Leveraging New Media in Franchise Training

January 5, 2010

In the past, franchisees had to rely on intensive 2-4 week training courses featuring thick binders full of policies and procedures, hand-scribbled notes and long lectures. Today, franchisees don’t have to rely on in-person, paper laden training programs in order to be successful in their new business endeavor. With the advent of online learning management systems, the tools and resources they need are centrally located and in electronic form. As a result, trainees can check into their training programs as their convenience, learn materials at their pace and quickly and easily search documents for answers.

However, there are some drawbacks to having franchisees review and absorb materials on their own time as opposed to an in-class setting. Some people have different learning styles that require different teaching methods in order to retain the knowledge they are given:

  • Structural: Students who require a structural learning style have more success in classes and trainings when lessons are organized in a logical, delineated sequence.
  • Sociological: When students are sociological learners, they learn best in group activities or in peer-to-peer situations.
  • Auditory: Listening to lessons is a key aspect of making them digestible and memorable for auditory learners.
  • Visual: A variety of ocular stimulants can be used to teach visual learners including colored texts and instructions or examples that include images.
  • Tactile: The group that most people fall into, these people learn best with hands-on activities.

With recent learning management systems, many of the hurdles that once inhibited the success of some remote students have been overcome by the integration of new media.

  • For Structural learners: Some learning management systems can be set up to only allow students to take lessons in sequential order. This helps to prevent confusion among structural learners by giving them the information in the order in which it is meant to be viewed.
  • For Sociological and Auditory learners: Podcasts, video podcasts and group chat sessions can help sociological learners to engage with others in remote locations, enabling them to ask questions and engage in ways that help them internalize information.
  • For Visual learners: Videos, slide presentations and diagrams can be incorporated into many learning management systems to engage visual learners as part of the course offerings.
  • For Tactile learners: Polls, quizzes and interactive practices may also be allowed in some learning management systems, which can help tactile learners to learn how to apply the information they are provided during training courses.

Of course, the ability to integrate some or all of these teaching methods is dependant upon the capabilities of the learning management system itself. When reviewing systems, you’ll want to ensure it at least provides:

  • Document libraries
  • Audio/Video integration
  • Testing functionality
  • Performance indicators
  • Round the clock accessibility.

Training is a key factor in the ultimate success of a franchise, and learning management systems can be an integral part of making that happen effectively. By putting forth some effort and research ahead of time, you can ensure that your learning management system will be effective for you and your employees.

To find out more about how you can utilize learning management systems within your franchise, feel free to contact a qualified FranchiSoft consultant to further assist you in the process.