Discrimination in Employment Act
  7. Occupational Safety and Health Administration
  8. Fair Labor Standards Act
  9. Workers’ Compensation
  10. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
  11. Immigration Reform and Control Act
  12. Legal Issues Regarding Employees
  13. Required Postings
  14. Employee Handbooks
  15. Employee Files
  16. Employee Safety and Security
  17. Sample Violence Prevention Policy
  18. Harassment Prevention Policies
  19. Recruiting and Selecting Employees
  20. Job Descriptions
  21. Example of Job Position 1
  22. Recruiting Territory
  23. Sample Job Advertisement
  24. Selecting Interview Candidates
  25. Have Applicants Complete an Employment Application
  26. Review Applications and Resumes
  27. Conduct Phone Interviews
  28. Schedule Interviews
  29. Face-to-Face Interviews
  30. Interviews: General Guidelines and Sample Questions
  31. Sample Interview Questions
  32. Illegal Interview Topics
  33. Two Special Cases
  34. Reference and Background Check
  35. Determine Pay Rates
  36. Notify Successful Applicants
  37. Orientation / Training New Employees
  38. Typical Employee Handbook Topics
  39. Equipment Training

Employee Management - con't

  1. Time Cards
  2. Paydays
  3. Conclusion
  4. Appendix to Employee Management (Suggested Documents)
  5. Background Clearance Form
  6. Employee Training Checklist
  7. Employment Application
  8. Interview Questions Sheet
  9. Telephone Pre-Screen Sheet

Safety & Security Outline

  1. Introduction
  2. OSHA Safety Requirements
  3. Emergency Preparedness
  4. Crisis Situations
  5. Crisis Definitions
  6. Handling a Crisis
  7. Gathering Crisis Information
  8. Notify the Authorities
  9. Working with Authorities/Outside Agencies
  10. Media Relations
  11. How to handle a general request for an interview
  12. How to handle a request to talk about your “personal experience”
  13. Help is available
  14. Job Site Safety
  15. Common Causes of Job Site Accidents
  16. Factors that Frequently Cause Accidents
  17. Employee Safety and Security Training
  18. Proper Lifting Techniques
  19. Safe Equipment Operations and Maintenance
  20. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  21. Medical Emergencies
  22. Electrical Safety
  23. Basics of Electricity
  24. Electrical Injuries
  25. Responding to Electrical Emergencies
  26. Protect yourself
  27. Call for help
  28. Secure the Area
  29. Safe Driving
  30. Maneuvering Your Vehicle and Trailer Safely
  31. Pulling Away From the Curb
  32. Driving through Intersections
  33. Following Distance
  34. Loose Material in Your Vehicle
  35. Chemical Safety
  36. Powdered Detergent
  37. Calcium, Lime and Rust Remover
  38. Graffiti Paint Removers

Safety & Security Outline – con’t

  1. Material Data Safety Sheet (MSDS)
  2. Information Required on an MSDS
  3. Who Must Supply an MSDS?
  4. How to read an MSDS
  5. Section I: Identification
  6. Section II: Hazardous Ingredients
  7. Section III: Physical and Chemical Information
  8. Section IV: Fire and Explosion Hazard Data
  9. Section V: Reactivity Data
  10. Section VI: Health Hazard Data
  11. Section VII: Spill or Leak Procedures
  12. Section VIII: Special Protection Information
  13. Section IX: Special Precautions
  14. Crime Prevention
  15. Robbery or Hijacking
  16. If You Are Robbed
  17. If Your Property is Stolen
  18. Vandalism
  19. Conclusion

Customer Service Outline

  1. Introduction
  2. Professionalism
  3. Uniform Standards and Personal Appearance
  4. Grooming and Hygiene
  5. Phone Etiquette
  6. Answering the Phone
  7. On the Job Etiquette
  8. Be Prepared
  9. Equipment/Tools
  10. Materials
  11. Promptness
  12. Service Vehicles & Trailers
  13. Driving Best Practices
  14. Driving Defensively
  15. Parking
  16. Arrival and Introduction
  17. Customer Preparation
  18. Clean Up
  19. Your [[Enter Your Company Here]] Equipment
  20. Handling Complaints
  21. Follow Up and Investigate Complaints
  22. L.A.S.T. Strategy
  23. Listen
  24. Apologize
  25. Solve
  26. Thank
  27. Handling Refund Requests
  28. Conclusion

Marketing Outline

  1. What is Marketing?
  2. [[Enter Your Company Here]] Marketing Philosophy and Values
  3. National Marketing Fund
  4. Marketing Materials
  5. Guidelines for Using the [[Enter Your Company Here]] Marks
  6. Obtaining Advertising Approval
  7. Develop a Local Marketing Plan
  8. Local Marketing and Advertising Budget
  9. How to Create a Marketing Budget
  10. Advertising
  11. Seasonal Advertising
  12. Market to Your Community
  13. Event Marketing
  14. Explanation of Social Media
  15. What is social media?
  16. Benefits of Social Media
  17. Which Social Media Platforms Can Be Utilized?
  18. Social Media Policy
  19. Recommendations and Best Practices
  20. Social Media Best Practices
  21. Top Tips for Facebook
  22. Top Tips for Yelp
  23. Maintaining Social Media Networks
  24. Monthly Procedures
  25. Daily/Weekly Procedures
  26. Social Media Resources
  27. Using Facebook
  28. Using Twitter
  29. Using Yelp
  30. Using LinkedIn
  31. Training Employees to be Involved with Social Media
  32. Suggested Training
  33. Social Media Marketing
  34. Social Media Platforms
  35. Participation in Social Media
  36. Social Media Best Practices
  37. Affiliations
  38. Cross-promotion Marketing
  39. Understand Your Competition
  40. Conclusion

Sales Outline

  1. Introduction
  2. The [[Enter Your Company Here]] Customer
  3. Who are the decision makers?
  4. Approach Family and Friends
  5. First Spots to Hit
  6. Business Sales Strategies and Processes
  7. Sales Calendar
  8. Sample Weekly Prospecting Calendar
  9. Prospecting Customers
  10. Taking Incoming Calls
  11. Cold Calling
  12. Telephone Cold Calling
  13. Walk-In Cold Calling
  14. Create a Portfolio or Photo Album
  15. Talking with Prospects
  16. Getting Your Foot in the Door
  17. [[Enter Your Company Here]] Sales Presentations
  18. Presentation Topics
  19. Preparing for Sales Presentations
  20. The Presentation
  21. Steps of Sales Presentation
  22. Conclusion

EXAMPLE:

Business Operations—Service Industry

Business Operations......

Hours of Operation......

Holiday Closures......

Ordering Equipment and Supplies......

Professionalism......

Answering the Phone......

Uniforms......

Marketing Materials......

Hourly Pricing vs. Job-Based Pricing......

Developing a Rate Sheet......

[[Enter Your Company Here]]Services......

One-Time Jobs vs. Recurring Contract Work......

Providing Quotes and Bids......

Quote and Bidding Process......

Step One: Identify How Much Time the Job Will Take......

Step two: Identify the Direct and Indirect Costs......

Step Three: Determine Your Profit......

Step Four: Complete the Quote and Price the Job......

Net Profit Margin......

Registering Clients......

Providing the Finished Quote......

Competitor Pricing......

Maximize Income Opportunities......

Emergency Service Requests......

Job scheduling......

Servicing......

Invoicing......

Photos......

Collections Procedures......

Submitting Government Bids......

Employee Scheduling Guidelines......

Part-Time Employees......

Overtime and Holiday Pay......

Employee Availability Schedule......

Employee Timesheets......

Chapter Conclusion......

EXAMPLE:

Business Operations—Food Service

Business Operations - Introduction

Hours of Operation

Systems and Routines

Daily Planner

Be Stocked and Ready to Open

Operational Checklists

DAILY OPENING PROCEDURES

CLOSING PROCEDURES

Daily Closing Checklist

Bathroom Checklist

Front Of House Weekly Cleaning

Back Of House Weekly Cleaning

Three-Compartment Sink (edit accordingly)

Sink Setup

Sanitizer Check

Sink Procedure

General Cleaning Procedures

General Surface Cleaning

Vinyl, Tile, and Cement Flooring

Wood Flooring

Sanitizing the Batch Freezer

When to Sanitize the Batch Freezer

Start of Shift Sanitizing Procedure

End of Shift Sanitizing Procedure

Conducting Inventory

Inventory Key Points

Pre-counts

Inventory Conversions for Fridge Pre-mixes and Frozen Back-up Pans

This concludes the FDD-Compliant Outline for Franchise or Small Busines Operations.

Business Operations Manual – Outline Page 1

©2012[[Enter Your Company Here]]. Proprietary and Confidential Material. Unauthorized Distribution Prohibited. All Rights Reserved. “[[Enter Your Company Here]].” and related marks are property of [[Enter Your Company Here]].