Virtual Training for Franchises
Empowering Franchises for Success: Your Comprehensive Online Training Starts Here.
When it comes to franchise operations, consistency is important. Whether you’re a fast food chain, a retail store, or a service-based franchise, ensuring that employees across locations receive the same high-quality training is crucial for maintaining brand standards.
A Modern Upgrade from the McDonald's Training Videos
When it comes to franchise operations, consistency is important. Whether you’re a fast food chain, a retail store, or a service-based franchise, ensuring that employees across locations receive the same high-quality training is crucial for maintaining brand standards.
Traditionally, franchises have relied on printed manuals, in-person training sessions, and classic training videos. Think of the old McDonald’s training videos from the 80s and 90s, with their scripted dialogue, VHS aesthetics, and borderline cheesy acting. While these methods served their purpose, training has come a long long way.
And virtual tours is giving you that upgrade.
Franchise Employee Training Solutions: From VHS to Virtual Training Platform
McDonalds is a pioneer in franchise training. They create extensive training materials that became industry stables. Their famous “Hamburger University” and early instructional videos helped standardize food preparation, customer service, and store operations. While effective for their time, these methods had limitations.
For fun, check out this (somewhat problematic) example.
The issue with this style of training, aside from it’s racist approach to trying to make chicken nuggets relatable around the world, is that it wasn’t effective, and we would say was solving the wrong problems for employees who needed the training:
First, the over-the-top acting gave this a more theatrical approach rather than its real focus on practical, engaging learning. While entertaining (in a so-bad-it’s good way), this kind of format can be distracting for trainees who need clear and digestible information.
Instead of remembering the correct grill procedures, employees were probably more focused on the hilariously awkward and exaggerated acting.
The lack of real interactivity was interesting too. The video was just that… a video. Employees could only passively watch rather than engage with the training material in any meaningful way. If they needed to go back and reference a specific step, they’d have to rewind and fast-forward like it was the Dark Ages of home entertainment.
With virtual tours, trainees don’t just watch—they interact. They can explore a 360 degree version of the kitchen, click on tools and ingredients, and get step-by-step instructions in real time.
The other part to this is that is extremely difficult to update. Once video is recorded, that was it. If McDonald’s changed their cooking process, introduced new equipment, or updated safety protocols, they would have had to reshoot the entire production.
With SeekBeak, updates are simple. It’s programmatic. Just edit the content and push it live instantly across all franchise locations.
The last takeaway from this old style of training content is… it’s cringe. And we all know when there’s a cringe factor, there’s also reduced effectiveness.
Yes, training should be engaging but also professional enough to be taken seriously.
Now, imagine replacing those videos with interactive, immersive virtual tours.
Why Virtual Onboarding for Employees is the Future of Franchise Training
Virtual tours offer an engaging, interactive, and scalable way to train franchise employees across multiple locations. By using 360 degree visuals, interactive hotspots, and real-time updates, franchises can really enhance the engagement around their training programs.
Interactive Learning Over Passive Viewing
Unlike traditional training videos, Virtual Tours allow employees to explore their work environment before even stepping inside. Using SeekBeak’s platform, trainees can navigate a 360 degree virtual version of the store, clicking on interactive elements to learn about equipment, safety protocols, and customer service tips.
Standardized Yet Adaptable Training
Every franchise location follows the same core processes, but individual layouts and operations may vary. Virtual tours allow franchises to create a standardized training experience while tailoring details to each location. For instance, interactive hotspots can provide location-specific information while still maintaining brand consistency.
Scenario-Based Training
With interactive virtual tours, employees can engage in real-life scenarios. Imagine a fast food trainee learning how to assemble a burger correctly by clicking on the right ingredients in a virtual kitchen. Or a retail employee practicing customer interactions through branching decision trees within a virtual store.
Cost-Effective and Easily Updatable, and No More Printing Manuals
Unlike old training videos that require costly reshoots, Virtual tours can be updated in real-time.. No more printing and reprinting training manuals or constantly sending out updated .doc files. Changes can be made instantly, ensuring everyone has the latest information without the hassle of outdated materials. When franchises update their menu, introduce new policies, or redesign their store layout, they can simply update their Virtual Tour without re-recording an entire training video.
On-Demand Access and Progress Tracking
Franchise owners can utilize SeekBeak to track progress. For example, SeekBeak allows franchise owners to gain insights into engagement by embedding forms that request employee information such as names or IDs. While Seekbeak itself doesn’t inherently track individual progress, responses from these forms can provide useful data on training completion. This allows franchises to gain participation and identify areas where employees may need additional support, making training more interactive and measurable within the available capabilities.
How Virtual Tours Improve Franchise Training
First impressions mean a lot to your new employees. Virtual tours are more than just a flash new tool. They represent the next generation of franchise training. By moving beyond static videos and embracing interactive, immersive learning, franchises can improve efficiency, consistency, and employee engagement across all franchise locations. Ready to see how SeekBeak can make your training more engaging?
Let’s take your training programs into the future… no VHS required.
Check Out These Real-World Examples of What We Can Do for You
We're proud to have worked with some amazing companies over the years. Click the image below to check out these examples of how we've helped them win more clients and grow their businesses. These aren't just demo's, they're embeds of active projects which are currently live and in use around the globe: