Field visits are too expensive and too important not to have a valuable outcome. In turn, an important aspect of ensuring a valuable outcome is the development of a formalised field visit output.
In general, the output of a field visit should encompass a completed and agreed action plan, as a minimum. In addition, we recommend that a written report is also developed, shared and ideally also confirmed as correct by the franchisee.
In other best practices we have spoken of the need for a clear field visit purpose and field visit objectives. We also talk about regular consistent visits, agreed agendas, discussing benchmarking, action planning and announced vs scheduled visits.
The formalised field visit output helps to ensure there is a valuable output. It also helps to confirm what was agreed – often with more context (and sometimes includes franchise agreement references). The latter can be an important part of a franchisee performance management process, and important for future follow-up.
A formalised field visit output is best practice. No field visit should be complete without one.
About the Franchising Best Practice 500 Series
This is part of a series of franchising best practices. Franchize Consultants is sharing and publishing these best practices weekly for the betterment of franchising. We know that better knowledge and execution of franchising best practices leads to bigger and more valuable franchisor and franchisee businesses. We have assembled the first 40 best practices into The Best Practice Handbook, which is available for purchase.
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