Cover Story
a minimum of three daily patrols to collect all local litter that has been discarded – not just McDonald’s packaging – which means that restaurant employees walk a total of almost 3,000 miles a week, 150,000 miles each year, collecting litter within communities up and down the UK. The company also works in partnership
with Keep Britain Tidy and was a founding member of the Love Where You Live anti- litter initiative. McDonald’s franchisee Glyn Pashley has had more than 100 members of his restaurant staff take part in litter-picking events, including a 24-hour continuous ‘trash-walk relay’ across fi ve counties. Glyn’s work has afforded him the opportunity to build relationships within his restaurants’ communities – most evident when local football teams, Brownie groups, council representatives and other business owners also turned out to assist in the clean-ups. “Litter is an eyesore so it was fantastic seeing different corners of local communities come together to tackle the issue head-on,” says Glyn. “At the Kettering and Brampton Hut clean-up events we gathered more than seven tonnes of litter and totally transformed local areas back into places that residents and visitors could enjoy.” Working together Whilst franchisees are part of the wider McDonald’s system, they also have the local autonomy to decide how to make investments and they do so with their customers in mind. As Richard Forte, Chief Operations Offi cer
at McDonald’s explains: “Our franchisees are our most important link to the communities in which we operate and bring an unrivalled knowledge of who our customers are and
“Our franchisees bring unrivalled knowledge of who our customers are and what they want”
what they want. Having local business men and women in charge means that they take real pride in the customer experience they deliver. For many of our franchisees running their business is as much about earning respect within and outside their restaurant as it is about earning money.” Over the last fi ve years, McDonald’s
has rolled out a major programme of change to demonstrate its position as a modern and progressive company. McDonald’s franchisees have been integral in implementing this evolution of the widely renowned brand. The changes have ranged from adding further choice to the menu to creating an industry-leading training and development programme for the company’s 88,000 employees to refurbishing and modernising its 1,200 restaurants. The redesigned restaurants in particular have given communities a much more modern, stylish and inviting environment to enjoy. McDonald’s franchisees are able to choose from a selection of colour schemes and bespoke design concepts, taking the time to select the design that best suits their customer base. All McDonald’s restaurants across the country will adopt the new look, as well as another of the company’s progressive moves – the introduction of free WiFi – by the end of the year.
Local knowledge McDonald’s franchisees are local business men and women, with local knowledge and a vested interest in their area. Working hands-on, in their restaurants, franchisees are in the perfect position to get to know their customers and understand what they want. And the 20-year commitment that McDonald’s franchisees make to the business means it is in their interests to consider their local community and keep them in mind when making long-term business decisions. Franchising is an integral part of
McDonald’s overall strategy for success and its franchisees allow the company to progress while still keeping its customers’ needs at front of mind. Through supporting their local communities, franchisees gain valuable insight into the genuine needs of their customer base. This knowledge allows them to make long-term and informed business decisions. It also contributes to their fi nancial success and to the legacy of their business as a responsible member of the community. Ray Kroc’s sense of social responsibility is
still very much present in the day-to-day work of a McDonald’s franchisee, and for them this is what sets their business apart from their competitors.
*As a guide, the cost of a restaurant typically ranges from £125,000 to £325,000. You will need to provide at least 25 per cent of the value as unencumbered funds, the remaining 75 per cent can be funded through a bank loan with favourable funding terms.
McDONALD’S WEBSITE:
www.mcdonalds.co.uk/franchising March 2012 |
Businessfranchise.com | 25
Investment: From £85k*
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