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Ingage Consulting

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

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

2012 Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS) receives rave reviews from C-level franchise operations execs.

Eric Stites
Eric Stites of Franchise Business Review

WOBURN, MA and DENVER, COLORADO…

What makes a successful conference? From the organizer’s perspective, a sellout is a good start. In fact, it’s a great start. Yet as organizers of the recently held Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS), the only franchise executive conference dedicated to operations performance excellence, will tell you, it’s what attendees take away from the event that matters.

“We sold out the OPS in Denver, which is great,” said Evan Hackel, founder of Ingage Consulting and a keynote speaker at Franchise OPS, which took place on July 18 and 19. “What really made this event special is that every single attendee—with the help of franchise operations experts–left with a written out list, which they created, of action items they can implement right away to improve their organization’s operations.”

Said Nancy France, president and CEO of Fast Track Kids, “This was our first Franchise OPS, and we left with several key ideas that we can immediately implement in order to improve our operations. It was a great way to interact with other franchisors as well as knowledgeable speakers.”

Topics covered at Franchise OPS included:

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

While attendees benefitted from all the workshops, “Turning a Survey into a Powerful Management Tool”, hosted by Eric Stites of Franchise Business Review, drew particular interest.

“Surveys can be a great tool to improve communication with the franchisees and show the franchisees the organization is truly listening,” said Stites. “In the workshop at Franchise OPS, we provided attendees some innovative ideas on how to better utilize surveys and give them the tools to put a survey strategy together for their company.”

Stites’ company, Franchise Business Review (FBR), is a market research and consulting company that specializes in franchisee satisfaction and engagement. Stites created the Franchisee Satisfaction Index (FSI), which has quickly become the industry standard for measuring and benchmarking franchisee satisfaction and engagement. FBR has worked with more than 500 leading franchise systems including Action Coaching, Snap-on Tools, FastSigns, Budget Blinds, Church’s Chicken, Firehouse Subs, Home Instead Senior Care, ValPak and many other leading brands.

Other franchise operations experts who conducted workshops at Franchise OPS include: 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.

“If you want to improve your knowledge about trends in franchise operations, this session is the place. You will learn from experts, and you will learn from your peers,” said Bill Sherman, Chief of People and Processes, ConciER FSED Franchising.

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. A future Franchise OPS session is being scheduled for __ in Atlanta, Georgia.

Franchise OPS was sponsored by Franchise Business Review, Kilpatrick Townsend, Actio Marketing, BizUnite and Ingage Consulting. For complete information on Franchise OPS, including announcements on future Franchise OPS conferences, 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.

2012 Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS) receives rave reviews from C-level franchise operations execs.Read More

Operating at full capacity. 2012 Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS), to be held July 18-19 in Denver, CO, sells out.

Evan Hackel
Evan Hackel of Ingage Consulting will be a featured speaker at Franchise OPS, July 18 & 19 at the Westin Hotel in Denver, CO

DENVER, COLORADO…

The Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS), the only franchise executive conference dedicated to performance operations excellence, recently announced the July 18-19 event was a sellout.

“Clearly we’re thrilled with the response to this year’s Franchise OPS in Denver. One of the thoughts in putting together this year’s OPS and the one we held last year in Atlanta is that there is very little out there in terms of conferences for franchise operations executives. The sellout of this session bears that out ,” said Evan Hackel, founder of Ingage Consulting, one of the event’s sponsors. “Fortunately for those who weren’t able to attend this session, we’re planning another session with updated operations material for later in the year.”

To be held at the Westin Hotel in downtown Denver, Franchise OPS includes two days of workshops conducted by a number of franchise operations experts. In addition to Hackel, those franchise operations experts include: 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.

“The strength of OPS is our roster of speakers. It includes some of the preeminent authorities on franchise operations in the country,” said Hackel. “In addition, we’re going to be covering material that’s critical to franchise operations and attendees will leave with an actual action plan they can begin to implement from Day One of their return to their franchise.”

A sampling of the workshops being held at Franchise OPS includes:

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

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.

Franchise OPS is sponsored by Franchise Business Review, Kilpatrick Townsend, Actio Marketing, BizUnite and Ingage Consulting. For complete information on Franchise OPS, including announcements on future Franchise OPS conferences, 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.

 

 

Operating at full capacity. 2012 Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS), to be held July 18-19 in Denver, CO, sells out.Read More

FranConnect’s Keith Gerson joins roster of speaker for 2012 Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS), to be held July 18 & 19 in Denver, CO.

Keith Gerson
Keith Gerson, president of FranConnect, will speak at the Franchise Operations Performance Summit in Denver, CO on July 18 and 19.

WOBURN, MA and DENVER, COLORADO…

When franchisors and franchisees think of the Internet, it’s typically in terms of how to better serve customers and attract new ones. The new addition to Franchise OPS speaker roster, FranConnect President Keith Gerson, CFE, will address how new Web 2.0 technology can be used to transform how franchisors train and work with franchisees—elevating franchise performance.

“There are many franchisors who underutilize the capabilities of the internet, particularly when it comes to operations,” said Evan Hackel, president of Ingage Consulting and one of Franchise OPS’ keynote speakers. “We’re ecstatic to have Keith Gerson speaking on this topic because he will not only talk about how new Web 2.0 technology can be used to improve franchise operations but he will provide attendees with a written, actionable plan they can implement from Day one when they return from conference.”

In addition to Web 2.0 technology, Gerson will also hold a workshop entitled “Maximizing the Benefits of an Online University”.  The workshop will illuminate the best practices in implementing an online university as well as presenting real world case studies to stimulate conversation. As with Gerson’s other workshop, attendees will be able to create a list of action items to improve their franchise training systems.

“Done right, online universities can be truly transformational and improve operational execution.  The key is combination of integrating the online training into a comprehensive implementation and having the type of online training that users will both enjoy and learn from,” said Gerson. “The workshop can help with online universities or those thinking about adding one by teaching best practices in implementing an online University. “

Gerson is a 35-year franchise industry veteran. Prior to holding his current position as president of FranConnect, he served as the Chief Operating Officer at Sopra Brands, one of franchising’s leading private equity and management companies. Gerson has also led multiple companies to record levels of franchise development and accelerated them to multimillion-dollar revenue growth, leading to increased royalties and significant EBITDA. Companies he has led include PuroClean, AlphaGraphics, Mrs. Fields, and ChemDry.

A highly sought public speaker and mentor, Gerson’s expertise covers emerging as well as established franchise systems. His knowledge base helps FranConnect efficiently implement in-depth franchise development solutions for consistent growth and revenue profitability.

“Part of what makes Franchise OPS a one of a kind conference, besides the fact that we deal specifically with franchise operations, is speakers the caliber of Keith Gerson,” said Hackel. “His combination of experience, intelligence and presentation skills makes this a must-see workshop.”

The initial Franchise OPS was held last December in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition to Gerson, seven franchise experts—Evan Hackel and Deb Binder of Ingage Consulting, Stacey Ruth of Actio Marketing, Eric Stites of Franchise Business Review, 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.

Workshops to be held include:

  • 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

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 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.

FranConnect’s Keith Gerson joins roster of speaker for 2012 Franchise Operations Performance Summit (OPS), to be held July 18 & 19 in Denver, CO.Read 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

Great OPS for C-Level Franchise Execs…First-ever Franchise Operational Performance Summit (OPS) to be held December 6 & 7, in Atlanta, GA.

Evan Hackel
Evan Hackel

WOBURN, MA and ATLANTA, GEORGIA… 

Traditional franchise conferences provide networking opportunities, seminars, vendor presentations and meetings for franchisee councils. Very rarely is attention given to franchise operations. The first-ever Franchise Operational Performance Summit (OPS), to be held on December 6 and 7 in Atlanta, Georgia, focuses exclusively on how C-level franchise executives can improve their respective franchise operations.

Five franchise experts—Evan Hackel of Ingage Consulting, Eric Stites of Franchise Business Review, Rupert M. Barkoff of Kilpatrick, Townsend and Stockton, Barth Getto of BizUnite and Bob Hutter of CCA Global Partners—will lead the two days of workshops at the Franchise OPS, which will be held at the Twelve Hotel – Centennial Park, adjacent to the site of the 1996 Olympic Games. 

“You won’t find another workshop like Franchise OPS. Each session has been uniquely designed for franchise CEOs, COOs and VPs of Operations and specifically addresses the critically important issues facing today’s franchise operations executive,” said Hackel. “Besides the team of franchise experts providing their insights, attendees will also be active participants in each session.”

 A sampling of the workshops to be held includes:

  • Real World Franchise Compliance
  • Turning a Survey into a Powerful Management Tool
  • Supercharge Operational Excellence with Web 2.0 Technology
  • Making the Most of Franchise System Buying Services

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 21 for as little as $499 (a $599 registration and a $100 discount for taking the Franchise OPS Survey within five days of registration). After November 21, the fee increases to $599 if you take the Franchise OPS survey within five days of registering, $699 if you do not. 

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…First-ever Franchise Operational Performance Summit (OPS) to be held December 6 & 7, in Atlanta, GA.Read More