{"id":12057,"date":"2022-02-23T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-23T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stories.valora.com\/?p=12057"},"modified":"2022-02-22T21:40:39","modified_gmt":"2022-02-22T20:40:39","slug":"franchise-and-agency-partners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stories.valora.com\/en\/franchise-and-agency-partners\/","title":{"rendered":"Self-employed but not alone: Valora\u2019s franchise and agency partners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Targeted training and intensive coaching up to and beyond the opening day: Valora trains its franchisees and agency partners to become successful, self-employed businesspeople. The training is specific to the individual formats.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The big day came at 7 a.m. on 15 December 2020: a stone\u2019s throw from Essen main station, the Valora Food Service Germany campus opened its doors. This is where around 50 BackWerk franchisees and agency partners from the Ditsch pretzel bakery can undergo their training. This represents a milestone achieved in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and designed to modernise training, standardise it more and raise it to a new level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Valora franchise and agency partners: self-employed \u2013 but not alone<\/strong><\/summary>
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Valora relies on motivated staff and entrepreneurial operators to help realise its vision of the best food and convenience concepts. The operator models<\/a> are central to this, with partners acting as self-employed entrepreneurs and participating in the business success. At present, around three quarters of Valora sales outlets are operated by franchisees and agency partners (Differences between franchises and agencies<\/a>). Valora offers them a tried-and-tested concept at top locations, as well as professional training and intensive coaching up to and beyond the store opening.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

At the heart of the campus are the public sales outlets of BackWerk and Ditsch for practical training under real-life conditions. The campus also includes training rooms and a studio where webinars are held and e-learning content produced. \u201cOur aim is to provide modern and efficient training, which is why we supplement the training at the POS with digital offerings,\u201d explained Patrick Bartsch, Head of Franchise & Operational Excellence at Valora Food Service Germany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Closeness promotes communication<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bartsch continued by saying that the importance and acceptance of virtual courses has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, he is pleased that the new campus is within walking distance of the headquarters of Valora Food Service Germany. \u201cThis closeness promotes communication and brings us all even closer together,\u201d he asserted. \u201cWhat\u2019s more, we can better communicate our values and the love of our brands before we send our partners out to the regions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The system standard always forms the basis of the training provided to operating partners. A catalogue with guidelines and specifications on how to set up the counter display or how to clean cold storage rooms. The standard serves as quality assurance and a recognition statement, enabling guests in approximately 500 BackWerk and Ditsch stores across Germany to enjoy their favourite snacks of the same high quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internalising the system standard is particularly challenging at BackWerk with its extensive product ranges and complex processes. That\u2019s why, for ten years now, the company has been focusing on a centralised, uniform training programme \u2013 outside of the campus at its own academy in Dortmund. Six weeks of basic training are followed by two weeks of work experience. The theoretical training sessions are limited to one or two hours every couple of days \u2013 the counter work starts from day two. Patrick Bartsch: \u201cEight hours of theory every day are not for budding self-employed businesspersons. They\u2019re doers and want to get stuck in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Interview with BackWerk franchisee<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cPeople speak to each other as equals here\u201d<\/strong><\/summary>
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