Starting smart: Why Ziik was the first call for this McDonald’s franchisee
Learn why one franchise owner built Ziik into his operations from day one, and how it helps him create clarity, consistency, and culture across two McDonald’s restaurants and a young, fast-moving team.
Location
Industry
Employees
60+
About the company
McDonalds Franchisee Stephan Juul runs two McDonald’s restaurants in North Zealand, Denmark. As a franchisee, he is responsible for ensuring smooth daily operations, while fostering strong communication and culture. Most of his employees are under 23, and many of them are in their very first job.
Challenges before Ziik
Starting from scratch you need the right tools
When Stephan Juul opened his first restaurant, he had a long list of things to take care of, but at least one decision was easy: He knew he wanted Ziik. From day one, he made Ziik the central hub for internal communication, because he knew it would give him the structure he needed to grow a team, share knowledge, and build a strong culture.
“I’d worked with Ziik in my previous job. I couldn’t imagine not having something like that” explains Stephan Juul.
Challenges
- Starting with the right tools
- Clear communication for young staff
- Replacing outdated tools like Facebook
Favorite Features
- Mobile and familiar
- Consistent Onboarding
- Announcements and updates
Requirements for a new solution
Hiring and working with young people brings lots of energy and fresh perspectives, but it also requires clear communication and structure. Stephan Juul needed a platform that would feel familiar, but still professional to his young employees, and one that would clearly separate work from their private lives.
“Most of my team is under 23. Many of them are in their first job. That means we have to be very clear at all times. About expectations, about routines, about everything” says Stephan Juul.
Results
With Ziik, Stephan Juul got a ready-made internal communication platform that’s intuitive, affordable, and professional. In short, pretty much everything he needed to hit the ground running. “I knew exactly what I needed, and I had no interest in building something myself. Ziik had it all, and the price was right. So I didn’t look much further” Stephan Juul recalls.
From day one, all work-related messages and updates have gone through Ziik, and that consistency has paid off. “It’s become part of our culture. If it’s about work, it’s on Ziik. That’s just how we do it.”
Engagement from the start
Stephan has seen high engagement across both restaurants, especially compared to previous tools like Facebook. “If I post something on Ziik, 85% will have responded by the end of the day or before their next shift. That would never happen on Facebook.” And because all new employees are onboarded through the app, they know what to expect from day one. “We’ve onboarded everyone via the app, and it just runs by itself.”
Professionalism and trust
Ziik helps create a workplace that feels serious, but not stiff. And for young employees, that’s important. “They like that work stuff is on a proper platform. It feels right. Social media is for fun, not work.”
A framework for culture
For Stephan Juul, Ziik isn’t just about communication, it’s part of the leadership toolkit. It helps set expectations, support teamwork, and shape the culture he wants. “Ziik gives us the framework, and we use it to build the culture we want.”
Simple and scalable
As the business grows, Ziik keeps things simple. There are no unnecessary features, and no confusion. “It works. It’s straightforward. And we have everything we need in one place.”
Favourite Features
Mobile and familiar
Young employees instantly get it, so there’s no training required when they start using the app.
Onboarding
New hires get structured, consistent info from day one.
Announcements and updates
All work communication goes through Ziik, eliminating confusion and overlap with private social media.
High engagement
Fast response rates and better reach than old platforms like Facebook.
Clean and focused
Ziik has only what’s needed and provides clear, useful communication without the noise and chatter of social media.
“Ziik helps us create clarity. It helps people engage, and it gives us the framework to build the culture we want.” Stephan Juul, Owner / Franchisee