FranConnect Operate Solutions

Drive Operational Excellence In Your Locations

Operational excellence is the continuous pursuit of improved efficiency, reliability, and effectiveness across all facets of the business.

20 -1%
Decrease in Revenue Due to Operational Inefficiences
3%
Improvement in Compliance Scores
18 -8%
Increase in Unit-Level Economics

What is Operational Excellence?

Operational excellence is more than a buzzword—it’s a repeatable, scalable strategy for delivering consistent performance across every location in your business. For multi-location brands, it means going beyond compliance to create systems and behaviors that drive quality, efficiency, and growth at scale. 

Why does Operational Excellence Matter for Multi-Location Brands?

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Customer expectations have changed. Today, 72% of customers will leave after just one poor experience. Inconsistent service, missed standards, or disjointed processes can erode brand trust quickly.  

Operational excellence helps brands: 

  • Deliver consistent experiences at every location 
  • Improve efficiency and reduce manual work 
  • Empower frontline teams to take action 
  • Scale faster without losing control

Common Roadblocks to Achieving Operational Excellence

Emerging and multi-location brands often face the same operational challenges—especially when growing quickly without the right systems in place. Here are some of the most common obstacles:

Disconnect systems

Training, quality, and performance tools are often siloed across different platforms—or worse, managed through spreadsheets and emails. Without a unified system, it’s nearly impossible to get a clear, real-time view of what’s happening across locations.

Limited Visibility Across Locations

Operators are often forced to rely on lagging indicators like customer complaints or monthly P&L reports. By the time a problem surfaces, the damage is already done. Without real-time insights, leaders can’t be proactive or coach effectively.

Inconsistent Onboarding and Training

Without standardized onboarding or continuous learning, new hires get inconsistent guidance—or none at all. This leads to uneven performance, higher turnover, and a frontline team that isn’t equipped to uphold brand standards.

The Four Pillars of Operational Excellence

Operational excellence isn’t achieved through one system or process—it’s built on four core pillars that work together to drive consistency, accountability, and performance across every location.

Consistency starts with structure

1. Standardize Core Operations

Establish repeatable processes and clear expectations across every location using standardized checklists, SOPs, audits, and workflows. When every team is following the same playbook, execution improves—and so does customer experience. 

What it looks like: 

  • Prebuilt digital audits and task lists 
  • Centralized SOPs and operational documentation 
  • Clearly defined processes for recurring activities 
Equip your people to succeed

2. Enable and Train Teams

Operational excellence depends on frontline execution. That means giving teams the knowledge, tools, and support they need to perform. Role-based onboarding, microlearning, and ongoing coaching ensure your staff is confident and consistent from day one. 

What it looks like: 

  • Digital onboarding tied to roles 
  • Targeted microlearning modules 
  • Field coaching and performance tracking 
Use insights—not instinct—to lead

3. Act on Data

Dashboards, location scorecards, and tools like Frannie AI help you see what’s working and what’s not. Instead of waiting for issues to show up in reviews or revenue reports, operators can catch problems early and respond in real time. 

What it looks like: 

  • Real-time performance dashboards 
  • Automated alerts and follow-ups 
  • Predictive insights to guide decision-making
Turn insights into action

4. Close the Loop

Operational excellence isn’t just about identifying problems—it’s about fixing them. By connecting audits, training, and performance data, you create a feedback loop that drives continuous improvement across your organization. 

What it looks like: 

  • Evaluation results triggering targeted training 
  • Trackable action plans and resolution workflows 
  • Culture of coaching over policing

The Operations Maturity Model

From Foundational to Optimized

Every multi-location brand is on a journey toward operational excellence. But not all are at the same stage. Understanding where you are today is the first step toward building the systems and habits that support long-term growth. 

 

Here’s how that journey typically progresses:

Foundational

Where many emerging brands start 

  • Processes are manual, inconsistent, or undocumented 
  • Checklists and training materials may vary by location 
  • Visibility is low; issues are identified only after problems occur 
  • Operational tasks are reactive, not strategic

Responsive

Starting to standardize 

  • Checklists and basic tools are in place 
  • Training is more consistent, but not always tracked 
  • Locations respond to issues faster, but still rely on lagging indicators 
  • Digital tools may exist, but they’re siloed or underutilized

Proactive

Building momentum through insight 

  • Systems are integrated across quality, training, and performance 
  • Real-time dashboards help spot issues before they impact customers 
  • Coaching culture begins to take root 
  • Data drives decision-making across the organization

Optimized

Operational excellence becomes your advantage 

  • Processes are automated and constantly improving 
  • Predictive analytics and AI highlight trends and recommend action 
  • Training is linked directly to performance gaps 
  • Quality, compliance, and growth are aligned—and measurable

Where are you today?

Most brands fall somewhere between Foundational and Proactive. The goal isn’t perfection overnight—it’s consistent progress with the right tools and mindset. 

Playbook Download

Why Operational Excellence Matters for COOs

As a Chief Operating Officer (COO), you are at the heart of making it happen. Your role is more than just overseeing daily operations—it’s about driving efficiency, aligning processes with strategic goals, and ensuring the brand thrives in a constantly evolving industry.

In this playbook, we’ll explore what operational excellence truly means, why it is critical for franchise and multi-location performance, and how you, as a COO, can lead your team toward achieving it.

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5 Questions Every COOs Should Ask About Operational Excellence

In today’s fast-paced, multi-location business landscape, operational excellence has become a key driver of sustainable growth. For Chief Operating Officers (COOs), top priorities are delivering consistent customer experiences, increasing efficiency, and scaling without compromising quality. 

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The COO’s Role in Achieving Operational Excellence

As the competitive landscape evolves, brands must deliver consistent customer value while optimizing resources, improving reliability, and driving growth. The chief operating officer (COO) is at the heart of this mission. 

What Is Operational Excellence?  

Ops Excellence Webinar Screenshot

Webinar: Driving Operational Excellence

In the driving operational excellence webinar, Johnny, a seasoned expert, discusses the importance of shifting from reactive to proactive management in operations. He emphasizes the need for brands to adapt to rising customer expectations by implementing an operations maturity model that focuses on identifying root causes and enhancing operational quality.

Learn why FranConnect customers grow 44% faster and outperform their competitors