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The future of dry cleaning arrives in North Cambridge. Lapels Dry Cleaning opens at Mass. Ave. location.

Maria and Egidio Barros are the owners of the new Lapels Dry Cleaning store at 2551 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge. The Randolph, MA residents also own Lapels Dry Cleaning stores in Newton and Brighton.

CAMBRIDGE, BRIGHTON, NEWTON AND HANOVER, MA…

Lapels Dry Cleaning, an innovative, environmentally friendly dry cleaning company headquartered in Hanover, Massachusetts, recently opened a new location in Cambridge at 2551 Massachusetts Avenue.

The new Cambridge Lapels Dry Cleaning store is owned and operated by Randolph residents Maria and Egidio Barros. Store hours will be Monday through Friday, 7 am to 7 pm; Saturday 8 am to 5 pm; and Sunday, 12 pm to 3 pm. The grand opening for the new Lapels will be held later this winter.

“We are delighted to bring Lapels’ standard of high quality dry cleaning and superior customer service to Cambridge and the people who reside and work in that area near the Alewife T station,” said Maria Barros.

In addition to the Lapels Dry Cleaning in Cambridge, the Barros’s own two other Lapels Dry Cleaning stores—462 Washington Street in Brighton and at 318 Walnut Street in Newton.

“What customers especially like about Lapels”, says Egidio Barros, “is how our ‘green’ process produces such a nice finished product.”

Lapels has pioneered its eco-friendly dry cleaning experience for the past 10 years.  Using the lastest technology in equipment and cleaning solution, Lapels is one of the few dry cleaners in the greater Boston area able to boast that there is no hazardous waste in their process. Their environmentally-friendly cleaning process has no odor and is gentler on clothes, thus lengthening the life of clothes. At Lapels you can see, feel and smell the difference.

Lapels customers are greeted to a warm and inviting reception area, with friendly customer service representatives, and a full service on-site tailor.

“There were so many reasons why we initially chose to buy a Lapels franchise. The environmental piece was certainly up there on our list, but it was an overall commitment to a high quality customer experience that truly sold us,” said Maria. “Customers have been very receptive to what Lapels has to offer at our other locations and we feel the residents of North Cambridge will appreciate it as well.”

Lapels offers it’s customers Automatic Rewards earning them credit towards free dry cleaning for every dollar they spend, Loyalty Programs, a VIP Program which eliminates the need to wait in line and the use of a 24 Hour Drop Off Service. Same day service is also available with pick-up after 5 pm.

“We want to congratulate Egidio and Maria on their new store and we look forward to continuing our support at the corporate level to help ensure the success of Lapels Dry Cleaning in North Cambridge,” remarked Lapels Dry Cleaning CEO Kevin Dubois.

For complete information on the Lapels Dry Cleaning, please visit www.mylapels.com. Or, you can call the Cambridge store at 617-349-0006, the Brighton Lapels at 617-254-0811 or the Newton store at 617-527-6700.
Lapels Dry Cleaning – Environmentally Friendly Cleaners
Each Lapels Dry Cleaning store offers a full slate of services, including: same-day dry cleaning; shirt service; tailoring; shoe repair; wedding gown preservation; suede and leather processing; box storage and fur storage. Lapels Dry Cleaning has stores in Arizona (Gilbert, Phoenix), California (Poway), Colorado (Littleton), Connecticut (Cromwell), Louisiana (Monroe, West Monroe), Massachusetts (Abington, Bedford, Boston, Brighton, Cambridge, Dedham, Easton, Framingham, Hanover, Marshfield, Newtonville, Norton, Walpole, Westford, Westwood and Wilmington), Missouri (Wildwood), New Jersey (Brick, Freehold and Verona), Ohio (Liberty Towns), Pennsylvania (Bloomsburg), Rhode Island (Lincoln); South Carolina (Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Forest); Texas (Arlington). Additional locations coming soon to Chandler, AZ, Boston, MA, Quincy, MA and Brownsville, TX.

Lapels Dry Cleaning has been ranked in Entrepreneur’s 26th Annual “Franchise 500” as well as Entrepreneur’s “Top 50 New Franchises,” identifying Lapels Dry Cleaning as one of today’s top franchise opportunities. Entrepreneur’s “Franchise 500” is the best and most comprehensive rating of franchises in the world and is based on objective, quantifiable measures of a franchise operation.

Lapels Dry Cleaning corporate offices are located at 962 Washington Street, Hanover, MA 02339.

To learn more about franchise opportunities with Lapels Dry Cleaning, call toll free (866) 695-2735 or email sales@lapelsdrycleaning.com. Additional information and up-to-date company news can also be found on the company’s Web site, www.lapelsdrycleaning.com.

The future of dry cleaning arrives in North Cambridge. Lapels Dry Cleaning opens at Mass. Ave. location.Read More

Ingage Consulting’s Evan Hackel selected for New England Franchise Owners (NEFA) board of directors

Evan Hackel
Evan Hackel of Ingage Consulting

FRAMINGHAM, MA AND WOBURN, MA…The New England Franchise Association (NEFA), the trade organization for franchisors and franchisees in the region, has announced its new board of directors. Among those chosen for the new board include Evan Hackel, founder of Ingage Consulting of Woburn, MA.

“Having been a member of NEFA for several years, I’m thrilled and honored to be appointed to its board of directors,” said Hackel.  We have some impressive individuals on the new board who have experience as franchisors, franchisees and consultants in the industry. I’m looking forward to working with the board and NEFA members to develop programs and events that engage and benefit our Association.”

In addition to Hackel, the new board includes both franchisors and those who serve the franchise community.  Board members include Bruce Wildes, Acadia Business Advisors, LLC, Cumberland, ME; Chuck Lynch, MaidPro, Boston, MA; Donato Dandreo, Compete Now, Boston, MA; Gina Weinstock, G. T. Reilly & Company, Milton, MA; Kevin Dubois, Lapels Dry Cleaning, Hanover, MA; Kim Woods, Franchise Solutions, Portsmouth, NH; Murray Vetstein, Source4, Brockton, MA; Steve Dubin, PR Works, Kingston, MA; and Suzanne Cummings, Cummings Franchise Law, P.C., Stoneham, MA.

“Evan’s a great addition to our board of directors and a great example of the high caliber of members we have in NEFA,” said NEFA President Steve Dubin.

Hackel’s consulting firm, Ingage Consulting, focuses on improving the performance of franchises by enhancing the relationship of individual franchisees and the franchisor. By creating a culture of partnership and common purpose, Ingage Consulting is able to help franchisees and franchisors dramatically improve their performance.

Before founding Ingage Consulting, Hackel was president at CCA Global Partners for 20 years. At CCA, he was responsible for four business divisions with more than 2,000 units, more than $5 billion in sales, and operating in four countries. While at CCA, Mr. Hackel founded its marketing department, national programs department, and its award-winning training department.

About NEFA

New England Franchise Association (NEFA) is the trade organization for franchisors and franchisees in the region, with over 150 members. The mission of NEFA is to bring franchise executives, franchisees and vendors together to share ideas for success.

Franchising more than ever before, has an unprecedented opportunity to make a major positive impact on the future New England economy. In a 2001-05 study conducted by  PriceWaterhouseCoopers on behalf of the International Franchise Association (IFA) found that in New England over 875,000 jobs are a result of franchising, the total output is over 100 Billion dollars a year, and there are over 35,000 franchise establishments in the six New England States.

For more information, please visit the New England Franchise Association via the organization’s website www.NEFranchise.org or email to info@NEFranchise.org.

About Ingage Consulting

Ingage Consulting is a management consulting firm that works with franchisors and franchisees to improve the franchise organization’s culture which in turn increases sales and satisfaction; improves growth and retention and boosts loyalty and profits.

Ingage Consulting provides solutions that drive the cooperation, commitment, passion and loyalty of both franchisors and franchisees.  The company helps solve the problems of franchise organizations by offering services that range from partnership creation and vibrant intranet community creation to trust building, improved communication and strategic planning.  After a thorough assessment, Ingage Consulting devises solutions to a franchise organization’s challenges. These solutions may include the development of methods that maximize collaboration among franchisees/licensees or the development of a clear strategy and execution plan for change which is customized to meet organizational objectives.

Evan Hackel, Ingage founder and management expert has more than two decades of experience in best practices, turnaround strategies and team dynamics.  He is often engaged to analyze franchise businesses, provide recommendations and facilitate strategic planning.  Hackel is a  a member of the National Speakers Association. As a member of the International Franchise Association (IFA), he holds a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) and is a member of the IFA Supply Forum. Hackel is a member and serves on the board of director os the New England Franchise Association (NEFA).

Ingage Consulting is located at 400 Trade Center, Suite 5900 in Woburn, MA.  For more information, contact (781) 569-5900 or visit the website www.ingage.net.

Ingage Consulting’s Evan Hackel selected for New England Franchise Owners (NEFA) board of directorsRead More

Lapels Dry Cleaning joins Sandy relief efforts

Fred Siegel of Lapels Dry Cleaning of Hanover
Fred Siegel, owner of Lapels Dry Cleaning of Hanover, Mass., loads bags of clothes from drive held to benefit victims of Super Storm Sandy. Lapels customers generated 45 bags of clothing for the drive.

HANOVER, MA…

As a rule in general rule, sand and dry cleaning do not mix. Yet when Fred Siegel, owner of Lapels Dry Cleaning in Hanover, heard from his lifelong friend, a New Jersey resident, about a clothing drive to help victims of Super Storm Sandy on the Jersey Shore, he had to do something. That something turned out to be a clothing drive that generated 45 bags of clothes on a truck headed to a homeless shelter located in Seaside Heights, New Jersey.

“My best friend Artie Pazan lives in Glen Rock, New Jersey. We were on the phone and he was telling me about a clothing drive his temple was having for people in Seaside Heights. I got off the phone and told my daughter Ariel. She suggested doing a clothing drive at Lapels. We put out an e-mail to our customers on Tuesday afternoon and bags started showing up by Tuesday night,” said Siegel

And the bags kept coming. By Saturday, the day it came time to drive the clothing down to New Jersey, Lapels Dry Cleaners had donated 45 55-gallon contractor’s bags worth of clothes. Siegel, who made the trip down to New Jersey, was floored by the gestures of his customers and the response of the recipients.

“We’ve held clothing drives before and our customers have always been very generous, but this was far more than I ever could have imagined,” said Siegel. “Perhaps the only thing more amazing than our customers’ generosity was the response from the shelter. They were overjoyed by the donations and began distributing the clothes almost right away.”

Lapels Dry Cleaning efforts for Sandy victims was not limited to clothing drives. Two Lapels Dry Cleaning stores near the affected areas in Brick and Freehold, New Jersey have been cleaning the uniforms of relief effort workers (e.g. fire and police officials) free of charge since the Storm.

“Being Part of the Community is a big part of owning a Lapels Dry Cleaning Store.  We are so proud of how our Owner / Operators rose to the challenge in such a challenging Environment.  In Brick, NJ there was a real need to get the uniforms of those Police & Fire Personnel cleaned, and without power for two weeks this was quite a challeng.” said Kevin Dubois, CEO of Lapels Dry Cleaning. “We also commend Fred and his staff for their efforts in putting together this drive. Lapels is a lot like a big family. That may sound cliché, but in situations like where we have store owners reaching out to help out those affected by a disaster like this in the backyard of other store owners, you realize how true it is.”

Lapels Dry Cleaning – Environmentally Friendly Cleaners
Each Lapels Dry Cleaning store offers a full slate of services, including: same-day dry cleaning; shirt service; tailoring; shoe repair; wedding gown preservation; suede and leather processing; box storage and fur storage. Lapels Dry Cleaning has stores in Arizona (Gilbert, Phoenix), California (Poway), Colorado (Littleton), Connecticut (Cromwell), Louisiana (Monroe, West Monroe), Massachusetts (Abington, Bedford, Boston, Brighton, Cambridge, Dedham, Easton, Framingham, Hanover, Marshfield, Newtonville, Norton, Walpole, Westford, Westwood and Wilmington), Missouri (Wildwood), New Jersey (Brick, Freehold and Verona), Ohio (Liberty Towns), Pennsylvania (Bloomsburg), Rhode Island (Lincoln); South Carolina (Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Forest); Texas (Arlington). Additional locations coming soon to Chandler, AZ, Boston, MA, Quincy, MA and Brownsville, TX.

Lapels Dry Cleaning has been ranked in Entrepreneur’s 26th Annual “Franchise 500” as well as Entrepreneur’s “Top 50 New Franchises,” identifying Lapels Dry Cleaning as one of today’s top franchise opportunities. Entrepreneur’s “Franchise 500” is the best and most comprehensive rating of franchises in the world and is based on objective, quantifiable measures of a franchise operation.

Lapels Dry Cleaning corporate offices are located at 962 Washington Street, Hanover, MA 02339.

To learn more about franchise opportunities with Lapels Dry Cleaning, call toll free (866) 695-2735 or email sales@lapelsdrycleaning.com. Additional information and up-to-date company news can also be found on the company’s Web site, www.lapelsdrycleaning.com.

Lapels Dry Cleaning joins Sandy relief effortsRead More

How technology is evolving the role of franchise field consultant

Evan Hackel of Ingage Consulting will be one of the featured speakers at Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS), to be held in Atlanta, Georgia on December 4-5, Franchise OPS will focus on how technology can evolve the role of franchise field consultants.

WOBURN, MA and ATLANTA, GEORGIA…

The advances in technology in recent years have helped franchisors dramatically improve marketing and customer service efforts as it relates to its franchisees. Franchisors have been slower to embrace technology to improve operations, particularly as it pertains to the critical role of franchise field consultant. That’s something a panel of franchise experts will be examining in more detail on December 4-5 at the Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS), the only franchise executive conference dedicated to operations performance excellence.

“The franchise field consultant is on one hand, the eyes and ears of the franchisor. On the other hand, he or she is the go-to person for the franchisee,” said Evan Hackel, founder of Ingage Consulting and one of the featured speakers of Franchise OPS, which is being held at the W in Atlanta, Georgia. “The workshops at OPS will introduce new technologies that can help field consultants better serve both parties and enhance their value to the entire organization.”

Franchise OPS’s two newest sponsors—Promoboxx and Tortal—both offer technologies that enable field consultants to better serve franchisees and franchisors.

Promoboxx offers tools to enable franchise field consultants to follow the franchisee social media activity. Promoboxx CEO Ben Carcio will speak at one of the Franchise OPS workshops.

The other new sponsor, Tortal, A Driven Brands company based in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a leading online training solutions provider that works with organizations to deliver efficient and effective online training, reducing overall training costs and providing cost effective online alternatives for organizations that are faced with regulatory compliance training.

“One of the challenges with in developing superior franchise field consultants is getting them the training they need on a consistent basis and keeping them up-to-speed with new compliance rules,” said Cordall Riley, of Tortal. “With our online training solutions, franchisors can affordably provide needed training online supplementing the transportation expenses involved with sending field consultants to onsite trainings. Field consultants can also use online training to effectively manage their territories, by monitoring the amount of training taken.”

In addition to Carcio, Riley and Hackel, Franchise OPS will also feature several renowned franchise experts on its roster of speakers, including: Bob Gappa, founder of Management 2000; Deb Binder of Ingage Consulting; Rupert M. Barkoff of Kilpatrick Townsend; Keith Gerson of FranConnect; Eric Stites of Franchise Business Review; Stacey Ruth of Actio Marketing; and Barth Getto of BizUnite; Matt Talbot of GoSpotCheck; and Mindy Golde of Listen360.

Topics to be covered at Franchise OPS include:

  • Technology for Field Consultants
  • Benchmarking
  • The Field Consultant of the Future
  • Better Onboarding
  • FDD Item 19 – How to Do It Right

In addition to the educational benefits, roundtable discussions and networking opportunities with C-level franchise executives, the Franchise OPS offers the added bonus of being approved for 300 CFE credits by the International Franchise Association.

The cost to attend Franchise OPS is $699.  Complete registration and other conference information is available at www.franchiseoperationssummit.com.

Franchise OPS is sponsored by FranConnect, Franchise Business Review, Kilpatrick Townsend; Actio Marketing, BizUnite, Ingage Consulting, Listen360, Management 2000, GoSpotCheck, Promoboxx and Tortal.

About Ingage Consulting

Ingage Consulting is a management consulting firm that works with franchisors and franchisees to improve the franchise organization’s culture which in turn increases sales and satisfaction; improves growth and retention and boosts loyalty and profits.

Ingage Consulting provides solutions that drive the cooperation, commitment, passion and loyalty of both franchisors and franchisees.  The company helps solve the problems of franchise organizations by offering services that range from partnership creation and vibrant intranet community creation to trust building, improved communication and strategic planning.  After a thorough assessment, Ingage Consulting devises solutions to a franchise organization’s challenges. These solutions may include the development of methods that maximize collaboration among franchisees/licensees or the development of a clear strategy and execution plan for change which is customized to meet organizational objectives.

Evan Hackel, Ingage founder and management expert has more than two decades of experience in best practices, turnaround strategies and team dynamics.  He is often engaged to analyze franchise businesses, provide recommendations and facilitate strategic planning.  He is a member of the International Franchise Association and New England Franchise Association.

Ingage Consulting is located at 400 Trade Center, Suite 5900 in Woburn, MA.  For more information, contact (781) 569-5900 or visit the website www.ingage.net.

How technology is evolving the role of franchise field consultantRead More

GoSpotCheck and Listen360 sign on as sponsors of Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS) to be held in Atlanta, Dec. 4-5.

Mindy Golde of Listen360
Mindy Golde of Listen360. Listen360 will be a sponsor of Franchise OPS in Atlanta, Dec 4-5.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA…

Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS), the only franchise executive conference dedicated to operations performance excellence, recently announced two new sponsors for the December 4-5 session in Atlanta, Georgia—GoSpotCheck and Listen360.

“This Franchise OPS is a bit different than the two previous sessions we held earlier this year and at the end of 2011,” said Evan Hackel, founder of Ingage Consulting and one of the keynote speakers of Franchise OPS. “One of the primary focuses of this Franchise OPS is how technology can be used to improve the performance of Franchise Field Consultants and that’s a topic that’s right in the wheelhouse for companies like GoSpotCheck and Listen360.”

Based in Denver, GoSpotCheck provides businesses with smartphone tools for field intelligence. That includes new mobile Field rep technology and self monitoring tools that enable franchisors to have better communication and tracking of activities with Franchise Field Consultants. GoSpotCheck CEO and Co-Founder Matt Talbot will also be a keynote speaker at Franchise OPS.

“The field consultant plays a critical role in the franchising world as the liaison between franchisor and franchisee,” said Talbot. “The current technologies out on the market today can enhance that role even further and that’s part of what we’ll be discussing at Franchise OPS.”

Listen360 is a powerful customer listening solution that enables organizations to engage customers, analyze feedback in real time, and transform customers into brand advocates via social media. The company’s exclusive Voice of the Customer text analytics and innovative dashboards deliver actionable insight to help organizations build customer loyalty, drive growth and increase profitability.

“Ultimately, the litmus test for how well a franchise operates is customer feedback,” said Mindy Golde, vice president of sales for Listen360 and a speaker at Franchise OPS. “Franchise OPS will provide attendees a chance to check out Listen360’s satisfaction measurement tools and see how they can be used in a positive way with their franchisees.”

In addition to Talbot, Golde and Hackel, Franchise OPS will also feature several renowned franchise experts on its roster of speakers, including: Bob Gappa, founder of Management 2000; Deb Binder of Ingage Consulting; Rupert M. Barkoff of Kilpatrick Townsend; Keith Gerson of FranConnect; Eric Stites of Franchise Business Review; Stacey Ruth of Actio Marketing; and Barth Getto of BizUnite.

Topics to be covered at Franchise OPS include:

  • Technology for Field Consultants
  • Benchmarking
  • The Field Consultant of the Future
  • Better Onboarding
  • FDD Item 19 – How to Do It Right

In addition to the educational benefits, roundtable discussions and networking opportunities with C-level franchise executives, the Franchise OPS offers the added bonus of being approved for 300 CFE credits by the International Franchise Association.

Interested parties can register for the Franchise OPS before November 3 for $599. After that, the fee increases to $699.

Added Hackel, “Those interested in attending should register early. The previous OPS in Denver sold out before the early bird special and something tells me that with our agenda and roster of speakers, the same will be true in Atlanta.”

Franchise OPS is sponsored by FranConnect, Franchise Business Review, Kilpatrick Townsend; Actio Marketing, BizUnite, Ingage Consulting, Listen360, Management 2000 and GoSpotCheck. For complete information on Franchise OPS, please visit http://www.franchiseoperationssummit.com.

About Ingage Consulting

Ingage Consulting is a management consulting firm that works with franchisors and franchisees to improve the franchise organization’s culture which in turn increases sales and satisfaction; improves growth and retention and boosts loyalty and profits.

Ingage Consulting provides solutions that drive the cooperation, commitment, passion and loyalty of both franchisors and franchisees.  The company helps solve the problems of franchise organizations by offering services that range from partnership creation and vibrant intranet community creation to trust building, improved communication and strategic planning.  After a thorough assessment, Ingage Consulting devises solutions to a franchise organization’s challenges. These solutions may include the development of methods that maximize collaboration among franchisees/licensees or the development of a clear strategy and execution plan for change which is customized to meet organizational objectives.

Evan Hackel, Ingage founder and management expert has more than two decades of experience in best practices, turnaround strategies and team dynamics.  He is often engaged to analyze franchise businesses, provide recommendations and facilitate strategic planning.  He is a member of the International Franchise Association and New England Franchise Association.

Ingage Consulting is located at 400 Trade Center, Suite 5900 in Woburn, MA.  For more information, contact (781) 569-5900 or visit the website www.ingage.net.

GoSpotCheck and Listen360 sign on as sponsors of Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS) to be held in Atlanta, Dec. 4-5.Read More

Lapels Dry Cleaning cleans up on Reader’s Choice honors

HANOVER, MA…

In addition to its environmentally friendly dry cleaning methods and recycling practices, Lapels Dry Cleaning is known for its customer service and customer appreciation. Based on the number of Lapels Dry Cleaners in Massachusetts that won Community Newspaper’s Reader’s Choice awards, the appreciation is a two-way street.

Eight Lapels Dry Cleaning stores received some level of Reader’s Choice Recognition. That includes three stores recognized by readers of Community Newspapers as being the number one dry cleaner in their area: Hanover, Abington and Norton.

“It’s the ultimate cliché to say ‘it’s an honor just to be nominated’ and that’s true to a certain extent. But I’d be lying to say it wasn’t just as great to be voted number one in those locations,” said Kevin Dubois, CEO of Lapels Dry Cleaning. “Our franchises put out a great effort in delivering high quality results and service. This award indicates how much our customers appreciate that.”

Lapels Dry Cleaning stores receiving Honorable Mention for the Reader’s Choice awards include:

  • Westwood
  • Westford
  • Norwell
  • Easton
  • Bedford

There are 18 total Lapels Dry Cleaning stores in Massachusetts.

“Our franchise owners come from a number of walks in life prior to running their stores but they share a passion for providing the kind of service that keeps customers coming back,” said Dubois. “We salute their efforts and their commitment to providing a level of service that wins more than awards but wins customers for life.”

Lapels Dry Cleaning – Environmentally Friendly Cleaners
Each Lapels Dry Cleaning store offers a full slate of services, including: same-day dry cleaning; shirt service; tailoring; shoe repair; wedding gown preservation; suede and leather processing; box storage and fur storage. Lapels Dry Cleaning has stores in Arizona (Gilbert, Phoenix), California (Poway), Colorado (Littleton), Connecticut (Cromwell), Louisiana (Monroe, West Monroe), Massachusetts (Abington, Bedford, Boston, Brighton, Cambridge, Dedham, Easton, Framingham, Hanover, Marshfield, Newtonville, Norton, Walpole, Westford, Westwood and Wilmington), Missouri (Wildwood), New Jersey (Brick, Freehold and Verona), Ohio (Liberty Towns), Pennsylvania (Bloomsburg), Rhode Island (Lincoln); South Carolina (Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Forest); Texas (Arlington). Additional locations coming soon to Chandler, AZ, Boston, MA, Quincy, MA and Brownsville, TX.

Lapels Dry Cleaning has been ranked in Entrepreneur’s 26th Annual “Franchise 500” as well as Entrepreneur’s “Top 50 New Franchises,” identifying Lapels Dry Cleaning as one of today’s top franchise opportunities. Entrepreneur’s “Franchise 500” is the best and most comprehensive rating of franchises in the world and is based on objective, quantifiable measures of a franchise operation.

Lapels Dry Cleaning corporate offices are located at 962 Washington Street, Hanover, MA 02339.

To learn more about franchise opportunities with Lapels Dry Cleaning, call toll free (866) 695-2735 or email sales@lapelsdrycleaning.com. Additional information and up-to-date company news can also be found on the company’s Web site, www.lapelsdrycleaning.com.

Lapels Dry Cleaning cleans up on Reader’s Choice honorsRead More

New Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS), the only franchise executive conference dedicated to operations performance excellence, announced for Dec. 4-5 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Bob Gappa of Management 2000 will be a keynote speaker at Franchise OPS, December 4-5, in Atlanta, GA.

WOBURN, MA and ATLANTA, GEORGIA…

The influence of new technologies like handheld devices and social media has had a staggering effect on business and, for that matter, our everyday lives for the better part of the last decade. Yet in the franchise industry, franchisors have been relatively slow in employing these technologies to improve operations, particularly with regard to the role of the Franchise Consultant. That’s one of many topics to be addressed at Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS), set for December 4-5 in Atlanta, Georgia.

“Technology and new applications have dramatically improved how franchisors work and communicate with franchisees. In terms of franchise operations, however, we’ve only scratched the surface,” said Evan Hackel, founder of Ingage Consulting and one of the keynote speakers for the December Franchise OPS, to be held at the Centennial Hotel in downtown Atlanta. “We covered some Web 2.0 technology applications in previous OPS sessions. The Atlanta OPS will specifically target how modern technology can greatly enhance the Franchise Consultant role to improve service and performance.”

In addition to covering new material, this Franchise OPS will also feature several new franchise experts on its roster of speakers, including Bob Gappa, founder of Management 2000. Over the past 31 years, Gappa and Management 2000 have worked with more than 950 franchises, providing strategic insights and recommendations for those organizations to address critical business challenges and capitalize on new opportunities.

“Anybody who’s anybody in the franchising world either knows Bob Gappa or knows about him,” said Hackel.

In addition to Hackel and Gappa, other Franchise OPS speakers include: Deb Binder of Ingage Consulting, Rupert M. Barkoff of Kilpatrick, Townsend and Stockton; Keith Gerson of FranConnect; Eric Stites of Franchise Business Review; Stacey Ruth of Actio Marketing; Barth Getto of BizUnite; Mindy Golde of Listen360; and Matt Talbot of GoSpotCheck.

Topics to be covered at Franchise OPS include:

  • Technology for Field Consultants
  • Benchmarking
  • The Field Consultant of the Future
  • Better Onboarding
  • FDD Item 19 – How to Do It Right

Said Adam Marmelstein, COO, Brightway Insurance of Franchise OPS, “Even if you know a great deal about many topics, you don’t. Come and learn more about what you don’t know so you can take the first or fiftieth step down the path to success.”

In addition to the educational benefits, roundtable discussions and networking opportunities with C-level franchise executives, the Franchise OPS offers the added bonus of being approved for 300 CFE credits by the International Franchise Association.

“With a lot of conferences, you come away with good ideas and make some good connections but because you get that information on the fly, it’s not as easy to implement when you get back to the home office,“ said Hackel. “With Franchise OPS, each attendee will be able to take actionable items back with them to help improve their franchise operations.”

Interested parties can register for the Franchise OPS before November 3 for $599. After that, the fee increases to $699.

Added Hackel, “Those interested in attending should register early. The previous OPS in Denver sold out before the early bird special and something tells me that with our agenda and roster of speakers, the same will be true in Atlanta.”

Franchise OPS is sponsored by FranConnect, Franchise Business Review, Kilpatrick Townsend and Stockton; Actio Marketing, BizUnite, Ingage Consulting, Listen360, Management 2000 and Go/Spot Check. For complete information on Franchise OPS, please visit http://www.franchiseoperationssummit.com.

About Ingage Consulting

Ingage Consulting is a management consulting firm that works with franchisors and franchisees to improve the franchise organization’s culture which in turn increases sales and satisfaction; improves growth and retention and boosts loyalty and profits. Ingage Consulting provides solutions that drive the cooperation, commitment, passion and loyalty of both franchisors and franchisees.  The company helps solve the problems of franchise organizations by offering services that range from partnership creation and vibrant intranet community creation to trust building, improved communication and strategic planning.  After a thorough assessment, Ingage Consulting devises solutions to a franchise organization’s challenges. These solutions may include the development of methods that maximize collaboration among franchisees/licensees or the development of a clear strategy and execution plan for change which is customized to meet organizational objectives.

Evan Hackel, Ingage founder and management expert has more than two decades of experience in best practices, turnaround strategies and team dynamics.  He is often engaged to analyze franchise businesses, provide recommendations and facilitate strategic planning.  He is a member of the International Franchise Association and New England Franchise Association.

Ingage Consulting is located at 400 Trade Center, Suite 5900 in Woburn, MA.  For more information, contact (781) 569-5900 or visit the website www.ingage.net.

New Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS), the only franchise executive conference dedicated to operations performance excellence, announced for Dec. 4-5 in Atlanta, Georgia.Read More

Two tons of caring. Lapels Dry Cleaning stores contribute more than 4,000 pounds of clothing to Big Brother/Big Sister clothing drive

HANOVER, MA…

Lapels Dry Cleaning Clothing Drive
Some of the more than two tons of clothes Lapels Dry Cleaning stores in Mass. and RI collected and donated to the Big Brother/Big Sister Association of both RI and Mass.

Having a “ton” of laundry is an often-used figure of speech. This year’s Lapels Dry Cleaning Clothes Drive put a visual to this expression by collecting 4,073 pounds—more than TWO tons—for Big Brother and Big Sister of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

The drive, held from May 5 through May 20, included significant contributions from 18 Lapels Dry Cleaning stores and plants in Massachusetts and one in Rhode Island.

“Our Massachusetts stores and our Lincoln, Rhode Island location really stepped it up for this clothing drive,” said Kevin Dubois, CEO of Lapels Dry Cleaning. “Lapels prides itself on being environmentally friendly. A part of that is giving back to the communities we serve. We’re grateful to have a customer base that shares that spirit of giving.”

Some of the larger contributors to the clothing drive included the following stores:

  • Lapels of Norton (575 pounds)
  • Lapels of Hanover/Assinippi Corner (437 pounds)
  • Lapels of Walpole (345 pounds)

“With 18 Lapels stores participating in this drive it helped make this a huge success,” said Ken Higgins, Big Brother Big Sister Dispatch supervisor.

As impressive as those numbers are, the biggest individual store contributing came from the smallest state. The Lapels of Lincoln, Rhode Island collected 600 pounds of clothing.

“We’re so grateful for the contribution by Lapels customers and Lapels for coordinating the effort,” said Laura LoBreglio, customer service manager, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ocean State. “Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the union, but this clothing drive shows how Lapels customers care about helping out fellow Ocean Staters.”

Lapels Dry Cleaning – Environmentally Friendly Cleaners
Each Lapels Dry Cleaning store offers a full slate of services, including: same-day dry cleaning; shirt service; tailoring; shoe repair; wedding gown preservation; suede and leather processing; box storage and fur storage. Lapels Dry Cleaning has stores in Arizona (Gilbert, Phoenix), California (Poway), Colorado (Littleton), Connecticut (Cromwell), Louisiana (Monroe, West Monroe), Massachusetts (Abington, Bedford, Boston, Brighton, Cambridge, Dedham, Easton, Framingham, Hanover, Marshfield, Newtonville, Norton, Walpole, Westford, Westwood and Wilmington), Missouri (Wildwood), New Jersey (Brick, Freehold and Verona), Ohio (Liberty Towns), Pennsylvania (Bloomsburg), Rhode Island (Lincoln); South Carolina (Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Forest); Texas (Arlington). Additional locations coming soon to Chandler, AZ, Boston, MA, Quincy, MA and Brownsville, TX.

Lapels Dry Cleaning has been ranked in Entrepreneur’s 26th Annual “Franchise 500” as well as Entrepreneur’s “Top 50 New Franchises,” identifying Lapels Dry Cleaning as one of today’s top franchise opportunities. Entrepreneur’s “Franchise 500” is the best and most comprehensive rating of franchises in the world and is based on objective, quantifiable measures of a franchise operation.

Lapels Dry Cleaning corporate offices are located at 962 Washington Street, Hanover, MA 02339.

To learn more about franchise opportunities with Lapels Dry Cleaning, call toll free (866) 695-2735 or email sales@lapelsdrycleaning.com. Additional information and up-to-date company news can also be found on the company’s Web site, www.lapelsdrycleaning.com.

Two tons of caring. Lapels Dry Cleaning stores contribute more than 4,000 pounds of clothing to Big Brother/Big Sister clothing driveRead More

No hang ups about recycling and returning money to the community. Lapels of Littleton, CO recycles hangers and contributes to worthy causes.

Lapels Dry Cleaning
: Lapels Dry Cleaning of Littleton, CO owners Dave and Karen Wood (center in white shirts), donated $300 to local food pantries last year by selling steel hangers for scrap metal. The Woods are pictured here at their grand opening in 2010.

LITTLETON, CO…

Lapels Dry Cleaning of Littleton, CO is helping to raise the bar on environmentally friendly practices within the dry cleaning industry through their program for recycling hangers.  Used steel hangers are collected from customers and reused or sold as scrap metal and those proceeds are then donated to worthy community groups.

By giving where it matters most — education and fighting hunger — Lapels redefines what it means to be green, focusing on sustainability, which is one of the main goals of green practices. Last year Lapels of Littleton received over three thousand pounds of hangers.  These efforts resulted in donations in excess of $300.

Lapels has also provided support to many of the schools in the neighborhood as well as the Leawood and Columbine Knolls Community Associations.

Dave Wood, local owner and operator of Lapels of Littleton, noted, “Doing business in the community means a lot more to me than just making a living.  It also means making an impact. We are delighted to be in a position to both be a steward of the environment and share recycling revenues with non-profit organizations in our region.”

Lapels has pioneered its eco-friendly dry cleaning experience over the past 10 years.  Lapels is committed to using the most advanced environmental practices and technologies not only in the manner in which they clean clothes but also in the build of their Stores and Plants. Their environmentally-friendly cleaning process has no odor, breaks down naturally and is gentler on clothes, thus lengthening the life of clothes. At Lapels you can see, feel and smell the difference.

Lapels Dry Cleaning – Environmentally Friendly Cleaners

Each Lapels Dry Cleaning store offers a full slate of services, including: same-day dry cleaning; shirt service; tailoring; shoe repair; wedding gown preservation; suede and leather processing; box storage and fur storage. Lapels Dry Cleaning has stores in Arizona (Gilbert, Phoenix), California (Poway), Colorado (Littleton), Connecticut (Cromwell), Louisiana (Monroe, West Monroe), Massachusetts (Abington, Bedford, Boston, Brighton, Cambridge, Dedham, Easton, Framingham, Hanover, Marshfield, Newtonville, Norton, Walpole, Westford, Westwood and Wilmington), Missouri (Wildwood), New Jersey (Brick, Freehold and Verona), Ohio (Liberty Township), Pennsylvania (Bloomsburg), Rhode Island (Lincoln); South Carolina (Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Island); Texas (Arlington). Additional locations coming soon to Chandler, AZ, Boston, MA, Quincy, MA and Brownsville, TX.

Lapels Dry Cleaning has been ranked in Entrepreneur’s 26th Annual “Franchise 500” as well as Entrepreneur’s “Top 50 New Franchises,” identifying Lapels Dry Cleaning as one of today’s top franchise opportunities. Entrepreneur’s “Franchise 500” is the best and most comprehensive rating of franchises in the world and is based on objective, quantifiable measures of a franchise operation.

Lapels Dry Cleaning corporate offices are located at 962 Washington Street, Hanover, MA 02339.

To learn more about franchise opportunities with Lapels Dry Cleaning, call toll free (866) 695-2735 or email sales@lapelsdrycleaning.com. Additional information and up-to-date company news can also be found on the company’s Web site, www.lapelsdrycleaning.com.

No hang ups about recycling and returning money to the community. Lapels of Littleton, CO recycles hangers and contributes to worthy causes.Read More