Under what conditions can a Southern Steer franchisee implement its own training program for its employees?

According to the 2025 Southern Steer Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisee is responsible for ensuring their employees are adequately trained and competent. The FDD states, "The Franchisee will have a sufficient number of adequately trained and competent personnel on duty to guarantee efficient service to the customers of the Southern Steer Business and operation of the Southern Steer Business." However, the document does not explicitly state that a franchisee can implement their own training program.

The Southern Steer franchise agreement emphasizes the importance of the initial training program provided by the franchisor. The franchisee, operating principal, and designated manager are required to attend and successfully complete this initial training, and potentially additional training programs offered by Southern Steer. The FDD states, "Franchisee or its Operating Principal and the Designated Manager will attend and successfully complete the Initial Training Program and any Additional Training that Franchisor may choose to offer." This suggests that Southern Steer maintains control over the core training curriculum, especially for key personnel.

Given the lack of explicit permission to create an independent training program and the emphasis on franchisor-provided training, a franchisee should clarify with Southern Steer under what specific circumstances, if any, they can supplement the franchisor's training with their own program. It would be prudent to discuss the content, standards, and approval process for any such supplemental training to ensure compliance with Southern Steer's standards and maintain consistency across the franchise system.