The NSO Challenge: Doing More with Less Time

Opening a new location brings unique training challenges that differ from regular operations. As our poll during the session revealed, NSO training often means:

  • Training large groups simultaneously
  • Condensed timelines (often just 3-7 days)
  • Different cohorts of trainees (new hires v. existing)
  • High energy, high pressure environment
  • Balancing thoroughness with the urgency of opening

The heart of our workshop featured Mel's framework for crafting an effective NSO game plan. While her approach includes defining your audience and establishing clear goals, the most critical component for condensing training timelines is identifying and addressing specific training gaps.

The Power of Identifying Training Gaps

Mel emphasized that when time is limited, you need to be strategic about what to focus on. "Training at the end of the day is about where you're starting, where you're trying to go, and then training is closing the gap between that," she explained.

By breaking training gaps into three distinct categories, you can prioritize what truly matters for opening day and what can be addressed later:

Culture Gaps: The "Why We Do It"

‍These involve helping teams understand your brand's priorities and values:

  • What makes your brand unique?
  • What are your service priorities?
  • How do you want customers to feel?

Knowledge Gaps: The "What We Do"

‍This covers the informational components of training:

  • Menu knowledge and ingredients
  • Allergy awareness
  • Standard operating procedures
  • Product specifications

Skill Gaps: The "How We Do It"

‍These are the tangible abilities team members need to develop:

  • Food preparation techniques
  • Craft cocktail preparation
  • Operating specialized equipment
  • Service techniques

With these gaps clearly defined, you can then select the most appropriate training methods to address each one, whether that's classroom training for knowledge gaps, role-playing for skill development, or team-building activities for culture gaps.

Structuring Your NSO Timeline

During a 10-minute breakout session, participants were invited to share various approaches to structuring their compressed training timeline:

🥩 Burton's Grill uses classroom days where the back-of-house learns menu items in thirds over three days, while front-of-house learns corresponding menu knowledge, service points, and POS systems. This is followed by friends and family events and mock service.
🥗 gusto! involves leaders four weeks before opening, then conducts a week of team training with minimal classroom time, focusing on hands-on training. They organize a marketing event called "organized chaos" – a free drive-thru – to give team members live fire practice before opening.
🍦 Salt and Straw, who recently expanded to New York City, created a five-phase NSO playbook with an expanded training team from existing locations to support their new market entry.

Optimizing Opus During an NSO

  1. Creating Dedicated NSO Modules: Re-purpose new hire and role-based training courses into dedicated NSO module broken out by each day of your NSO schedule
  2. Day-by-Day Structure: Break content into daily chunks that align with your on-the-ground training activities.
  3. Training Paths: Create paths that sequence module assignments based on roles to ensure everyone gets the right training.
  4. Strategic Use of Check-ins: While 1:1 Check-ins can be challenging with large groups, use them strategically to gather feedback or save them for post-opening follow-up.

Key Takeaways

If you're faced with condensing a month's worth of training into just one week, remember:

  1. Prioritize ruthlessly: Focus on what's absolutely essential for opening day
  2. Balance digital and hands-on: Use micro learning for knowledge components to free up time for practice
  3. Emphasize culture: Building team cohesion and brand understanding is crucial
  4. Create a clear game plan: Map out exactly what happens each day
  5. Plan for follow-up: Set up post-opening training to continue development after the initial rush

Join us at Office Hours 🍏

Looking for more deep dives into training problems and use cases? By attending, you'll get to see and hear firsthand how your peers are tackling training problems in their businesses and offer up your own insights. Can't make it? No worries, we publish our recaps and takeaways on our blog.

We release Office Hours topics quarterly so that you can plan ahead and save your seat.