DQ® Benefits and Corporate Services

In addition to benefiting from an internationally recognized brand and trademarked products, you will receive the following corporate services and assistance:

Site Selection Assistance

Real Estate and Lease Managers will help with the following:

  • Review site criteria
  • Review market trade area/demographics
  • Work with brokers/landlords/franchisees to negotiate leases
  • Maintain relationships with major developers throughout the country
  • Review and determine appropriate concept for market and site
  • Evaluate specific site, complete feasibility drawings package, and provide investment estimate

Franchise Recruitment Services

  • Recruiters help you navigate the approval process and assure all legal paperwork is submitted on a timely basis
  • Provide education on:
    • Concept options available (treat or food)
    • Investment levels
    • Financial criteria
    • Background and experience
    • Training requirements
    • Finance options

Architecture & Construction

  • Our Design, Architecture, and Construction department will provide the following:
    • Feasibility drawings and investment estimate
    • Architect and general contractor referrals
    • Prototypical construction plan set to submit to your architect
    • Final plan review
    • Construction coordinator will:
      • Be on site during major stages of construction to be sure everything is being built to specification
      • Provide on-site inspections
      • Project close-out
      • Aid in the permitting process
      • Aid in the bidding process
    • Project coordinator will:
      • Aid in developing an opening timeline
      • Coordinate your needs regarding construction and equipment
      • Maintain communication with you during the planning and construction process to keep you apprised of project status
    • Ongoing value engineering to reduce investment costs while maintaining design integrity

Purchasing and Distribution

  • RFPs are frequently conducted to leverage the buying power of the DQ® system to save franchisees money wherever possible
  • Commodity markets are constantly analyzed to protect franchisee profitability
  • Regional Distribution Managers work together with franchisees to ensure the DQ distribution system is as efficient and effective as possible
  • Customer Service takes all your calls regarding product and authorized warehouse service related issues
  • Strong technology base and state of the art software to manage supply chain, giving us the ability to move product to where it’s needed, when it’s needed.  It also allocates promotional inventory to ensure operators have the products they need, while lowering costs
  • Our supply group manages all aspects of product cost, including freight.  This allows us to control and calculate exactly what you should pay for each product. Operators receive “Expected Store Pricing” guides every month.  These guides give you the opportunity to verify the prices from your authorized warehouse
  • Competitive bids for approved equipment and smallwares are provided for new store and remodeling projects

Training

  • Training provided in real-life environments and in classroom
  • Product training, systems and management training, and leadership training
  • Proficiency gained in the following areas:
    • DQ product line (OJ if applicable)
    • DQ equipment (OJ if applicable)
    • Daily operations
    • Customer service
    • Facilities maintenance and sanitation practices
    • Scheduling
    • Ordering
    • Inventory practices
    • Shift management
    • POSiTouch® register and back office systems

Operations Consultants

As soon as your franchise application and site are approved, an Operations Consultant will be assigned to your project.  The Operations Consultant’s role is to provide pre-opening guidance in the following areas:
  • Facility readiness
  • Financial tools
  • Staffing
  • Competitive analysis
  • Establishing restaurant systems and routines
The Operations Consultant will be on site to shadow the management staff in training staff members through the opening of the restaurant.  The Operations Consultant will provide ongoing consultation for four plus months while operations systems and routines are ingrained into your operation.  Ongoing support will then be transferred to an assigned Business Consultant.

Business Consultants

The Business Consultant is responsible for continuing to provide coaching and teaching to help build the franchisee’s sales and profits. Store contacts are designed to reinforce our systems and routines for operational excellence. Ongoing monthly conference calls are also utilized to update operators with current news and coach for promotion readiness and training for system-wide rollouts.
  • Teach and coach facility and customer service systems and routines
  • Teach new product introductions
  • Coach with our financial tools
  • Assess the capability of each store and help develop short and long term business plans
  • Be the professional link to the overall organization

Marketing (National and Local)

  • Award-winning national advertising with top-name advertising firm
  • Support from Regional Marketing Manager who is assigned to your area and oversees regional marketing plans
  • Assistance with planning local marketing programs
  • Assistance with planning Grand Opening program
  • Professional Point-of-Purchase promotional materials provided for national promotions
  • Customized document templates available on-line with national copy center chain

Franchisee Website and Communications

  • Franchisee website templates provided for your individual location
  • Regional seminars and workshops for continuing education and updates
  • Franchisee magazine publication distributed monthly
  • E-news for up-to-the minute news on current promotions and events

Retail Technology

  • Use information from electronic point-of-sale system to assist in the following:
    • Menu management and product mix analysis
    • Tier pricing of products
    • Promotional analysis
    • Automatic uploading of new menu items from corporate office
    • Sales and peak sales information
    • Labor information and management
    • Customized DQ report templates
    • Interface to ADP Payroll
  • 24 hour EPOS customer service line
  • System accepts major credit card purchases
  • Gift card system

National Accounts

  • DQ has negotiated contracts for volume rates in the following areas:
    • Payroll
    • Insurance
    • Cleaning Systems
    • Credit Card System
    • Headsets
    • Drive Thru Timer Systems
    • Pest Control
    • Order Confirmation Boards
    • POS Systems
    • Hiring Tools
    • ServSafe Certification

International Convention

  • Bi-annual international expo and convention provides opportunities to:
    • See the most up-to-date developments in building design and equipment
    • Sample new menu products and products in test
    • Attend seminars and workshops to sharpen and learn new skills
    • Network with other franchisees
    • Talk with vendors from the QSR industry
    • Enjoy fun planned events and post Expo trips
    • Kid and family-friendly atmosphere

Franchisee Councils

  • Councils comprised of franchisees and corporate personnel meet four times a year to make strategic decisions to improve the Dairy Queen, Orange Julius, and Grill & Chill systems
  • Franchisee-elected DMA chairpeople who work to represent franchisee issues

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