Starting smart: Why Ziik was the first call for this McDonald’s franchisee

About 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.

Áskoranir (Fyrir 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.

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.

Niðurstöður

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.