In every business things do not always go according to plan. As a franchisee, you understand the importance of having a system and then of course sticking to the system. The challenge is that when things go off plan, it can create a bit of a hiccup in your business, especially when it involves a member of your staff.
I learnt this saying years and years ago and from many different sources, but it goes ‘Systemise the routine, humanise the exception’. Your team may not be allowed to take a Friday AND a Monday off because in effect they get a four day weekend and you have made a policy that this just doesn’t happen. What if one of your team has a sick parent, on the other side of the country and to be able to fly to them and have at least two days (which is still not very long), they need a Friday and a Monday off. This is a time to humanise the exception.
I know that is a bit of a no-brainer example, but you do have to think and realise that sometimes, the system needs to change depending on the situation. The same goes for your customers. I’ve been to many a business where the staff refuse to do something, that is not a totally unreasonable request, for a customer because it is not their policy. Makes me mad to be honest because if you just used some common sense you would see you need to make an exception in this case. I’m not just mad at the staff member, I’m made at the owner for not giving them the power to make an exception in such a case.
Systems are great and absolutely required in a business, but there is always an exception to the rule so be aware of that when it happens. Systemise the routine, the things that happen normally and then when an exception needs to be made, it is usually for a human being and situation they are in. Use your common sense around this and empower your team to do the same.