Unleash the Power of The Press

franchisees

Zoomin Groomin® Launches in SeaCoast New Hampshire & Maine

Zoomin Groomin® Mobile Pet Services are now available in the SeaCoast New Hampshire and Maine areas.

Cherie and Jack Stevenson are the newest franchisees of Zoomin Groomin Mobile Pet Services. The Stevensons will provide mobile pet grooming for dogs and cats, pet sitting and dog walking services to customers located in Seacoast, New Hampshire and Maine territory.

The Stevensons have two decades of experience in corporate management, sales, finance, administration, childcare and parenting. Their entire family will play a role in day-to-day management, operations, networking, and fieldwork. The Stevenson’s son, Mac, has been named Top Dog/Sitter.

Being able to provide services that make a difference in the lives of pets, and being able to relieve stress for pets and their owners, is not only the Stevenson’s mission, it is their passion.

“We are very excited to get started on this next adventure in our lives operating a Zoomin Groomin mobile pet business. Working with animals has always been a passion of ours. All of the dogs we have shared our lives with throughout the years have been rescues. Currently, we have Buddy, our second ‘child’, who is a black lab. Buddy came to us from a Lab Rescue Facility in Maryland,” explained Cherie Stevenson.

She continued, “By becoming a Zoomin Groomin franchisee, we will be doing what we have always loved doing…being around and caring for sweet, loving animals.”

Zoomin Groomin SeaCoast’s New Hampshire territory includes: Dover, Durham, Greenland, Madbury, Newington, Newmarket, Portsmouth, Rollinsford, Rye, and Somersworth. Their Maine territory includes: Arundel, Berwick, Biddeford, Biddeford Pl, Eliot, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Kittery, South Berwick, North Berwick, Ogunquit, York, York Beach, York Harbor, and Wells.

To learn more about Zoomin Groomin SeaCoast, visit the website at http://www.seacoastnhpetgrooming.com.

To schedule an appointment with Zoomin Groomin SeaCoast, contact 603-312-6173 or visit the website to schedule an appointment in their online member center.

About Zoomin Groomin®
Zoomin Groomin® Mobile Pet services, with corporate offices in Hingham, Massachusetts and locations throughout the East Coast, is a mobile pet service company that provides convenient, professional, door-to-door pet grooming, dog walking, and residential services, at participating locations. Zoomin Groomin caters to clients living in single family and town homes, as well as those residing in retirement communities, assisted living communities, apartment and condo complexes.

Owned and operated by a team of professionals with copious experience in sales, marketing, management and pet care, the company is franchising new locations to pet enthusiasts throughout the country.

Zoomin Groomin® is committed to using products that will not harm pets or the environment. By providing traditional dog and cat grooming mobile spa services, as well as in-home pet and residential services in an environmentally responsible manner, Zoomin Groomin® can help protect the world for generations of pets and pet parents to come. For more information, please visit www.ZoominGroomin.com.

###

Zoomin Groomin® Launches in SeaCoast New Hampshire & MaineRead More

The future of dry cleaning comes to Natick, MA. Lapels Dry Cleaning opens at 213 North Main Street location in Natick, MA.

NATICK, MA and HANOVER, MA…

Lapels Dry Cleaning, an innovative, environmentally friendly dry cleaning company headquartered in Hanover, Massachusetts, will open a new location on September 28 at 213 North Main Street in the 9/27 Shopping Center in Natick, MA. The Natick Lapels marks the fifth Lapels Dry Cleaning location to open in Massachusetts in 2013 (Lapels Dry Cleaning opened locations in Cohasset, Cambridge, Franklin and Quincy earlier this year).

Hours for the new Natick Lapels Dry Cleaning store are Monday through Friday, 7 am to 7 pm; Saturday 8 am to 5 pm; and Sunday, 10 am to 3 pm. The grand opening for the new Lapels will be held on Saturday, October 19.

“We are delighted to bring Lapels’ standard of high quality dry cleaning and superior customer service to Natick,” said Joe Caracappa, one of the co-owners of the Natick Lapels along with Raphael Bustos. The pair also own Lapels West End, located at 4 Longfellow Place in Boston.

Lapels has pioneered its eco-friendly dry cleaning experience for the past 10 years.  Using the latest 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 alteration services.

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.

For complete information on Lapels Dry Cleaning, please visit www.mylapels.com. Or, you can call the Natick store at 508-975-4595.

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, Chandler), California (Poway), Colorado (Littleton), Connecticut (Cromwell), Louisiana (Monroe, West Monroe), Massachusetts (Abington, Bedford, Boston, Brighton, Cambridge, Cohasset, Dedham, Easton, Framingham, Franklin, Hanover, Marshfield, Natick, Newtonville, Norton, Quincy, Walpole, Westford, Westwood and Wilmington), Missouri (Wildwood), New Jersey (Brick, Freehold and Verona), Ohio (Liberty Township), Oklahoma ) Oklahoma City), Pennsylvania (Bloomsburg), Rhode Island (Lincoln); South Carolina (Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Island, Forest Village); Texas (Arlington, Brownsville). Additional locations coming soon to  Austin, TX, Cedar Park, TX, and Needham, MA.

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 comes to Natick, MA. Lapels Dry Cleaning opens at 213 North Main Street location in Natick, MA.Read More

New Speakers added to Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS) speaker roster for May 2-3 Boston Summit.

Jason Larson, vice president of operations for BizUnite, and Larry Thibodeau, managing partner of Flexecution, Inc. have added as speakers for the Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS) in Boston. Franchise OPS takes place May 2-3 at the Sheraton Boston Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts.

BOSTON AND WOBURN , MA…

Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS), the only franchise executive conference dedicated to operations performance excellence, recently expanded its roster of speakers to continue to expand on their focus of technology in the field. Jason Larson, vice president of operations for BizUnite, and Larry Thibodeau, managing partner of Flexecution, Inc. have joined the speaker list. Franchise OPS takes place May 2-3 at the Sheraton Boston Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts.

“We are focusing on technology and how it can be used to enhance the role of the franchise field consultant,” said Evan Hackel, a fellow speaker at Franchise OPS and the founder of sponsor Ingage Consulting. “Jason and Larry both bring considerable franchise operations and technology experience to the table and will greatly add to the discussion of how franchise operations executives can prepare now for the evolving field consultant role.”

Larson, is the vice president of operations for BizUnite, one of CCA Global Partners’ most profitable and fastest growing divisions.  BizUnite, founded in 2007, is the leading business services marketplace for small and medium sized businesses.

“Franchise field consultants will need to know how to use technologies like Skype, handheld cameras, more interactive, and private franchisee websites as part of their interactions with franchise owners,” said Larson. “What those technologies will do is increase the number and the frequency of interactions between field consultants and franchisees and that will place a premium on consultants also possessing superior communications and interpersonal skills. I’m delighted to be part of Franchise OPS so we can delve deeper into what it will take field consultants in the future to succeed.”

Thibodeau is the managing partner of Flexecution, Inc., a leader in retail store execution. His franchise operations track record of success extends to all facets of retail store execution, including installation, construction, merchandising, warehousing and consolidation.

“The franchise field consultant of the future will have access to online training 24/7. Part of the evolving role of the field consultant will be to help them utilize these training tools to become better owners. So the field consultant role will become more like a business coach than big brother from corporate checking up on them,” said Thibodeau. “With this two-day event, we have literally hundreds of years of franchise operations experience available to attendees to brainstorm and discuss how field consultants can best work with franchisees down the road.”

Topics to be covered over the two days of workshops 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 Hackel, Larson and Thibodeau, the Franchise OPS speaker roster includes Bob Gappa of Management 2000, 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; Mindy Golde of Listen360; Matt Talbot of GoSpotCheck; Cordell Riley of Tortal; and Steve Abercrombie of Profit Soup.

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 March 25 for $599. After that, the fee increases to $699.

Franchise OPS is sponsored by FranConnect, Franchise Business Review, Kilpatrick Townsend; Actio Marketing, BizUnite, Ingage Consulting, Listen360, Management 2000, GoSpotCheck, ProfitSoup and Tortal. 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 performance through engagement which increases sales and satisfaction; improves growth and retention and boosts loyalty and profits.

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 to customized online education training programs.  Ingage Consulting provides solutions that drive the cooperation, commitment, passion and loyalty of both franchisors and franchisees.  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 Speakers added to Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS) speaker roster for May 2-3 Boston Summit.Read More

National Speakers Association (NSA) adds Ingage Consulting’s Evan Hackel to its roster of professional speakers

Evan Hackel
Evan Hackel of Ingage Consulting

WOBURN, MA …

The National Speakers Association (NSA) recently accepted Evan Hackel of Ingage Consulting, a leading consulting firm in the franchise arena. During his 25 years in working with franchises, Evan Hackel has developed a reputation as an expert on engagement and how it improves performance. With his recent acceptance to the NSA, Hackel will be taking this message to a broader audience.

“The franchisee member who is engaged tends to be more successful on an individual basis and is also the best sales agent an organization can have in attracting potential franchisees,” said Hackel, who founded the Woburn, MA-based Ingage Consulting in 2009, Massachusetts. “In joining the NSA, I would like to continue bringing that message to franchise organizations. I would also like the opportunity to speak to other types of organizations in both the public and private sector on how engagement can raise the performance level from top to bottom.”

To be accepted to NSA’s Professional Speaker roster, candidates must meet the organization’s requirements based on stringent criteria. Hackel met that criteria though his experience giving keynotes, meeting and workshop facilitation and breakout presentations and other speaking engagements.

Hackel has previously been tabbed as keynote speaker for a variety of companies and organization types, ranging from Fortune 50 companies to professional associations. The audience sizes have also varied, with Hackel speaking at smaller, interactive workshops to addresses for several thousand.

In particular, Hackel’s message resonates with franchise organizations. His next featured speaking engagement will be at the Franchise Operations Performance Summits (OPS), the only franchise executive conference dedicated to operations performance excellence as well

Beyond topics relevant to franchise organizations, Hackel is known for his energetic and interactive presentations. “Evan showed how franchisees grow stronger as the organization grows stronger, and how the organization grows stronger as franchisees grow stronger. That struck a credible nerve that everyone understood,“ said Steven C. Bursten, CEO and chairman of Exciting Windows! “We had more favorable comments than any convention speaker in our eight years of franchising. In fact, last year’s presentation was transformative.  Business owners who never appreciated what it means to pull together “got it”, and have been more supportive than ever this year.“

Some of the topics on which Hackel has spoken on in the past include:

  • Better Together:  Understand the most effective ways to tackle individual agendas and dysfunction in your organization.
  • The Need for Change: Learn how to address the paradigm shifts your organization needs to make to ensure long-term success.
  • The Power of Collaboration: Explore the power and possibilities of collaboration that lead to better ideas and a greater passion for success.
  • The 4 “Ps” of Selling: Learn to think differently about selling by focusing on the four “Ps.”
  • Overcoming the Price Objection: Leave with real-world tools to better deal with difficult customers and price objection.

Hackel is available for keynotes, breakout and facilitation sessions, and a variety of speaking engagements. You can contact him directly at 781-569-5900. To see more of Hackel’s previous speaking engagements, visit his profile page on the National Speakers Association website, http://www.nsaspeaker.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.  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.

National Speakers Association (NSA) adds Ingage Consulting’s Evan Hackel to its roster of professional speakersRead 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

Wave2 Launches New Franchise Division

Wave2 logoFranchisors and Franchisees Collaborate Using a Self-Service Portal Automating Marketing and Promotion Processes

DATELINE: WESTBOROUGH, MA

Franchisees in Tampa, Topeka and Tempe are about to launch new locations and need marketing tools to reach new customers, promotional collateral to present professional consistent messages along with digital ad campaigns to hit the ground running.  How do you control promotional activities in multiple locations with a consistent message, image and quality?

Wave2 Media Solutions has launched a new Franchise Division that removes the drama, cost and hassle replacing it with an easy to use self-service white-labelled portal to manage the entire marketing and promotional process.  A customized portal designed with your branding offering your corporately approved designs for both print and digital campaigns that can be accessed and edited by your franchisees.

With an eight year track record of providing similar services for the world’s leading newspapers and corporate clients, Wave2 Media Solutions is poised to take that same technology and turnkey solution to the franchise industry. Wave2’s large install base of newspaper partners will play an important role in this strategy.  A new Expert Partner” status will enable newspapers to participate with the local franchisees by facilitating their use of the Wave2 solution.

While most franchisors are looking to manage and control use of their brand there is a void of systems to enable them to do this.  Wave2 working with their newspaper partners will be able to offer a digital workflow that will connect franchisees to their local newspaper’s advertising products for the print editions of the newspaper and digital ads for the newspaper’s website.

Wave2 Media Solutions also helps manage, control and implement online standards for other marketing materials.  These include logoed apparel, email campaigns, brochures, business cards, direct mail, door hangers, internal and external signage, Point of Purchase (POP), post cards and anything that includes a franchisor’s brand.

Stormy seas?  Worried about protecting your brand?  Need to streamline marketing materials for franchisees?  Wave2 can help you navigate the roughest seas to a safe harbor.

“We understand that the last thing franchisors want is to juggle dozens of emails, phone calls and shipments from warehouses around the country every time a franchisee needs new monthly promotional materials or on-going marketing tools,” noted Brian Gorman, co-founder and Vice President of Wave2 Media Solutions.  “The typical franchisor system being used today is a server with static PDFs that franchisees can download or they order pre-printed material from a warehouse.  These systems offer little if any customization and regionalization for the franchisee and are slow to respond to changes in products, promotions and advertising.”

Gorman continued, “By implementing one of our white-label self-service portals, franchisors will be able to maintain their corporate brands across all types of media.  Franchisees will have much better access and editing capabilities so they can both personalize and localize their message in a more time effective manner than they can now.  The Wave2 newspaper partner channel will also be available to franchisees in their local markets making it much easier for them to place ads with newspapers.  This will empower the franchisee to improve both the targeting and timing of their localized promotions increasing their sales and lowering their costs. This is all available without taking the brand management away from the franchisor.”

Wave2 Media Solutions was formed in 2004 specifically to develop a range of solutions for the automated generation of documents. With an extensive installed base around the world hosting hundreds of websites, Wave2 aims to provide tools that will enable clients to both save costs and to generate new revenue.

Wave2’s product range includes solutions for Self Service Advertising, Self Service Portals, Creative Automation, Sales Visuals, Online Marketing and Personalized Publishing.  Wave2 is a world leading developer of Adobe Systems InDesign Server and Adobe’s Flash technology.

For more information, Wave2 Media Solutions can be contacted at 114 Turnpike Road, Suite 203, Westborough, MA 01581, (508) 366-6383, info@wave2media.com, www.wav2.com.

Wave2 Launches New Franchise DivisionRead More

Great OPS for C-Level Franchise Execs…2012 Franchise Operational Performance Summit (OPS)– the only franchise executive conference dedicated to performance operations execllence– to be held July 18 & 19 in Denver, CO.

Evan Hackel
Evan Hackel of Ingage Consulting

WOBURN, MA and DENVER, COLORADO…

Traditional franchise conferences provide networking opportunities, seminars, vendor presentations and meetings for franchisee councils. Very rarely is attention given to franchise operations. The Franchise Operational Performance Summit (OPS), to be held on July 18 and 19 in Denver, Colorado focuses exclusively on how C-level franchise executives can improve their respective franchise operations.

The initial Franchise OPS was held last December in Atlanta, Georgia. Eight franchise experts—Evan Hackel and Deb Binder of Ingage Consulting, Stacey Ruth of Actio Marketing, Eric Stites of Franchise Business Review, Keith Gerson of FranConnect, Rupert M. Barkoff of Kilpatrick, Townsend and Stockton, Barth Getto of BizUnite and Bill Gauthier of CCA Global Partners—will conduct two days of workshops at the Westin Hotel in downtown Denver.

“We received tremendous feedback from the first OPS, both in terms of positive response and comments on how we can make the two-day Summit even better,” said Hackel. “For the Denver OPS, we’ve incorporated many of those suggestions to make it even more beneficial for franchise CEOs, COOs and VPs of Operations.”

A sampling of the workshops to be held includes:

  • Real World Franchise Compliance
  • Impactful, Substantive and Effective Convention/Conferences 
  • Turning a Survey into a Powerful Management Tool
  • Maximizing the Benefits of an Online University 
  • Supercharge Operational Excellence with Web 2.0 Technology
  • Making the Most of Franchise System Buying Services

“Participating in the Franchise Operations Performance Summit provided a meaningful opportunity to reconnect with the essentials of franchise ops support as well as to hear new ideas from knowledgeable industry experts,“ said Ralph Thiergart, vice president of franchise services for Choice Hotels International.

Added Jackob Hunt, vice president of operations for Dogtopia, “Networking, collaboration of ideas and practical solutions made this summit worth the time and money. I look at this as an investment in efficiency in ways to work smarter.“

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 July 2 for as little as $399. After that, the fee increases to $499.

Franchise OPS is sponsored by Franchise Business Review, Kilpatrick Townsend, Actio Marketing, BizUnite and Ingage Consulting. 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 cooperatives and cooperative councils and leadership to improve the 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 cooperative members.  They offer unique services that help solve the problems of cooperatives in a number of ways.  Working closely with clients, the Ingage Consulting team quickly and thoughtfully assesses, understands and devises solutions to a cooperative organization’s challenges.  Leaders come away with ideas for improvement, including methods for maximizing collaboration among co-op members and a clear strategy and execution plan for change, customized to meet organizational objectives.  Ingage Consulting’s proven techniques to increase collaboration brings about greater productivity and success on many levels. In short, Ingage Consulting makes cooperatives more successful.

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.

Great OPS for C-Level Franchise Execs…2012 Franchise Operational Performance Summit (OPS)– the only franchise executive conference dedicated to performance operations execllence– to be held July 18 & 19 in Denver, CO.Read More

Deb Binder joins Ingage Consulting as VP of Marketing & Communications

Deb Binder of Ingage Consulting

WOBURN, MA…

Ingage Consulting, of Woburn, Massachusetts, recently hired Deb Binder as it new vice president of marketing and communications.

In this role, Binder will be involved in developing marketing and communications campaigns and strategy for Ingage accounts as well as proposals for new business.  Her responsibilities will also include public relations, both for the firm and clients, online strategies, and support for Ingage seminars.

“As a firm that specializes in creating engagement within franchise organizations and cooperatives, communications is a critical component of pretty much everything we do,“ said Evan Hackel, founder and principal of Ingage Consulting. “Our firm has grown so much since we began the business a few years ago that we really needed somebody to spearhead all our communications efforts. With Deb on board, we now have added strength in marketing and can offer more marketing strategy and support to our clients as well. I can’t think of anybody better qualified to take on that role than Deb.”

Binder has spent the majority of her career focused on communications, marketing and visual merchandising for cooperatives, franchises and retail chains. That experience included her tenure as Senior Vice President of Marketing for CCA Global’s cooperative divisions where she oversaw all online marketing efforts, as well as leading marketing efforts for Timberland’s Retail Division and City Sports.

As a communications professional, Binder has had many notable accomplishments, including leading several different companies/divisions into the digital age. She’s also been at the forefront of the development of brands for several organizations and the successful implementation of those brands into store environment.

Says Binder, “The success of any initiative involving franchises and cooperatives – or for any group – depends on the understanding  and ability to balance corporate needs with the real-life, day to day needs of the stores.“

Continued Binder, “I firmly believe that engagement is the key to success. The higher the participation and engagement, the more successful everyone will be. Marketing will have a stronger impact. Buying will be more effective. More systems will be in place to streamline workflow. And the end result ultimately is cost savings and increased profits. That typically makes everyone happy and more successful. The challenge is that creating and sustaining engagement is extremely difficult and takes a dedicated, ongoing effort.“

Binder holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Maine and earned an MBA at Southern New Hampshire University. She resides in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

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 franchisors and franchisees. They offer unique services that help solve the problems of franchises in a number of ways. Working closely with clients, the Ingage Consulting team quickly and thoughtfully assesses, understands and devises solutions to a franchise organization’s challenges. Leaders come away with ideas for improvement, including methods for maximizing collaboration among franchisees/licensees and a clear strategy and execution plan for change, customized to meet organizational objectives. Ingage Consulting’s proven techniques to increase collaboration brings about greater productivity and success on many levels. In short, Ingage Consulting makes franchises more successful.

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.

Deb Binder joins Ingage Consulting as VP of Marketing & CommunicationsRead More

AAFD partners with Health Analytics, Inc. (HAI) and First Service Administrators, Inc. (FSAI), to provide affordable, quality healthcare solutions

SAN DIEGO, CA… 

American Association of Franchisees and Dealers (AAFD) recently entered into a strategic partnership with First Service Administrators, Inc. (FSAI), a leading full‑service third-party benefits administrator for health plans, and its sales and marketing partner, Health Analytics, Inc. (HAI), to develop a selection of AAFD‑specific healthcare benefits plans, competitive in both price and design, to meet the diverse needs of its membership.

“Providing affordable quality health care solutions as a valued benefit of AAFD membership continues to be a high priority for the AAFD,” said Peter Hanson, president of AAFD. “AAFD Health Benefits has been enthusiastically received by our membership and our affiliated associations and we have every confidence that our new partnership with Health Analytics, Inc. (HAI) and First Service Administrators, Inc. (FSAI) will fulfill our vision and goal of a health care program that will continue to be a unique and compelling benefit for AAFD members.”    

FSAI provides comprehensive administrative services, including benefit plan design, network development, and cost management services. In addition, FSAI offers its clients the most innovative wellness and disease management programs in the industry. As an AAFD branded partner, FSAI recognizes the importance of providing its members with proven healthcare solutions, exceptional service, and cost-effective programs tailored to meet their individual needs.  

“First Service Administrators, Inc. and HAI are honored to have been chosen as the exclusive branded health program for the AAFD and its members,” said Chandler J. Rapson, CEO, FSAI. “Using FSAI allows AAFD the ability to control their health benefit plans to meet the needs of their growing membership base at an affordable price.”

For more information about AAFD and the benefits of being an AAFD member, please visit http://www.aafd.org.

About the AAFD
The AAFD is a national non-profit trade association representing the rights and interests of franchisees and independent dealers throughout the United States. Formed in 1992, the AAFD is focused on market driven reform to achieve its mission to define and promote collaborative franchise cultures that the AAFD describes as Total Quality Franchising. Since its formation the AAFD has grown to represent more than 50,000 franchised locations throughout the United States. The AAFD has members in all 50 states and represents more than 100 different franchise systems.
The AAFD’s Fair Franchising Standards, Fair Franchising Seal, Trademark

Chapters, and emphasis on Marketplace Solutions led to the Association’s recognition as a growing force in franchising. The AAFD’s Branded Partner programs add a new dimension to the value of AAFD membership. The AAFD provides a broad range of member services designed to help franchisees build market power, create legislative support of interest to franchisees, provide legal and financial support, and provide a wide range of general member benefits.
For more information about the conference or the AAFD, please call toll free – 800-733-9858 or visit www.AAFD.org.

 

AAFD partners with Health Analytics, Inc. (HAI) and First Service Administrators, Inc. (FSAI), to provide affordable, quality healthcare solutionsRead More