Compare
Gazi Wellness vs. paper and spreadsheet store audits
Clipboards and spreadsheets cost nothing to start, but FBCs lose evenings to re-typing, photos go missing, and most corrective actions are never verified. Here is how the two approaches compare across a full audit cycle.
Most franchise field programs start on paper: a printed checklist, a phone camera, and a spreadsheet or Word template the FBC fills in after the visit. It works when a system is small and one consultant knows every store. It breaks as the network grows, because the report becomes the job instead of the coaching.
In the Gazi Wellness Field Operations Study 2026, FBCs reported spending 3.2 hours compiling and emailing one store audit report after the visit, and 64% of violations logged on paper checklists never got verified remediation. The table below compares the two approaches step by step, from the walk itself to proof that the fix happened.
| Dimension | Paper checklists, phone photos and Excel reports | Gazi Wellness |
|---|---|---|
| Checklist version control | Printed copies drift; FBCs keep their own edited versions | One published rubric per concept, versioned, pushed to every device |
| Store walk capture | Pen notes on a clipboard, photos in the phone camera roll | Checklist and photos captured together in the mobile app, offline in walk-ins and basements |
| Photo evidence | Photos emailed or texted later; easy to misplace or attach to the wrong store | Each photo tied to the checklist item, GPS-stamped and timestamped at capture |
| Report writing | Notes re-typed into Excel or Word after the visit, often the same evening | Report generated on sign-off; Gazi Wellness customers average 11 minutes from walk end to sent report |
| Scoring consistency | Depends on each FBC's judgment and formula | Weighted zone scoring and Vision AI checks against your brand manual, plus FBC calibration analytics |
| Brand manual citations | Rarely included; franchisees ask where the standard is written | Each finding links to the manual section it is scored against |
| Franchisee disputes | Findings without photos are easy to contest | Photo, time and location on every finding; disputes handled in the portal with a record |
| Corrective action tracking | A list at the bottom of the report; follow-up depends on memory | CAPs with owners, deadlines by severity, SLA timers and escalation |
| Proof of fix | Usually checked at the next visit, months later | Store GM uploads photo proof; FBC reviews and closes remotely |
| Critical food safety findings | Phone call if the FBC remembers; no audit trail | Critical items trigger a 24-hour CAP and an alert to the right leader |
| Network reporting | Someone merges spreadsheets each quarter | Live heatmaps by region, territory and multi-unit franchisee |
| Record retention | Files spread across inboxes and laptops | Central audit history per store, exportable to Drive or SharePoint |
| Cost to start | Very low: printing and existing phones | Per-location subscription starting at $25 per location per month billed annually |
When it may still fit
- A system with fewer than about 20 locations where one person audits every store and knows each franchisee well.
- A one-time review, such as a single acquisition assessment, that will not repeat.
- Locations with no smartphone access for auditors, though the Gazi Wellness app works offline once installed.
Moving to Gazi Wellness
- 1Collect what you use todaySend us your current checklist, scoring formula and two or three recent reports. Kavya Raman's team converts them into a draft rubric.
- 2Add photo rules and critical itemsYour standards lead marks which items need photos and which are critical, such as cold holding above 41°F.
- 3Load your rosterUpload a store list or connect your franchise management system. Past scores from spreadsheets can be imported for trend history.
- 4Run one cycle with a few FBCsTwo or three consultants run their next round in Gazi Wellness, then the team holds a calibration session before rolling out to everyone.
Comparison questions
Usually the opposite once they see the report is done when the walk is done. The app follows the same checklist order they already use.
Yes. Zone weights and point values are configurable, so your current scoring carries over before you refine it.
The app works fully offline and syncs when a connection returns. GPS and timestamps are recorded on the device at capture.
No. It produces evidence and tracks remediation. Default notices and cure periods are decisions for your team and counsel under your franchise agreement.
Other comparisons
Double your FBC field audit capacity while eliminating subjective disputes.
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