Now that you have your franchise set up and ready to go, you still have an important step to complete before opening your doors to customers. If you guessed staffing, you got it right. Running a successful franchise restaurant requires offering amazing customer service to everyone that walks through the door.

Get your franchise started on the road to customer service excellence right away. We have gathered a few hiring tips to help you staff your restaurant well from the start.

Hire a Manager

Your manager is essentially a representative of you and the franchise. They will take on the brunt of the day-to-day operations, particularly in your absence. Additionally, you will likely have them run point on training and personnel matters once things are up and running. So hiring a quality manager from the start is critical.

Look for candidates who have exhibited a history of multi-tasking and leadership. Experience in the restaurant industry or in retail is helpful, though not crucial. You can always bring a quality manager up to speed quickly. 

Staff

Once you hire a manager, you may want to consider including them to conduct joint interviews. Two sets of eyes will help you thoroughly vet your best candidates. It will also put you and your manager on the same page with staffing and expectations. Some tips for conducting a quality interview are:

• Take some time to familiarize yourself with potential interview questions. There are countless resources online.
• Skip the unusual or ”gotcha” questions. Interviewees are nervous already. You want to get them to relax and show their true selves rather than trip them up.
• Scenario questions are a fantastic option. Even if they have never faced that particular circumstance, their answer will give you insight into how they problem-solve.