VOL 14 ISSUE 05 JULY/AUGUST 2020
FOOD AND BEVERAGE FRANCHISES
FOOD AND BEVERAGE FRANCHISES
RETURNING TO THE NEW NORMAL FOOD BUSINESS SAFETY
AS COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS EASE
“WHEN EVERYTHING CHANGES, CHANGE EVERYTHING”
FUTURE PROOFING YOUR RESTAURANT OR CAFÉ IN A POST COVID-19 WORLD
Business Franchise Australia and New Zealand 31
Resources at your fingertips!
CURRENT TITLES INCLUDE: Business FRANCHISE Australia and New Zealand magazine The Magazine for Franchisees, Bi-monthly publication The Australian and New Zealand Business FRANCHISOR magazine The Magazine for Franchisors, Quarterly publication Australian and New Zealand Business FRANCHISE DIRECTORY Annual publication The FRANCHISE GUIDE Annual publication CGB’s website also provides an additional advertising and information format and complements our publications.
www.businessfranchiseaustralia.com.au
32 Business Franchise Australia and New Zealand
CONTENTS
38
On the Cover 38
Feature Article: Food and Beverage Franchises – Returning to the New Normal
50
Expert Advice: Food Business Safety as COVID-19 Restrictions Ease
42
Expert Advice: When Everything Changes, Change Everything
44
Expert Advice: Future-Proofing Your Restaurant or Café in a Post COVID-19 World
44
In Every Issue 34
What’s New Announcements from the Industry
38
Feature Article: Food and Beverage Franchises – Returning to the New Normal
Profile 48
50
Subway – The Fresh Taste of Customer Service
Expert Advice 42
When Everything Changes, Change Everything Fiona Robertson | Speaker, Facilitator, Coach and Author | FionaRobertson.com
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Future-Proofing Your Restaurant or Café in a Post COVID-19 World Corina Vucic, Director, FC Business Solutions
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Food Business Safety as COVID-19 Restrictions Ease
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Chris Beasley, Managing Director, Safety Navigator
Have Your Say 52
Dominos - Technology in the Time of COVID-19
A regular of Business Franchise magazine, our special supplement in franchising showcases a different industry each issue To share YOUR SPECIFIC EXPERT INDUSTRY ADVICE or to FEATURE YOUR FRANCHISE in the next issue, please contact: Vikki Bradbury Phone: 03 9787 8077 Email: vikki@cgbpublishing.com
Business Franchise Australia and New Zealand 33
what’snew! KFC AND YUM! BRANDS FOUNDATION DONATE $160,000 TO FOODBANK AUSTRALIA than others. KFC wanted to show its support by helping those who have been hit hardest, ensuring they don’t have to worry about their next meal for the foreseeable future,” KFC Australia supply chain officer Michael Clark said in a media release. In 2019, KFC supported Foodbank by donating over 14,300 meals to people across the country in need. In 2020 onwards, KFC said it will continue to aid Foodbank by helping with the distribution of excess food from its restaurants to distribution centres across the country, as well as food shelters. “The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact across the country, with many Australian’s now having to rely on food relief for the first time,” Foodbank Australia’s chief executive Brianna Casey said. KFC and Yum! Brands Foundation
Foodbank said it has already seen a 48 per
announced it will be donating $160,000
cent rise in demand for food relief across its
to its long-time partner charity Foodbank
network, but supplies are down by 27 per cent.
Australia, the donation will provide over
“Now more than ever we need to support each
“We are so grateful for KFC Australia and the Yum! Brands Foundation sizeable donation and long-term support over the past 15 years. This donation will help thousands of families and individuals in our communities who are doing it tough right now.”
320,000 meals to Australian’s in need.
other, especially as some are doing it tougher
www.kfc.com.au
BOOST JUICE PROMOTES CONTACTLESS ORDERING AND PAYMENT IN NEW AD The “Boost Sip of the Day” campaign encourages people to download their app to avoid queues. As restrictions have lifted and customers have returned to shopping centres, there’s a new challenge with long queues for nearly every shop. Customers don’t need to join a queue to order their favourite Boost. All they need to do is download the Boost App ahead and skip the queue. Plus, downloading the App gives customers access to Boost’s VIBE rewards program which features, amoung other benefits, a free Boost on your birthday. Launched on Channel 9 on 31 May, and also featuring on YouTube, the chain’s “Boost Sip of the Day” TVC features an app user getting her order ahead of customers wearing outlandish personal protective gear.
world, but Boost is all about making people feel just that little bit better. There’s nothing better than a bit of humour to give you a Boost. It’s part of our fighting Aussie spirit to share a laugh, even in the worst of times,” Boost Juice national marketing manager Lucy Duvnjak said.
The chain said the ad draws inspiration from “some of the extreme COVID-19 outfits that have been shared on social media from around the world”, whilst promoting a contactless ordering and payment solution through the Boost App.
“With the COVID-19 crisis, we’ve seen new audiences rapidly adopt digital solutions to meet their desire to live ‘normal lives’. It just goes to show how digital technology can meet the emotional needs of humans. That’s when digital is performing at its best,” Boost Juice chief technical innovation officer Christian McGilloway added.
“We’ve seen all the “we’re in it together” ads from brands around the
Watch the ad here: vimeo.com/423918180
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SAN CHURRO LAUNCHES REVAMPED MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM New Partnerships with Redcat and DoorDash Announced
MATT FICKLING APPOINTED CCO AT MOTTO MOTTO Motto Motto Japanese has promoted Matt Fickling as its new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). As the group’s CCO, Fickling will assist the group’s managing director William Liu with expansion strategy and have direct responsibility for developing and growing new and existing revenue streams for its brand portfolio. Fickling is expected to lead all business functions, which include franchising, business development, brand and marketing, supply chain, digital & e-commerce for its namesake brand and KYOTO at home. Fickling held leadership roles in franchising and marketing before he joined the Japanese group in 2019. He was previously with Melbourne-based burger franchise Huxtaburger, where he served as head of operations, group general manager and then CEO. “It has been an awesome experience in Brisbane and a big privilege to work for such a crazy-innovative entrepreneur. I am very thankful that William relocated me to Brisbane for such a great opportunity and for looking after me during these more difficult times,” Fickling said in a LinkedIn post. www.mottomotto.com.au
Leading Australian dessert franchise and Chocolateria San Churro has announced the launch of its revamped membership program el SOCIAL and a new direct delivery service, partnering with hospitality POS, loyalty membership and IT specialist Redcat and global delivery service DoorDash. The refreshed loyalty program will see a new interface and host of features launch across the San Churro el SOCIAL website and app, designed by Redcat to offer a seamless brand experience across each customer touchpoint. Key features of the program include a digital membership card (hosted via the el SOCIAL app), contactless payment capability, live status updates on both earned points and rewards available, transaction history, San Churro store locator, online ordering, and more. In addition, el SOCIAL members will receive personalised offers to pair with purchases based on Redcat’s behaviour data. “We evaluated the market – and, forming these new partnerships with technology specialists Redcat and DoorDash were an absolute must. The services available by them both were in line with the direction of our business, and Redcat in particular counts a strong network of third parties they’ve worked with for progressive integration,” said San Churro CEO Giro Maurici. Thomas Stephens, GM of Australia, DoorDash, “Food delivery has become a lifeline for restaurants to reach customers during the pandemic and on the path to recovery, and as this demand for at-home food delivery continues to grow across Australia, we’re looking forward to providing San Churro and its customers with first-class online hospitality experiences.” By the end of the month, San Churro will also launch its newest partnership with Google, allowing customers to order food for pickup straight from Google Search or Google Maps. Find the closest San Churro store at sanchurro.com or follow on social via Facebook (@SanChurro) or Instagram (@SanChurro_AU).
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what’snew! ULTIMATE CHEESY GARLIC BREAD SUB RETURNS TO SUBWAY®
OPORTO APPOINTS HELEN MOORE AS NEW CEO The iconic fan favourite is returning to restaurants for a limited time Subway® Australia is serving the perfect indulgent feast this winter, with the return of sell-out favourite, Ultimate Cheesy Garlic Bread Sub. Returning for a strictly limited time, the Ultimate Cheesy Garlic Bread Sub takes the Subway® menu to the next level by serving guests’ their favourite sub flavours inside mouth-watering cheesy garlic bread. Senior Brand Manager Ben Miles said Subway was welcoming the fan-favourite back to the winter menu, following a sell-out success in 2019. “The Ultimate Cheesy Garlic Bread Sub was a huge hit with our guests last year and we’re excited to have this mouth-watering meal return in 2020,” Mr Miles said. “The Ultimate Cheesy Garlic Bread Sub is exactly that – ultimate – and is unlike anything we’ve created before. From our rich garlic flavour to the decadent oozing melted mozzarella cheese, an Ultimate Cheesy Garlic Bread Sub is an indulgent winter meal guaranteed to satisfy Australians’ comfort food cravings.
For those who fancy a more traditional style of garlic bread to add to their meal, Subway has the answer with the Ultimate Toastie; freshlybaked bread coated in heavenly garlic spread, toasted to perfection with layers of melted mozzarella. “The Ultimate Toastie is perfect as an afternoon hunger-buster or for those looking for an indulgent snack to eat on the run, the Ultimate Toastie is guaranteed to be your new winter snack of choice,” Mr Miles said. Guests can enjoy their sub any way they like by upgrading any sub to “ultimate” for just $1 for any Subway 6-Inch® and $2 for any Subway Footlong®. The Ultimate Cheesy Garlic Bread Sub is now available at all restaurants across Australia, for a limited time. Contactless pick-up is available with online ordering or via the Subway Australia App and guests can also choose to have their subs delivered with Uber Eats and Deliveroo. www.subway.com/en-AU
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Craveable Brands has appointed Helen Moore as the new CEO of Oporto, the company said in an announcement. Moore was most recently the General Manager – Convenience Development at Caltex which saw her plan, develop and launch retail format The Foodary. She was also said to be instrumental in the petroleum brand’s retail innovation pipeline, which included partnerships with Uber Eats and Deliveroo and digital experiences. “I am excited to have someone of Helen’s calibre join our team. Helen’s love for our brands and her passion for food, customers and convenience will be a great addition to our team,” Craveable Brands group CEO Karen Bozic said in the announcement. The franchisor said Moore’s experience in customer product development, new store formats, partnerships and network expansion will be “vital in leading Oporto in the next phase of growth.” “I’m a huge fan of the brand and see so much potential for our delicious flame-grilled food to be enjoyed by more customers, more often, across Australia and beyond,” Moore said. www.oporto.com.au
PLANT BASED FOOD ON THE GO NOW AVAILABLE AT 7-ELEVEN AUSTRALIA People looking for vegan friendly options or a delicious meat-free alternative can now drop into 7-Eleven Australia for plant based versions of traditional favourites. 7-Eleven No Chicken and Lettuce Sandwich ($5), 7-Eleven No Egg and Lettuce Sandwich ($5), 7-Eleven No Beef Pie ($4) and 7-Eleven No Sausage Roll ($4) are available nationally in all stores for customers seeking tasty, plant based food on the go. According to Julie Laycock, 7-Eleven Australia General Manager Marketing, 7-Eleven’s food innovation team has worked hard to ensure the plant based options taste just like their meat based counterparts. “We didn’t just want to have plant based options, we wanted to make sure they were tasty products in their own right. Our team developed these exclusive products with our suppliers, and we’ve done extensive testing with consumers to ensure the new products taste delicious,” Ms Laycock said. “The convenience of being able to drop into one of our 700+ stores makes it even easier for people looking for vegan friendly and vegetarian food and those who want to mix plant based meals into their diet more often.”
Ms Laycock said the company is looking to add to the range of plantbased choices across its network. “We’re continually looking at how we can provide more choice in our range. We’re trialling a soy milk option for coffee in a small number of stores in Victoria. We’ve converted our 7-Eleven Falafel Wrap to be vegan-friendly, and we have a vegan friendly 7-Eleven Teriyaki Mushroom Onigiri in a number of our stores also. We encourage customers to try our plant based and vegan friendly products and share their thoughts with us on social media,” Ms Laycock concluded. www.7eleven.com.au
NENE CHICKEN TO SELL SNOWING RANGE UNDER $4 ON NATIONAL FRIED CHICKEN DAY NeNe Chicken will be selling their Snowing Chicken range for under $4 on 6 July, National Fried Chicken Day. Customers can order packs of four or six Snowing Cheese, Chilli or Vegetable-coated wingettes and drumettes for $3.95. The South Korean franchise is operated by the ST Group and has 18 stores nationwide. ST Group also operates Gong Cha, PappaRich, Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tart in the country. The NeNe Chicken brand is gaining momentum as un-touched locations look to offer an authentic taste of Korean fried chicken. www.nenechicken.com.au
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FE ATUR E : FOO D A N D B E V ER AG E FR A NCH ISES
FE AT U R E A R T I C L E
FOOD AND BEVERAGE FRANCHISES
RETURNING TO THE NEW NORMAL As stricter social distancing measures for public venues and social activities are enforced by governments around the world to reduce the risk of local transmission of the Coronavirus restaurants, cafes and bars, have been required to reduce their in-dining areas, follow strict new regulations and pivot to home delivery and takeaway options. With many businesses beginning to reopen and return to a new normal, now is the time to review all aspects of your business that may increase the risk of coronavirus transmission. Food and beverage franchises will need to adapt their business structure and policies to observe updated health and safety measures put in place by the government.
Assess your hygiene practices All franchised food businesses will need to provide updated training for staff on new hygiene practices and any procedural changes that have been implemented to avoid the spread of the virus. Food handlers and all other staff must maintain strict requirements around health and hygiene, including:
“All franchised food businesses will need to provide updated training for staff on new hygiene practices and any procedural changes that have been implemented to avoid the spread of the virus.�
foods, after going to the bathroom, and after handling money.
direct contact with a customer. such as coughing, sneezing or flu-like symptoms must be excluded from the workplace.
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Physical distancing rules Although regulations vary slightly between the different states and territories, some of the essential recommendations for venues to adopt in reopening should include: contact details on booking or entry, with name and a contact number.
cleaning measures and practices. includes information on the maximum number of people that can be present in the venue. handwashing practices and establish hygiene stations, with hand sanitiser, at entrances and throughout the venue.
markings to ensure physical distancing is maintained at cashiers, or consider the installation of sneeze guards.
Cleaning and disinfecting closer than 1.5 metres when seated. of customers are not seated face-to-face instance, by using contactless payments. These laminated menus can be cleaned in between each use, minimising condiments on tables and removing communal and self-service equipment. service or buffet-style food service areas and communal condiment and drink stations. Drinking water should be supplied free via table service.
During the pandemic, extra cleaning needs to be carried out throughout your business. You must keep your place of business clean and sanitised by taking the following measures: sanitising of facilities, equipment and transport vehicles (including food contact surfaces and equipment). Including door handles, bathrooms, service counters, handrails and EFTPOS keypads. areas within the food business.
business so that customers are not queuing at these points.
containers, utensils and chopping boards.
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FE ATUR E : FOO D A N D B E V ER AG E FR A NCH ISES
“Your customers are already on social media, but they are likely checking in much more frequently to get the latest updates on the virus.�
FE ATUR E : FOO D A N D B E V ER AG E FR A NCH ISES
FE AT U R E A R T I C L E
“It’ a good idea to send an email or newsletter to your customers to assure them that you’re implementing new procedures to protect their health when they visit your business.”
Promoting cashless payments
Food delivery options
Your business should promote cashless payments where possible, however, if cash is exchanged ensure that hands are washed with soap and water, or a hand sanitiser is used after handling money.
During the lockdown, many food and beverage operators had to pivot their businesses to include takeaway and home delivery options for their customers.
Mobile payment services and mobile wallets like Apple Pay are now widely available and provide secure, cash-free and effortless payments. As a growing number of consumers turn towards digital and flexible methods of payment to purchase the goods they love, more businesses are getting on board with payment platforms. By partnering with payment platforms, businesses can offer their customers a new way to pay either instore or online without the need for cash or cards.
If your food business is registered with Environmental Health, there are no further registration or administrative requirements if you want to provide food delivery out of your registered kitchen. You will, however, need to ensure your food business complies with the requirements of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, including: takeaway packaging food
“By partnering with payment platforms, businesses can offer their customers a new way to pay either instore or online without the need for cash or cards.”
vehicle during delivery.
Stay in touch It’ a good idea to send an email or newsletter to your customers to assure them that you’re implementing new procedures to protect their health when they visit your business. Share any increased cleaning, disinfecting and hygiene protocols you’re implementing. If you are updating your hours or closing your store for a deep-clean, you should let your customers know via your website and social channels. Your customers are already on social media, but they are likely checking in much more frequently to get the latest updates on the virus. Whether you’re posting about the virus or letting your customers know what you’re up to, try posting more frequently to ensure you are showing up in their news feeds. Like many Australian’s, the team at Business Franchise magazine are looking forward to getting out more and supporting our local food and beverage businesses – so keep in touch! www.businessfranchiseaustralia.com.au
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FE ATUR E : FOO D A N D B E V ER AG E FR A NCH ISES
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E X PER T A DV I C E
“WHEN EVERYTHING CHANGES, CHANGE EVERYTHING” I recently heard that phrase from a colleague.
It turns out it’s the name of a self-help book designed to guide individuals through a personal crisis, but it’s also the perfect way for organisations to think about COVID-19. Simply put, there has never been a better time to think about changing your board or organisational culture. We all know that culture matters, according to McKinsey’s research of over 1000 organisations employing more than three million people, those with strong cultures (top quartile according to their Organisational Health Inventory) post a
“Our sense of belonging has been fundamentally disrupted, and it’s less clear right now what the rules of belonging are. They’re changing. They’re unfrozen. The only thing we can be sure of is that they will refreeze again, and it may be sooner than we think.” Fiona Robertson | Speaker, Facilitator, Coach and Author FIONAROBERSTON.COM
return to shareholders that is 60 per cent higher than those who are at the median and 200 per cent more than those in the bottom quartile.
Did you want a burning platform? For years I’ve heard directors and executives bemoan the fact that they don’t have a ‘burning platform’, a catalyst that will
motivate and energise their people and focus them on making the changes they need to make. A reason to stop operating on autopilot, take a moment to notice what they’re doing and consciously decide whether or not it is working. After all, you have to see before you can choose. We didn’t ask for COVID-19, but there’s no denying that alongside the horror of a pandemic, it also offers us a significant moment of reflection. Most organisations are already in the process of re-thinking their strategy in some form or other. Whether it’s who they target, what they offer or how they get it to market, they’re checking to make sure their unique combination of ‘who, what, how’ still makes sense as we work towards establishing a COVID-safe world. And, more than ever, they’re also asking why. What is the meaning of our work? What contribution do we make to the world beyond making money? All of that reflection is as essential for organisational performance as it is for our collective sanity. What some of them have forgotten is that a new strategy without the culture to execute it
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FE ATUR E : FOO D A N D B E V ER AG E FR A NCH ISES successfully is just a piece of paper. One that will be paid lip-service, but almost certainly ignored when the tough decisions come along. Strategy and culture are two parts of one thing. They are always changing and must continuously reinforce each other in an endless infinity loop.
Your culture is changing right now The reality is that your culture is changing anyway. Right now. Whether you’re actively managing it or not. It will happen by accident, or it will happen deliberately. Culture is probably the most widely discussed and widely misunderstood concept in business today. Most people have no idea what it is or how it works. It is still very commonly confused with employee engagement. They are not the same thing. Culture is the system, and engagement is an individual’s experience of that system. So if culture isn’t engagement, then what is it?
Culture is the rules of belonging Your organisation and your board already have a set of rules that dictate what earns or loses belonging in the group – those are the rules of belonging. The rules of belonging are based on the behaviours that increase a person’s status and acceptance in a particular group at a specific time. So the rules hide in the interpretation of behaviour, not in the act itself. Looking
“Most organisations are already in the process of re-thinking their strategy in some form or other. Whether it’s who they target, what they offer or how they get it to market, they’re checking to make sure their unique combination of ‘who, what, how’ still makes sense as we work towards establishing a COVID-safe world.”
for them is a bit like looking at The Matrix, if you don’t know there’s something to see, you won’t see anything – but as soon as you know, you see rules everywhere. You may have noticed that cartoon with the two fish in a bowl; one asks the other ‘how’s the water?’ and the other says ‘what’s water?’. Culture is like that. When you’re in it, it’s hard to see, but it fundamentally impacts everything we do.
behaviours, we need more of and less of and put in place clear actions to ensure they shift in the right direction. This happens most effectively through explicit, specific conversations with our people about what worked in the old world that will and won’t work in the new. Then put in place new rituals and building new tribes who embrace and reinforce what the new good looks like around here; our new rules of belonging.
It’s easy to underestimate how tribal humans are. As the ultimate social species, we’re hardwired to keep ourselves safe through belonging and connection, so the recent cognitive dissonance of staying apart to stay safe is intensely unsettling. Our tribes are dispersing and reforming far faster than we’re used to.
There has never been a better time to change your board or organisational culture. It’s changing anyway. Don’t let it happen by accident. Let’s seize the rare opportunity to make it deliberate.
Our sense of belonging has been fundamentally disrupted, and it’s less clear right now what the rules of belonging are. They’re changing. They’re unfrozen. The only thing we can be sure of is that they will refreeze again, and it may be sooner than we think. The new rules of belonging may support and accelerate our new strategies or may hinder and delay them. The only way to know is to be deliberate about it. To identify the
Fiona Robertson is the former Head of Culture for the National Australia Bank and a sought-after culture change and leadership speaker, facilitator, coach and author who helps leaders create cultures people really want to belong to. Her first book, ‘Rules of Belonging change your organisational culture, delight your people and turbo-charge your results’, is published by Major Street Publishing. More articles are available on www.fionarobertson.com
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E X PER T A DV I C E
FUTURE-PROOFING
YOUR RESTAURANT OR CAFÉ IN A POST COVID-19 WORLD Australian hospitality has always been a flamboyant, energetic sector - the heartbeat of social interaction filled with outgoing serviceoriented people, world-class baristas, sommeliers, and creative chefs. To see this industry, employing over 800,000 people, forced to its knees by COVID-19 has been devastating. The closed doors, the empty outdoor areas were images that have resonated deep within Australian hearts, as a reflection of how life changed so quickly.
While some cafes and restaurants were able to provide a takeaway service to generate a little cash flow, it was to a vastly reduced clientele and to a large extent fed the profits of delivery companies like UberEATS and Deliveroo. Now that restrictions are being eased, how does this sector recover? How do they convince people that it is safe to visit them? How do they make their takeaway offering – which is going to continue to be in greater demand – more profitable?
Think local, think health, think differently I am writing this at a time when restaurants are operating under very restricted conditions with the promise of further easing coming soon. Infection numbers are low, but there is always the spectre of a
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‘second wave’ if there is too much change too quickly. As a business owner in the hospitality world, you are going to need to think differently, moving forward. You are battling a mindset of people who now have a bunker mentality, who want to get back to normal, but until there is a cure or a vaccine for COVID-19, are going to live their lives hyper-aware of risk.
Think local People are now shopping locally as never before – a benefit of so many people working from home. As a local business owner in the ‘Hospo’ world, it is not enough to re-open your doors and carry on as before with a nod to physical distancing. You need to change your business to meet the new challenges – not just to survive, but thrive. To meet
areas, descale them. Dial-up the cleaning schedule and show the cleaning being done. Use coloured rags, sponges etc. as they will catch the eye and reassure people you are diligent. Throw out cleaning cloths as soon as they even get a little grungy looking. Have a poster displayed that tells your clients what you are doing to make them safe. You don’t want your premises smelling like a hospital, so you’ll need to find either cleaning products that are perfume-neutral or have a pleasant smell or find another way of introducing a nice fragrance to your premises.
“It is a different world, a new norm and that requires a lot of adjustment that is mentally taxing, but the business that takes the time to think through all possibilities and plans for them will be the winner.” Corina Vucic | Director | FC BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
Your staff have never been more critical to your business. Yes, you still need their smiles, their menu knowledge and their commitment to service. But they also need to be very aware of physical boundaries, the need for constant personal cleanliness as well as keeping your premises sanitised. Perception is essential – you may need to rethink what they wear. Now is not the time for untidy hair and holey jeans. If an apron gets food on it, change it immediately. Bathrooms are now super important. They need to be cleaned very frequently. Consider having a checklist on the wall – what needs doing and what time it needs doing and get your staff tick and initial when done. This will be reassuring to your clients. Add flowers and greenery to your bathrooms – they provide the illusion of freshness. Of course, you’ll need to provide hot water, soap and hand sanitiser. Replace common tables with smaller tables. Get rid of newspaper and magazine racks, pillows or blankets. No more water stations – your servers will now need to do this. Consider having a hand sanitiser dispenser either at the door, the counter or on each table. All food should now be behind the counter. Countertops should be free of food.
the coffee and food needs of your local community, to make your business a hub of positivity, to make them feel safe and have a back-up plan to service them still if there’s a return to tougher restrictions.
Think health You have a psychological battle as well as a practical germ-killing battle to win. Refresh your premises, add as much light and circulating air as you can. Deep clean all
Menus and on-table condiments are the most frequently touched items in your business – and therefore, the most contaminated. Do you have a blackboard menu above the counter? Or a sign directing your clients to a phone app that lists what’s available? Condiments could now be single-serve sachets provided on request. Your coffee rewards program with stamps on a piece of cardboard will need a re-think.
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“As a business owner in the hospitality world, you are going to need to think differently, moving forward. You are battling a mindset of people who now have a bunker mentality, who want to get back to normal, but until there is a cure or a vaccine for COVID-19, are going to live their lives hyper-aware of risk.”
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E X PER T A DV I C E
“If you have an outdoor area which you haven’t developed in the past, now is the time to re-think that, get any permits and plans you need to make it a priority. Gas heaters will be needed for colder areas.”
Have a poster on your door that tells your patrons what you expect of them. Be specific about social distancing, how long they can stay, how you will accept payment etc. Ask them not to enter if they feel unwell.
Think differently Until we have a vaccine or cure, this virus is going to be in our lives. It may get out of hand, causing another lockdown. Make contingency plans. What did the previous lockdown teach you? Do you need to concentrate more on the takeaway side of your business? How can you make your offering better than your competitors? How can you provide a unique takeaway experience? Think about providing takeaway meal packs – like Bento boxes – for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Your online website and social media presence have never been more critical. If you don’t have a website, it’s a great idea to set one up, but a well-maintained Facebook page can be effective too. Your latest menu needs to be available online. Take the time to add explanations about your food. Make them hungry with your words. Tell potential clients about all the ways they can enjoy your food – dine-in or takeaway. Let them know what will be expected of them if they are dining in. Reassure them about your commitment to providing a healthy, safe, clean environment.
Do you set up your own delivery service? The big players like UberEATS and Deliveroo are a substantial cost to your bottom line. Can you provide this service yourself without a cost to your profitability? There are benefits to having your brand on a motorbike or car that’s constantly on the streets. Can you employ locals to provide this contactless service to locals in their homes? Simplify your menus. The less time it takes to prepare a meal, the sooner they are going to be eating and leaving. If you are limited to how many people in your restaurant or café at a time, it makes sense to do what you can to move people on quickly – while maximising their experience in other ways. If you have an outdoor area which you haven’t developed in the past, now is the time to re-think that, get any permits and plans you need to make it a priority. Gas heaters will be needed for colder areas. Consider installing a European coffee window, where people can wait outside while you serve them coffees and takeaway treats. This will keep the inside of your café clear for those people who want a sit-down experience and are going to spend more money. Finally, make sure that everyone you interact with has a wonderful experience. This will not be easy to achieve. It is a different world, a new norm and that requires a lot of adjustment that is mentally taxing, but the
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“Make contingency plans. What did the previous lockdown teach you? Do you need to concentrate more on the takeaway side of your business? How can you make your offering better than your competitors? How can you provide a unique takeaway experience?”
business that takes the time to think through all possibilities and plans for them will be the winner. Corina Vucic is the Director of FC Business Solutions. With over 20 years in the franchise industry, and extensive operational and management experience, she works closely with leaders to take their business to the next level. Whatever their goals, Corina coaches, mentors and supports business owners and executives to maximise success and minimise risk for long-term business prosperity and security. To discuss how Corina’s expertise can help take your business to new heights, contact: 03 9533 0028 cv@fcbs.com.au www.fcbs.com.au
We understand some of the challenges our Franchise/Multi-Site customers are facing. In response we have developed two FREE online tools to assist both those staff in the frontline, and those staff whom have been sent home to work. COVID-19 Declaration A FREE four question checklist for staff to use to declare themselves fit for work if they are in a customer/public facing role. HomeWork A FREE set of three online actions for staff working from home to undertake to ensure they are creating a safe working environment. Both the COVID-19 Declaration and HomeWork are FREE to any Franchise Group or Multi-Site whom think they can benefit from these tools. To find out more call me on 0401 803 302 or send me an email at cbeasley@safetynavigator.co
GLOBAL E X PA N S I O N We can help to put your franchise system in an operational position to attract successful franchisees. We are members of the IFA and other respected organisations. The transition process can be daunting, but we know the trusted business and legal players who can take you through the first minefield.
Our GLOBAL CONNECTIONS are trusted operators in their markets and will enable a smooth entry into NEW TERRITORIES.
Constant changes within the codes of conduct can create a massive challenge to franchise systems wanting to move outside of their established markets.
With direct experience of the North American, UK and Australian/ New Zealand Franchise markets we have been in the business of selling franchise systems direct to franchisees for over 35 years.
For an initial discussion, please contact
globalpublishers@icloud.com
THE
FRESH TASTE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE Business Franchise Australia and New Zealand spoke with three Subway® franchise owners who reveal the secret ingredient to building a successful franchise: excellent customer service. There’s nothing more rewarding than being a small business owner, with the ability to drive your own success and build an empire. For more than 50 years, Subway® has been providing a platform for passionate small business people to grow their own success, with the help of a proven franchise framework. Subway® franchise owners come to work every day to deliver value-for-money meals, personalised to guests’ tastes, be that in restaurant, online, via the Subway® app or through third-party delivery. But Subway® is more than freshly-made food that’s better for you; it’s about a passion for serving individual and communities. Perhaps it’s this passion that led Subway® to be crowned the 2019 Major Quick Service Restaurant of the year in the Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards. And why the brand has opened 150 nextgeneration restaurants across Australia and New Zealand in the past two years and revitalised its menu. Here’s what three Subway® franchise owners feel the secret is to customer service excellence in their businesses.
Charlotte Peace, Perth Franchise Owner “I was attracted to Subway initially because of the fresh food, I felt that it was a product
I could be proud to serve and a successful brand that I wanted to be part of,” said Charlotte Peace, a franchise owner of ten years.
my own restaurant. It taught me that people like structure and routine. So, if it’s your first time in restaurant, I make it a priority to know your name within seconds.
“Customer service is the end to end, holistic experience, from when guests walk through the doors to when they walk out with their tasty sub, snack or drink.
If you come back again, I make a promise to myself to remember your name - and now order - without fault. Third time comes around, and I’ll know your name and order backwards. It might sound easy, but it’s harder than it sounds!”
“I look after my guests, in the same way, I would if they visited my home. It’s all about the little things – knowing their name, their favourite sandwich, their go-to sauce, their kid’s names, and what time they clock off work. I really do treat each customer like they’re my family and I instil the same work ethic in my Sandwich Artist team.”
Tilay Patwala, Melbourne Franchise Owner “The greatest joy in my day comes from seeing my guests’ faces light up, it makes me so happy and proud,” said Tilay, who works in his restaurant every day of the week.
“A smiling face can really be underestimated, but you’ll never know just how much you’ve made someone’s day when you give them a friendly wave or a ‘hello’. A while ago, my guests started calling me the Master Ninja, because I work fast and I can still ask them about their day while I’m doing it!”
Damian Culpeper, Brisbane Franchise Owner “My introduction to customer experience came relatively early on in my time as a franchise owner,” said Damian, who has just bought his second Subway® restaurant. “I studied Human Resources at university, and these skills translated well to running on
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Subway® Australia and New Zealand Country Director, Chris Churchmichael, said franchise owners like Damian, Charlotte and Tilay had been the heart and soul of the Subway® global franchise model for more than 50 years. “Our hard-working franchise owners are committed to creating fresh customer experiences and craveable food every day. While there are millions of ways to create a Subway sandwich, one ingredient remains the same – the human ingredient,” Mr Churchmichael said. “What sets Subway apart is that we are always working closely with our franchise owners, providing coaching and support so that they can provide that iconic Subway experience to each and every guest who steps through their doors. “In 2020, we’ll continue to set the industry standard for guest experience with more delicious Subway flavours set to hit the menu, new next-generation restaurants and more offers available only to Subcard loyalty members,” he added. If you’re hungry to join a brand that is both passionate about quality food and a quality customer experience, take a fresh look at Subway®. For more information, visit: www. subway.com/en-AU/OwnAFranchise/
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E X PER T A DV I C E
FOOD BUSINESS SAFETY AS COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS EASE We’re in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic; already one of the most destructive periods in the history of the world
Hundreds of thousands of people dead, over 5.49 million infected, and the probability of a couple of million people in Australia and New Zealand being unemployed before this Christmas. And no one really knows how long this is going to last. The good news, and we must focus on whatever good news there is to be had at a time like this, is that some of the social restrictions are being eased. And in particular, those social restrictions that prevented us from enjoying a meal in a pub, a cafe, or a restaurant. And while it’s possibly not time to celebrate just yet, with the unknown being customer demand drivers to go out to dine again, many of us are confident it will happen.
“While it’s possibly not time to celebrate just yet, with the unknown being customer demand drivers to go out to dine again, many of us are confident it will happen.” Chris Beasley | Managing Director | SAFETY NAVIGATOR
The table shown over the page outlines the current and future easing of restrictions in food businesses, state by state. Before the easing of COVID-19 restrictions - and driven in many cases by necessity many food businesses were forced to either shut down (temporarily or permanently) or pivot to new ways of doing business such as takeaways and deliveries. Now that the restrictions have begun to ease, some of those businesses will need to work out a new way of operating, not knowing of course how long it may take for all restrictions to be lifted.
recommendations for any food businesses currently operating or looking at reopening as the restrictions ease, would be as follows: self-declaration form industry association should have a template) and hand sanitiser and a sign you can’t miss at the entrance from the Federal Government Department of Health about the restrictions tips on how to keep the workplace safe with respect to COVID-19 - like the NSW Food Authority
So, what will the upcoming easing of restrictions look like?
Some states have listed that one person per every four square meters must be observed for diners within a hospitality business, while others, such as Northern Territory insist upon a two hour maximum activity time with distance to the next person required to be 1.5 metres.
Once a robust set of processes for reducing the risk of COVID-19 infection in the workplace is implemented, staff must be empowered to enforce the rules with customers.
And how does a food service business best equip themselves to balance customer demand with COVID-19 safe practices?
There is a lot of information out there, and some of it is inaccurate - probably best not to source your ‘facts’ from Facebook - so our
I entered a takeaway food business yesterday. This business had a large sign out front explaining a few of their COVID-19
Some people even believe the demand will be so great that controlling the numbers of people coming into their businesses will be the new issue to deal with.
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Current restrictions to restaurants, cafes and food businesses NSW: Capacity must not exceed 50 customers or one customer per 4 square metres (excluding staff) per existing separate seated food or drink area, whichever is the lesser. Venues may have multiple existing seated areas.
must provide their name and contact details, including a telephone number or email address record of all people entering the premises.
VIC: number of patrons in restaurants, cafes and pubs to open to up to 50 seated patrons per space.
ACT: restaurants and licensed venues can now open with a one person per 4 square metres, whichever is lesser. square metre rule.
must be seated to consume their drinks or meals.
SA: Food and drinks (including alcoholic drinks) can be consumed by patrons while seated at tables that are restaurant, café, pub or cellar door person per 4 square metres.
WA: food businesses and licensed premises may operate but only with seated service premises (patrons must be seated) when eating.
people per single undivided space, and up to 300 people
TAS: patrons. metres. services. For restaurants and cafes doing seated meals and takeaway, the takeaway customers can be in addition
for future contact tracing if needed.
NT: with entertainment venues to come.
QLD: Food businesses must prepare and comply with a
more than one customer per 4 square metres
provided must be single use
processes, with instructions IN LARGE LETTERS to use the hand sanitiser attached to the sign before entering. Upon entering the store, stickers on the floor indicated both the direction of travel around the store and where customers needed to stand to be served. The three people who entered the store after me all ignored the sign, did not use the hand sanitiser, and none followed the instructions on floor stickers. I raised the issue with the person behind the counter that he may wish to explain his stores’ processes to customers entering the store. He shrugged and told me it wasn’t his place to do so. The point here is that if you own or run
a food business, it’s your responsibility to implement robust COVID-19 infection reduction processes. Even more so, it’s vital that you sit down with staff regularly to take their feedback on how the processes are working. And issue those staff with the delegated authority to enforce your procedures to customers, even when it may be potentially embarrassing to do so. Chris Beasley is Managing Director of Safety Navigator, a cloud-based WHS system with over 10,000 Australian and New Zealand business customers, many of whom are Franchise Organisations. chris.beasley@safetynavigator.com.au www.safetynavigator.com.au
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H AV E YO U R S AY
TECHNOLOGY IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
“The best is to seeking they are
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Over the past few months, the Domino’s Technology Department has had to rapidly transform its online and in-store technology to meet international government requirements, and provide safe delivery and pick-up solutions for our team members and customers. At the same time, we have also had to mobilise our workforce around the world to work from home – something we never anticipated we would need to do, and had never tested. I’m really proud of the way that Domino’s has led the charge in adapting to the ‘new normal’ across its markets, with the Technology Department quickly developing a minimal viable product range of solutions to launch Zero Contact Delivery and Pick Up options. Under normal circumstances, these solutions would likely take around six weeks or more to develop, but were instead delivered within a fraction of this time to ensure we could provide Domino’s with a successful, first-to-market solution. Despite the global pandemic and need for rapid change, all other projects, infrastructure work, strategy formulation and operational support also needed to continue at the same velocity and quality. With these realities, and the lockdown landscape continuously changing, we set our minds to yet another challenge – how we could work effectively from home.
Here are the five key lessons we have learned on our working from home journey so far:
1
Clear and regular communication is crucial
We learned very early on that with a department of more than 100 people, all of the regular business news and conversation vital to departmental strategic alignment was lost almost overnight. We quickly set up daily manager meetings to cover updates, solve roadblocks and set clear accountable objectives. With the ease and speed of sharing messages in the office gone, these meetings soon expanded to a daily full team meeting, where we provided an update on all the latest Domino’s news and gave shout outs to different team members for their work. These again evolved to include team members from our international markets and special guests ranging from our Group CEO through to Domino’s franchisees. Along with an update, all guests must bring a movie, TV show or game recommendation to remind the team to take time out from work and relax (where they can).
2
Introduce a meeting free block
4
Seek constant feedback
The best way to find out how people are feeling is to ask them. Our managers are regularly seeking feedback from team members on how they are feeling about working from home and how we can improve. Talking to peers inside and outside Domino’s, keeping up-to-date online, and working with human resources have all resulted in beneficial tweaks along the way. Knowing that everyone is in the same boat, learning best-practice together means that we are constantly looking for ways to improve our approach.
5
Question old methods
In my role as Group Chief Digital and Technology Officer, I’m often required to travel to our different markets. In lockdown, I have been challenged to adapt the way I work to get items completed that would normally be tackled in person. I am a strong believer that some face-to-face time will always be needed, but with travel reductions saving both time and money, and our new normal with technology and flexible hours working, I am now reflecting on how much travel a business actually needs to do, and what this could look like post-COVID-19.
In an effort to ensure everyone was aligned, we started to experience ‘meeting overload’, with some items that would traditionally be solved by a quick desk walk up becoming drawn out meetings. To tackle this, we introduced a meeting free block on a Tuesday and Friday. Technology team members are discouraged from booking a meeting within the department between 11am-4pm on these days to allows for better productivity.
Every week we are finding new ways to refine our working from home approach to ensure we maintain a strong level of productivity and alignment across the business, as well as offer the most support possible to our team members. I am incredibly proud of how the team have adapted so quickly, and how they are operating so well in a working environment that no one could have predicted.
3
Our approach has evolved a lot since the first week the team began working from home. I’ll be honest and say that I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know that with our hunger to not just survive, but thrive, and with our minds open to evolving, we will continue moving forward on the path of success in a postpandemic world.
Have fun and find social connection
“The best way to find out how people are feeling is to ask them. Our managers are regularly seeking feedback from team members on how they are feeling about working from home and how we can improve.”
member in FIFA and streamed the game to the rest of the team via video chat. We are also finding that video calls are the best way to ensure we continue to have human connection. After all, we might be social distancing, but that doesn’t mean we need to be disconnected!
When we were in the office, pool and table tennis were a regular way for our team members to connect at lunchtime or at the end of the day. To encourage team members to continue participating in fun social activities (sans office), we introduced virtual Friday drinks and online video game challenges. Recently, I took on a team
www.dominos.com.au
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If someone had told me in February this year that in a month’s time I would be leading a department that supports technology in 2,500+ stores and multiple offices across three regions (ANZ, Europe and Japan), as well as building and evolving a multi-billion dollar digital platform all from my home while the world was in lockdown, I wouldn’t have believed them.