Building a Multi-location Business: 4 Often Overlooked Factors

As your business grows into multiple locations, having the right systems in place — from operations to your online presence — is key to keeping things consistent and delivering a seamless customer experience.

There’s a lot of good that can come from becoming a multi-location business, but it’s important to avoid the trap of thinking that reaching that level involves little more than doing more of the same.

You’ll already have a proven business model, which removes some of the guesswork from the equation, but there are some aspects of expanding that can be just as challenging — if not more so — as when you opened your initial branch.

The good news is that these challenges are known and nearly always have solutions. In this post, we’ll run through some of the all-too-commonly overlooked factors to keep in mind when expanding your business.

Managing Supply Chain and Inventory

Most business owners focus on product demand when deciding to open a new location.

Figuring out how to actually supply the products, on the other hand, often takes a backseat. Depending on where the new location will be based, that could be more problematic than expected. Many businesses assume that they’ll transport inventory from their primary hub, which is generally considered more efficient, but can lead to delays if it’s not managed correctly. Investing in a good Inventory Management System is paramount for keeping all branches well-stocked.

Expanding Securing Measures

Having strong security measures in place is vital for preventing crime and ensuring that employees are kept safe while at work. The problem is that, as soon as a business becomes multi-location, security measures become more difficult to manage and, as a result, often become diluted.

A good video management system allows businesses to monitor video feeds from multiple locations from within in a single interface, ensuring that you’ll always have the full picture of what’s happening at all business sites. This system can also allow business owners to virtually check in with other locations, without having to travel there in person.

Adapting Your Marketing

Ensuring that the business follows consistent branding across all locations is vital for success, but there can be nuanced variations in some aspects of marketing. Localized marketing tactics are key to capturing audiences in new locations. This can involve everything from claiming your local Google My Business page and posting local-specific content on your website to shifting marketing approaches to cater to what local buyers value.

Trusting The Teams

It’s not possible for a founder to be in charge of most tasks when the business is multi-location, and not only is it not possible, but it also shouldn’t happen. Instead of managing, founders have to become mentors to the managers of the new locations. This is often overlooked because founders find it difficult to relinquish control of the business that they’ve built.

While that can be difficult, it’s important to remember that the success of the business depends on it. With knowledge base software, businesses can create a searchable, centralized repository that contains all of the key information that managers need, such as how to issue refunds, company culture guidance, and essentially everything else that managers need to work at their highest level.