Pronounced "YOON- EEH- KAY," Uni K Wax Center offers a unique, full-body waxing service for both men and women. Their proprietary wax is an all-natural formula that's made fresh every day, specially designed to remove hair from even the most sensitive skin without irritation or pain.
Uni K Wax Center began serving South Beach, Florida, in 1993, expanding to offer franchising opportunities under the name, UKW Franchising Company, LLC, in 2005. Headquartered in Aventura, Florida, the brand currently has 50 units in operation throughout Florida, New Jersey, and New York. We spoke with Noemi Grupenmager, CEO and founder of Uni K Wax, and Charlotte Russell, UKW's Chief Development Officer, to learn more about the company's franchise training practices.
UKW's Training Process
Training begins as soon as a franchisee signs the franchise agreement. Initial training is focused on orientation and the process of site selection. A project manager is assigned to the franchisee, acting as a "tour guide" to provide unwavering support. The project manager helps the new franchisee to facilitate internal relationships within the company, and assists the franchisee in navigating external relationships, as well. The inclusion of project management software tracks everything that’s going to occur in the day-to-day checklists, which will take the franchisee all the way through the process to the moment their doors open. A franchisee may bring up to four managers or assistant managers to be included in the initial training at the Uni K Wax Institute in Miami, Florida.
The classroom aspect of training is supportive from both an economic and time-management standpoint, and specific training is provided to every single one of the different types of employees. While UKW provides online training and webinars, some positions require extensive hands-on training. This is particularly crucial for the waxers themselves, because the techniques employed at Uni K Wax Center are not the same as those an aesthetician learns at school. The elastic properties of the wax used at Uni K Wax Center were developed to work in a very specialized manner, so waxers are given two weeks of intensive, hands-on training provided by regional training representatives, making that important education easily accessible.
"We want every customer to receive the same treatment," Grupenmager said, so all of the waxers are trained in the exact same methods. This is especially important because UKW prides itself on providing a comfortable environment that clients come to know and trust. Training consistency not only ensures that every customer will have the same experience regardless of the location they visit, but that employees can easily move from one center to another should they work at multiple locations.
"Service delivery is both the challenge and the opportunity that the brand brings to the table," said Russell. "As we grow, delivering that key training is at the top of our thought process day by day."
When a franchisee and their team have been thoroughly trained and the unit is ready to open, UKW provides training at the unit level by sending two operational representatives to work with the team at the franchisee's location. Within two months after the unit is open and fully operational, "bounce back" training brings representatives who look over the first months of business and focus on any day-to-day operational tweaks necessary. At this point, they will also help the franchisee to move forward, stepping up the location's next level of business, marketing, and ongoing operations.
The franchisee is responsible for the hiring and management of their own staff, however Russell stated, "Our obligation is to provide access to information that supports the business development of that franchise." To that end, UKW employs a variety of methods to distribute information to its franchisees and their teams beyond training, including printed materials from e-sites, webinars, conference calls, and face-to-face meetings.
UKW fosters a great deal of personal interaction with its franchisees. While most brands don't offer monthly promotions, UKW does, so even their marketing touches every franchisee multiple times through various channels.
As UKW continues to grow, their biggest focus remains on operations and training.
"The thing that's so great about this business is we have this very simple operating system, we only do one thing," said Russell. UKW's operating system allows the company to slice and dice operational data into small components, giving franchisees and their managing teams the ability to examine the minute details of their business. Russell added, "That allows them to really make important decisions that drive their revenue and their day-to-day business decision-making."
UKW's attention to detail, thorough training, and ongoing support encourages nothing but the best success for its franchisees.
About Uni K Wax Center
Uni K Wax Center has received numerous recognitions and awards from national magazines and publications for their service, including Allure, Star, InStyle, Shape, and Time Out New York. Uni K Wax Centers are fully dedicated to providing the best service to their customers in a clean, comfortable, and discreet environment. Click here to learn more information about UKW's franchise opportunities.
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