When you’re ready to trade in your suit and tie for a Hawaiian shirt and flip flops, Maui Wowi is there to support you every step of the way.
Training covers a little bit of everything but has one main goal: “It’s really about helping our franchisees build confidence in their business,” says regional director of operations, Tracy Timko.
Trip to the Mainland
Franchisee training starts with a weeklong trip to the Mainland (a.k.a. corporate headquarters) in Arizona. In a traditional classroom setting, franchisees learn about the history of Maui Wowi and brand standards. Then it’s time to get a little more hands-on. Each franchisee heads to a computer to learn Maui Wowi’s online systems for distribution and support.
K-Cart 101
As important as learning these things are, Maui Wowi is all about getting out of traditional settings. So the next step of training is what we call K-Cart 101. A K-Cart (a.k.a Ka’anapali Cart) is one of our most common franchise units and our franchisees know it inside out before they leave training.
“We have a cart at our global headquarters in Scottsdale where we actually unload it from a trailer,” Tracy says. “These carts don’t have a steering wheel and you don’t drive them. We start with unloading the cart and then we bring it into the building from there.” Once the cart makes it into the building, our franchisees get to learn the K-Cart up close. Our franchisees set up the K-Cart, awning included. They explore the electrical hookups, water pumps, and learn how to get the blenders up and running. “This also helps when the cart arrives to them at their door,” Tracy says. “They know what they’re getting. They know what they’re looking at and are already familiar with it.”
We also make sure that our Maui Wowi franchisees can use the knowledge they gain at the Mainland office at any local event their K-Cart might visit. “We also hook up the blenders to the cart to show them the different ways that they can do that depending on what type of electrical access they have at their events. Some franchisees might have the ability to work in an arena where they have a lot of access to power, whereas you could be limited in the middle of a kid’s soccer field,” Tracy says. K-Cart 101 also covers hooking up generators and franchisees make their first tropical Maui Wowi smoothies on the K-Cart. Franchisees also visit our coffee roaster and partake in a “cupping,” which is a blind, coffee taste test. Our franchisees can ask questions and learn about what makes our robust, Hawaiian coffee special.
K-Cart 201
After K-Cart 101 and a trip to the roaster, franchisees are ready for K-Cart 201. “They will all work an event prior to leaving training,” Tracy says. Franchisees bring a K-Cart to the people. Sometimes franchisees-in-training work events with local franchisees, or Mainland will arrange for a training K-Cart to be at an event or hotel pool. It allows our franchisees-in-training to operate the cart while being able to ask questions and learn.
First Event Support
Being a Maui Wowi franchisee means you are part of our ohana. And family is there for you at big moments. No franchisee works their first event alone, their Regional Director of Operations (RDO) or a member of the support team comes to offer guidance. When Tracy heads out to help her franchisees, they start with prep work. “I’m really getting them prepared to where they feel confident going into the event ensuring they have everything they need.” Tracy also rolls up her sleeves and helps each franchisee work their event.
“I’m at the event getting through that first setup and watching franchisees really relax and get comfortable with the blender, the cart itself and just being able to engage with our customers,” Tracy says.
Ohana
Maui Wowi training prepares each franchisee to go out and bring the Aloha Spirit to your community, while making sure you are supported. “Ohana is a franchise family you get when you become a franchisee that never goes away.”