Verhage

"Where we previously had virtually no interaction, we now receive valuable feedback from all over the organization. 100% of our franchise entrepreneurs use the platform on a daily basis and we also see that there are days where more than 70% of all employees are active on the platform."
– Kevin ter Maten, Head of Marketing at Verhage

About Verhage

Verhage is a Dutch quick-service restaurant franchise that has been around for more than 50 years. Today, the brand counts 42 branches with over 650 employees working at the head office, wholesaler, and across the different restaurants. As a growing franchise organization with a strong local presence, the challenge has always been to keep communication consistent and to engage both entrepreneurs and frontline employees in a meaningful way.

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The challenge

Before Oneteam, communication at Verhage was outdated and fragmented.

Kevin: “We still sent physical newsletters to our stakeholders, but we had no way of knowing whether anyone actually read them. To test it once, we added a note on page 4 saying that whoever responded would get a free box of fries. Out of 40 entrepreneurs, only 2 responded. That says enough.”

The organization was also juggling too many tools at once: a Facebook group, newsletters, Mailchimp, A3 handouts, email, and WhatsApp. This created confusion, made interaction almost impossible, and was not aligned with Verhage’s growing focus on sustainability.

The lack of feedback made it hard to understand how campaigns and new products were received. Kevin explains: “Did entrepreneurs like the product? Was something unclear about a campaign? Did they have ideas themselves? We simply didn’t know.”

At the same time, Verhage wanted to modernize their Verhage Academy, which is used to onboard and train employees, and prepare frontline staff to potentially grow into franchise entrepreneurs themselves.

The solution

Verhage started looking for a platform that could bring everything together in one place. Oneteam quickly stood out.

Kevin: “Oneteam was the only solution that met our wishes. It allows us to manage internal communication, onboarding, and e-learning all in one platform. That was very important to us. Besides a communication tool, we see Oneteam as a fundamental part of our training design.”

What convinced Verhage was the combination of user-friendliness, completeness, and accessibility for all employees - from HQ to the frontline. Oneteam made it possible to replace fragmented tools, eliminate paper newsletters, and give every employee the same access to information and interaction.

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The approach

The implementation went very quickly, partly because of the urgency created by the COVID pandemic.

Kevin: “When the pandemic started, we suddenly had to move fast and communicate a lot. With Oneteam, we were able to share information in real-time with everyone in the organization. That urgency ensured that everyone adopted the platform quickly, and it soon became the new standard.”

Today, the platform is used by everyone connected to Verhage: the head office, the wholesaler, franchise entrepreneurs, and the entire frontline workforce. All 650 employees are now part of the same digital community.

The results

The difference with the past is striking.

Kevin: “We now have a professional environment in which we can instantly communicate with entrepreneurs, the wholesaler, and our HQ team. Where we previously had virtually no interaction, we now receive valuable feedback from across the organization.”

Some of the most important results:

• 100% of franchise entrepreneurs use Oneteam daily
• More than 70% of all employees are active on the platform on busy days
• Dozens of responses, high-fives, and ideas are shared regularly
• Frontline employees are now actively involved and have a voice

The switch from paper newsletters to digital communication has also paid off. Instead of guessing, Verhage can now see exactly who reads what, and interaction has become an essential part of daily communication.

The impact goes beyond communication. Oneteam has helped Verhage create more engagement across the entire organization, not just at the location level. Employees are better informed, more loyal, and turnover is decreasing. The platform has also made it easier to involve employees in new initiatives and to strengthen the bond between frontline staff and the brand.

Kevin: “The frontline employees, who we normally couldn’t involve in our day-to-day business, now also get a voice with Oneteam. That leads to greater engagement and employee loyalty.”

Looking ahead

Verhage continues to invest in the development of its people through the Verhage Academy. By using Oneteam, they can now involve employees from day one with onboarding and training. The long-term goal is to prepare frontline employees to grow into franchise entrepreneurs themselves.

Kevin concludes: “With Oneteam, we’ve created a single place where everyone comes together. It helps us communicate, train, and engage all our people, and it will keep playing a key role in the way we build the future of Verhage.”