Franchisors face many challenges in achieving profitability across a franchise network, not least franchisees’ operational efficiencies and cost control.
“Franchisors and franchisees rely on profitability for growth, so maximising profits is a fundamental business driver; improving the robustness of a franchise, can help franchisees optimise business performance,” says Paul Tee, head of sales at Integrated Workforce Software (iWS), a tech-enabled service company pioneering a Software with a Service delivery model (SwaS).
Tech solutions save time
Software solutions act as catalysts for operational excellence, allowing franchise owners to harness technology for increased profitability. Franchisees can automate and standardise key processes which lessens the likelihood of errors, saves valuable time, and enables better strategic decision-making.
Few operational elements are as demanding and complex as rostering and payroll.
Many franchisees spend valuable time and energy on understanding and processing the relevant data to ensure staff are efficiently onboarded, rostered and correctly paid.
News headlines across the country demonstrate how firms of all sizes pay the price for incorrect wage payments. Accuracy in processing is key to compliance; however rostering and payroll processes are both vital to business and time-consuming.
Paul Tee asks franchisors and franchisees to consider what can be gained by outsourcing these tasks.
“Time is your business commodity. Why spend your time on these tasks if you can outsource them and know they will be professionally managed? Think about what you can do with the hours gained to generate more sales,” he says.
Software with a Service
iWS uses best in class cloud-based and mobile technology to provide a one-stop solution across workforce management. It offers modules for rostering, timesheets and attendance, and payroll processing.
What elevates the iWS offer is the added-in service which delivers franchisees a critical advantage.
“Everything is managed and controlled by us. Our differential is the service. We provide a full customer success team and an account manager.
“The support network goes beyond the boxed solution and businesses remain loyal to us for the service we provide,” Tee says.
Outsourcing complexity
Onboarding
Automated onboarding software ensures a seamless transition for new employees. It enables franchise owners to quickly onboard and train new talent, ensuring a steady workforce and minimising productivity gaps.
“Onboarding is a new staff member’s first impression of a business and iWS onboarding is through a mobile device. This gives the new employee the ability to easily access and complete any onboarding requirements,” says Tee.
“Onboarding done correctly eliminates the need for manual paperwork and unnecessary data entry of employee details.
“We can send contracts for signatures and store the contracts in a secure storage facility so all contracts can be kept in a centralised location.”
iWS manages all the elements required for accurate and timely staff payments, such as offering a default super fund for new employees.
Rostering
The iWS rostering solution enables a franchisee to control labour costs by creating accurately costed rosters which conform to predefined budgets. Franchisees can complete within minutes complex rostering that optimises labour costs.
With its personalised service, iWS can also help with the set-up of a roster.
Several clock-in options, including biometric, allow franchisees to ensure the hours worked match the hours rostered.
The iWS integrated software system seamlessly transfers to payroll rostering data including meal breaks and weekend work, eliminating manual errors in data entry.
Payroll
Wages and awards structures can prove complex, even hazardous, for employers. Simplification, integration, and accuracy are critical elements of an effective payroll system.
iWS offers end-to-end payroll processing, calculating gross, net, PAYG and superannuation, managing leave entitlements, and distributing correctly formatted and compliant pay slips directly to employees.
“We offer a full outsourced payroll service,” says Tee.
Franchisees are free of the burden of superannuation contribution calculations and payments, and preparation of year end reports through STP Reporting.
iWS handles all these, and it provides a reliable audit trail of historical data.
It will generate payroll summaries so franchisees can see a breakdown of each employee’s hours and gross pay for a particular pay period.
The payroll system also gives employees online access to previous pay slips, payment summaries, and leave accruals.
As a SwaS provider iWS can complete these tasks with the added benefit of a personal service.
“With us, you get a designated payroll officer, an extension to your support staff, so a franchisee can email a payroll officer over employee queries,” explains Tee.
Software solutions help drive franchise profitability
iWS offers a total package, with service, that eases crucial admin processes and gives back time to franchisees.
Alternatively, it can tailor an appropriate module solution for businesses seeking to integrate new software with existing technology.
Software solutions offer valuable insights through robust analytics and reporting capabilities. Franchise owners can deep dive into their operational performance, identifying areas for improvement, discovering trends, and ensuring their business is operating at optimum efficiency at all times.
This data-driven approach empowers franchisees to make informed decisions that drive profitability and unlock growth opportunities.
To learn more about the iWS software solutions visit the website.
