Ah the gray areas...

[AceVentura]

So some potential investments in your business are common sense, some can be decided based on existing numbers. But then there are things like updating decor, the limitless options for marketing, what you are going to pay your employees and what degree of talent that will attract.

How do you deal with these? I am new to multi-unit QSR management and the best solution I can come to is to still rely on that common sense and then also when possible make changes to one store at a time and see how much of a difference it makes. Visit the competition and see how it feels to dine there.

What other ways have you guided your decisions?

[vangogh]

You deal with them by trying your best and learning from whatever you did. You can research a lot to make a better estimate the first time, but you really won't know in advance what the right thing to do is going to be. I think a lot of decisions can be made by how well they fit into your overall strategy. For example, how do you want your customers to see you business. Are you trying to attract customers by costing less than the competition? In that case you'd base decisions on what allows you to charge less money for your product. If you're trying to attract customers based on the quality of your goods or services, you'd probably err on the side of spending more to create a better experience for potential customers.

In the end you really don't know until you've tried, but you can make a lot of decisions based on how well it'll fit with your overall strategy.

[Paul]

Don’t try to be too “creative” in QSR, you can outsmart yourself. Adhere first to most time tested basics, cleanliness, value, quality, service, the overall experience. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Marketing of course is important but it is for naught if the basics are not in place.

If you have successful single unit experience it is just a simple extension. There are many trade publications and other valuable sources of info in that industry that can help.

[AceVentura]

I have done about all I can to keep costs down which is relatively simple. Now the bigger challenge and a great way to build my skills is to work harder on sales. I mentioned decor because our stores have been hit with decor on inspections and it is legit. Our tables and chairs look like they are from the 90s (and some may be). I will take your advice on not reinventing the wheel though. Corporate needs to work out their strategy to deal with the competition. It seems that they are trying to go gourmet, fresh, and cheap and you can't have all three.

I want to build my higher level management skills so I can get a better job maybe in a different industry with more responsibilities. I would like to get an MBA at some point in the next five years and from my research it would be beneficial for me to develop skills as far as business strategy as you guys mentioned and P&L responsibilities such as making a budget.

I currently have no formal education in business and none of my colleagues including the person who trained me and the owner do not either. I feel like for my future I need to develop these skills more. My B.A. is in psychology.

[AceVentura]

Edit: gourmet, healthy, and cheap.