Training:
Hounds Town USA takes the training of Franchisees
very seriously. Our initial training program is split between 35
hours of in-person classroom and virtual LMS training, with an
additional 48 hours of hands-on immersion training at a corporate
location and 88 hours of onsite training at the Franchise Owner's
location once it is open. Over half of this time is spent on dog
handling, which includes training on grouping and managing dogs as
well as pack behaviors. Owners will also learn about liability
issues, administrative responsibilities, employee hiring and
training, facility operations, and customer service.
Ongoing Support: We are incredibly
passionate about our Franchisees' success. Therefore, we are always
working to improve operations, incorporate new training techniques,
add new vendors, and more. Our staff will offer substantial on-site
support during the initial opening for each new franchise location
and continue that support throughout the time as a Townie. In
addition to this, Franchisees are invited to ongoing webinars that
are held several times each year. If any questions arise in the
meantime, each Franchisee is assigned a "Guide Dog" as their
mentor.
Field Support: Our corporate team
conducts scheduled calls and site visits, during which we review
sales data, operations, technology, and local store marketing and
offer personalized coaching to each Franchise Owner. New
Franchisees can expect to receive constant coaching and support
during the first six months to build a strong foundation in dog
management and operations. This includes an onsite Phase 2 dog
management-focused training a few months after
opening.
Marketing: We have developed an
omnichannel marketing plan designed specifically to ensure that all
new Owners do not have to worry about having customers when they
open. With a focus on digital, video, search, and print, we ensure
we cast a wide net to dog owners in a targeted radius around each
location. We also extend a grand opening offer to all pet parents
to drive a high number of evaluations in their first month of
opening, then continue with a sustained media approach focusing on
all of our core offerings.