There are over a million multi-facility businesses in the US. If you are an entrepreneur or small business owner, it’s only natural for you to dream of having your own multi-location business one day.
But with great power comes great responsibility. Therefore, the challenges of facility management in more than one location are also much more than those of running a single outlet.
In this blog, we’ll discuss some of the challenges that you must be prepared for while scaling your business to more than one location. We’ll also tell you five tips that will help you seamlessly operate a multi-location business.
Challenges of Multi-Facility Management
It’s always fascinating for entrepreneurs to grow their businesses to multiple locations. However, these are the challenges that you must know of:
1. Lack of in-person communication with the team
2. A shortfall of strong leaders
3. Difficulty in fulfillment of customer expectations
4. Disparity in supply chain and profit expectations
Tips to Run a Multi-Location Business
Here are some of the tips to effectively manage multiple facilities.
Synchronize Standard Protocols
Every business has certain SOPs that all employees must know and implement. Whether it’s the standard protocol after the fire alarm system goes off or a refund policy, make sure all your stores have synchronized standard operating procedures.
Hire the Right People
Manpower is the backbone of running a multi-location store. Make sure you have hired the right people or sought help from a full-services facilities solution to oversee your recruitment process. Having the right people across all facilities will ensure that your business continues even when you’re not micromanaging.
Establish Communication
According to a Harvard Business Review, communication is of utmost importance for large-scale organizations. While it’s good to have open communication and show teams that you’re available, don’t micromanage. Be available over emails, organize training sessions, and help teams build relationships at each facility.
Ensure Uniformity
When a customer walks into one of your retail stores, restaurants, or healthcare facility, they expect a certain level of customer service and the way things work. Ensure that all your locations of business have uniformity in terms of SOPs as well as customer service. This will strengthen your brand’s image.
Get Professional Help
Lastly, it’s not possible for you to be everywhere at once. Therefore, get in touch with us at Facilities USA. We are a facility management solution provider with a wide network of affiliate partners. We provide preventive maintenance, staffing, and waste management solutions alongside an array of services.
