Scheduling audits is a surefire way to ensure that each store is visited at an appropriate frequency to improve its performance. In almost all systems, audits are conducted at least once a year, but a higher frequency is desirable to help franchisees perform incremental improvements more frequently. Given how they drastically reduce overhead, software tools such as the FranchiseBlast Franchise Field Audits App are almost mandatory to accomplish higher frequencies, such as once per quarter or even once per month.

Furthermore, having a filterable visual dashboard of scheduled visits drastically cuts down on franchisor-level communication as everyone (auditor, auditor manager, VP Operations, etc.) can peruse recently performed and the upcoming schedule in real-time. Most franchises assign 15 to 60 franchisees (average of 30) per auditor - typically all within the same territory. Franchisors sometimes shuffle auditors around to periodically give franchisees the benefit of a fresh set of eyes, but also to ensure the auditors don't start purposefully ignoring issues because of the level of friendship they develop with their franchisees.

Some franchisors accelerate the rate at which under-performing franchisees are visited, devoting more attention to those who need it most. Over-performing franchisees are typically more autonomous and need less guidance: their behaviour actually helps dictate best practices within a franchise. Franchise field consultants thus perform very different roles in both these contexts and, as such, the visit schedule and questionnaires may be very different. (On an unrelated yet interesting note, the dilemma still remains: what's best for the franchise system? Bringing the laggards up to speed or helping the overachievers soar to new heights?)

Although franchise systems give franchise auditors great flexibility over their own schedules, most auditor managers still perform the scheduling according to the franchisor's strategic initiatives.