The 10 Best Franchises to Buy in 2019

2019 | Vol 10 | Issue 01

10 Best

The

Franchise to

Buy in 2019

Sean Buckley Executive Chairman

ULTRA TUNE Making Vehicles more Reliable with Comprehensive Auto Services Editor's Perspective 5 Intriguing mantras to nurture a Robust bonding with employees

Franchise Ecosystem Is Franchise A ProďŹ table Stroke of Business?

E An Enticing

Business Opportunity

B

uilding a business from scratch requires strenuous efforts and is bit of time consuming for a beginner. Instead of starting a business buying a franchise can be a viable alternative as it offers the independence of small business ownership which is supported by the benefits of a big business network. Many times you have observed a same brand such as Subway, 7-11, The UPS Store, Ace Hardware, Pizza Hut, Hilton Hotels, Molly Maid, and thousands more in different cities. These all are the examples of franchise where a business is operated and overseen by a much larger company.

However, the decision to associate with a franchise business is very research oriented. It involves multiple people like business owners, investors, and entrepreneurs. Also, entrepreneurs have to evaluate that their options need to weigh the risks and rewards, and consider the statistics before they make their decision.

One of the benefits of having a franchise is one doesn’t need a business experience to run the business. The franchises usually provide the training and support system that one needs to operate the business model. But remember, acquiring a franchise is not guarantee of success and the basic principles of good management and leadership such as informed decision-making, hard work, time management, having enough money and serving customers well- still apply. With an intent to shed light on the opportunities offer by franchises, Insights Success has curated a list of “The 10 Best Franchises to Buy in 2019”. These organizations are not only creating value-added franchise offerings, but are also providing unprecedented experiences to consumers.

“

“

Uniting with franchise allows a beginner to be a part of proven business model.

Rohit Chaturvedi

Ultra Tune features as the cover story of this edition. The company specializes in the maintenance and servicing of all the popular makes and models of motor vehicles in the Australian market, providing a wide range of servicing options including manufacturer's handbook servicing, tuning, air-conditioning servicing and general repairs.

Ultra Tune’s franchise model provides a one stop shop helping to ensure its franchisee's long term business visibility and success. Ultra Tune’s corporate head office, which is serviced by more than 20 employees, ensures transparent corporate governance, legal assistance/direction, sales and marketing support, product and service development, training and centralized accounts processing. The mantra is to build trust through integrity and transparency based on dependability and unequaled customer service.

Also, make sure to scroll through the articles written by our editorial team and CXO standpoints of some of the leading industry experts to have a brief taste of the sector.

Let’s start reading!

CONTENTS Articles

24

34

Editor’s Perspective

Franchise Ecosystem

5 Intriguing mantras to nurture a Robust bonding with employees

Is Franchise A ProďŹ table Stroke Of Business?

Cover Story

08

Ultra Tune Making Vehicles more Reliable with Comprehensive Auto Services

20 Destination Athlete

16 Quality Vision

Leaders in the Youth Sports Industry

Managing Quality in the Technological Age

26 FranServe Inc. Providing Assistance at Every Step

28 Tech-Talk Emerging Tech and Revolutions to Avoid Digital Irrelevance

32 WSI Providing Digital Marketing Solutions to over 100,000 Businesses Worldwide for more than 2 Decades.

38 40 Expert’s Opinion BARAMI One Stop Shop for Professionals on the Go

Zen MassageÂŽ Reinventing the Retail Massage Business Model

Editor-in-Chief Pooja M. Bansal Managing Editor Anish Miller

Executive Editor

Assistant Editors

Rohit Chaturvedi

Jenny Fernandes Hitesh Dhamani

Visualizer

Art & Design Director

Associate Designer

David King

Amol Kamble

Sanket Zirpe

Senior Sales Manager Co-designer

Co-designer Savita Pandav

Business Development Manager

Kshitij S

Peter Collins

Marketing Manager

Sales Executives

John Matthew

David, Kevin, Martin, Avinash

Technical Head

Business Development Executives

Jacob Smile

Steve, Joe, Alan, Anup

Technical Specialist Aditya

Digital Marketing Manager Marry D'Souza

SME-SMO Executive Prashant Chevale

Research Analyst Frank Adams

Circulation Manager

Database Management Stella Andrew

Robert Brown

Technology Consultant David Stokes

sales@insightssuccess.com October , 2019

Follow us on :

www.facebook.com/insightssuccess/

www.twitter.com/insightssuccess

We are also available on : Copyright Š 2019 Insights Success, All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Insights Success.

Reprint rights remain solely with Insights Success.

COVER STORY

Making Vehicles more Reliable with Comprehensive Auto Services

Sean Buckley Executive Chairman

“Our allegiance to our

franchisees and ultimately their customers is our priority.

“

Tune works closely with various leading tyre importers, supplying and fitting quality, affordable tyres to a range of passenger, 4 X 4 and light commercial vehicles. It also offers corporate and government fleet management services, as well as a nationwide Roadside Assistance Program; providing customers with peace of mind, knowing if something goes wrong out on the road, assistance isn’t far away. All Ultra Tune services can be accessed by the company’s free, purpose-built App.

Established in 1979 with its first centre in Box Hill, Victoria, Ultra Tune has expanded nationally to become the Australian leader in automotive after-sales servicing. The company is 100% Australian owned with more than 270 centers operating throughout Australia. Ultra Tune’s growth is steeped in a tradition of quality and affordable service with a vision towards an evolving everchanging future. The company specialises in the maintenance and servicing of all the popular makes and models of motor vehicles in the Australian market, providing a wide range of servicing options including manufacturer’s handbook servicing, tuning, air-conditioning servicing and general repairs.

In 2013, Ultra Tune launched its highly successful tyre program. Ultra

“

Ultra Tune’s mantra is to build trust through integrity and transparency.

“

I

n this busy, ever-changing world, everyone expects their daily commute to be an uninterrupted driving experience. For hassle free driving, it is necessary to ensure vehicles are in optimal condition and serviced regularly; as per manufacturer’s recommendations. As a rule of thumb; every car owner should have a complete service every 12 months or 10,000 kilometres - whichever comes first. To keep your vehicle in good condition, it is important to have a detailed maintenance check, to avoid any unpleasant breakdowns while on the road. Taking this into consideration, an Australia based auto service company; Ultra Tune provides both private and fleet motorists with a full range of car services.

An Agile Support Network Ultra Tune’s corporate head office, located in Melbourne, provides an end to end franchise support network: From site selection to stateof-the-art, quality equipment, the provision of centre signage to Ultra Tune’s corporate standards. The company’s franchise model provides

a one stop shop, ensuring its franchisee’s long-term business viability and success. Ultra Tune’s corporate head office provides transparent corporate governance, legal assistance/direction, sales and marketing support, product and service development, training, and centralised accounts processing. Its mantra is to build trust through integrity and transparency based on dependability and unequaled customer service.

Proficient Leader The elite team at Ultra Tune is led by Sean Buckley. He is an Australian entrepreneur with vast experience in many areas of business. Sean is Executive Chairman at Ultra Tune and owner of Ultra Thoroughbreds.

He is a skilled entrepreneur with a diverse range of interests including sports, business and new technologies. He went about building Ultra Tune at the expense of his own comfort, taking a mere $100 a week in wages in the early days of Ultra

Tune so he could invest back into the business, specifically the franchisees, because these were the people who were driving the model.

Embracing the Change The traditional Australian auto service/repair workshop is in an era of rapid change. Ultra Tune is at the forefront of embracing this change, whilst retaining its core fundamental attributes of quality and affordable services. It has the much-needed ability to service and maintain any make of motor vehicle according to the manufacturer’s handbook specifications. The company provides up-to-date technical training and support and all-round business support to its franchise owners.

Coupled with highly qualified, industry-leading technicians, Ultra Tune also brings powerful, national, state, regional and local level fully integrated marketing initiatives and quality suppliers.

The company firmly believes it is necessary to be reliable and honest in all business operations and is dedicated to an exceptional quality of service to maintain the standards of the Ultra Tune Service Centres, in terms of professional vehicle maintenance and repairs, customer service and centre presentation.

Personalised Service Offering Ultra Tune understands the consumer has choices, as such it is essential for the organisation to strengthen its status and that of its franchisees. The company provides personalised service through direct contact with the customer and offers competitive pricing for repairs and servicing – on average 30-40% cheaper than comparable services from dealerships.

Ultra Tune strategically locates their service centres, manned by professionally trained auto technicians. It supplies quality oils, lubricants, tyres and parts and have a

corporate identity for trust, loyalty and brand association.

The “Buddy” System Want to know when and where a certain vehicle was last serviced anywhere in the Ultra Tune network and what works were completed?

Ultra Tune’s state-of-the-art, purpose built SM4W (Salesmate for Windows) system, offers comprehensive customer service histories, which allows the company to provide unrivalled customer service experiences, support and back-up.

Compelling Marketing Structure When it comes to the marketing, Ultra Tune believes, strong and effective advertising will always continue to be an important factor in its success. Franchise owners enjoy the benefit of major media campaigns, direct marketing via a specialised computer database plus the flexibility of being able to choose from a broad range of local advertising, promotional, social media and digital packages.

Ultra Tune maintains a strong conventional marketing presence by spending more than $10,000,000 annually in television, print and event sponsorships. The organisation constantly recognises the need to move with the times. With integrated social media channels as the next frontier in organisational marketing, communication and promotion, Ultra Tune retains a team of dedicated, specialist social media consultants charged with the objective of building, refining and supporting the company’s social media presence and online profile. As an Ultra Tune

“

“

Trust your car with us.

franchisee, one will be plugged into, and supported through, this ever-evolving digital space.

Large Fleet Partnerships Ultra Tune has developed an original and affordable fleet maintenance plan for all types and sizes of fleet vehicles. All marketing support literature is available to each franchisee to assist them in acquiring fleet business. The company provides a national central billing facility for the benefit of many of the major Fleet Management Organizations (FMO’S) such as Custom Fleet, SG Fleet, Lease Plan and many others.

Many thousands of FMO related vehicles come to Ultra Tune each year for regular services. The drivers of these vehicles often decide to bring in their own family vehicles to Ultra Tune as well.

24/7 Availability In addition, Ultra Tune Roadside Assistance offers a 24/7 call centre based in Adelaide, providing priority around the clock assistance for Ultra Tune customers.

The company aims to give its customers a high level of service as well as complimentary 12 months Roadside Assistance Cover. Ultra Tune Roadside Assistance provides peace of mind to its customers and helps retain loyalty to the Ultra Tune brand. Its 12 months complimentary Roadside Assistance adds to the overall value perspective for Ultra Tune services.

Giving its customers true value for money, cheaper servicing costs and a national warranty. Competing your services with Ultra Tune means your new car statute warranty stays intact. www.ultratune.com.au

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Global Subscription 1 Year..........

(12 Issues) .... $250.00

3 Months ... (03 Issues) ....

$70.00

6 Months ..... (06 Issues) ..... $130.00 1 Month ......

(01 Issue) .....

$25.00

Date :

Name : Address :

Telephone : Email :

City :

State :

Zip :

Cheque should be drawn in favor of: INSIGHTS

Country :

SUCCESS MEDIA TECH LLC

Chris Budd Co-founder

Isolocity

Managing Quality in the

Technological Age 16 | October 2019

www.insightssuccess.com

Quality Vision

Q

uality is a factor in any business, the importance of a quality management system ranges anywhere from “Essential” in industries like Air Travel, and Automotive to “Important” in businesses such as event planning, and consulting. Some industries are required by the government to meet a certain standard, and some are simply required by the big players in their client base. One thing is consistent in all industries, the long term success of a business is dependent on the adoption of a quality management system in some form. If errors are allowed to be repeated, they will eventually erode a business.

Quality management software is the technological solution for managing quality. It represents the latest generation of quality management systems and poses a significant opportunity to any type of business.

Quality and Resistance to Technology Although the SaaS (Software as a Service) concept has been around for some time now in many industries, it seems to be a slower transition in the quality space.

Many companies established their quality management systems years ago which are based in word, excel, and sometimes even physical paper. Quality systems face a strong resistance to change, the stakeholders remember how hard it was to condition employees to follow new compliance procedures and don’t want to do it all over for the sake of going digital. Sometimes they think switching to a quality management software is costprohibitive, especially in the small to medium business

About The Author

www.insightssuccess.com

space. They settle in knowing their current system is going to get them certified, but this mentality puts these slow-movers at-risk.

The idea that overhauling a quality management system will drain company resources is an archaic one. Yes, the last time the business implemented a quality management system, it was painful. It was done on the backs of Microsoft documents, it depended on certain people to remember all the “if this, then that” triggers. It required the same information to be written out on form after form. That is all very difficult and very bureaucratic, it’s no wonder there is trauma from the memory of that implementation, the neophobia is completely justified.

It’s time to start challenging this fear of change because a divide will form between those that adopt a quality management software and those that don’t. Those that do will see a significant drop in quality management hours and therefore, a drop in overhead. These companies will be able to offer their customers better prices and better quality all at once.

The idea that switching to a quality management software will be painful is a fallacy. When a quality system is already in place, there are very few adaptations required of the employees. They need to login to a new interface, maybe some format changes from the old forms, but otherwise, it’s asking them to do MUCH less.

Chris Budd is the Co-founder of Isolocity, a quality management software designed to drive customized quality management systems for a wide variety of companies.

Isolocity supports the management of formal systems such as ISO 9001 and other standards in the ISO family, HACCP, GMP, FDA, and most custom quality systems.

October 2019 | 17

Our clients have reported saving as much as 25% of their quality management time, or saving them from making additional hires. Many clients have reported an easy transition, sometimes the switch is flipped in a matter of a day.

of FDA regulations) require signatures in many processes, we were able to build this right into the software

Quality Management Software Adapting to Needs

We reduced our clients’ work efforts by allowing their vendors to participate directly in their system, for instance, many CAPA documents are completed by vendors, we made it so they can do this directly in our clients’ systems.

At Isolocity, we have adapted our software to meet the needs of a diverse range of clients. Our initial build left us with a software that drove the quality management process automatically for those needing: specification management and inspection, real time SPC, CAPA, document control, internal auditing, inventory management, HR management, equipment management, and/or supply chain management. Among the more exciting technological adaptations are: •

Mobility

Many users of our system are inherently moving while on the job, and use their mobile devices to capture photo documentation, we married these requirements with our functionality.

•

User based permissions

Not all information in a company should necessarily be accessed by all employees, we mirrored this need by allowing our clients to maintain everything within their system and restrict information as needed.

Ÿ

External Delegation & Communication

On The Horizon of Quality Management Software We have our sights set on a few technological trends that we feel will be relevant to quality in the future, here are a few of the more exciting ones: Ÿ

IOT and AI

With the advent of smart fridges, smart slow cookers, and even smart garbage cans it’s clear any “thing” can be made smart. As more of a business’ equipment and supplies become smart, the quality management software will be able to capture more information and use less human input. Imagine a smart caliper sending product inspection measurements directly to the system, or a smart machine shutting down automatically when SPC goes out of tolerance. Or a smart spectrometer, a smart hotel cleaning cart, the list goes on. Imagine this layered with AI, predicting problems before they even happen.

At Isolocity, we are mindful that a quality management software should communicate with other business software. We are currently turning our focus to integrating with accounting and retail software but the broader vision is to allow clientmade integrations through services like Zapier or an open sourced API. Of course this is treacherous, how do we manage the quality of the service once we’ve handed it’s development out to the masses? Ÿ Augmented Reality

Imagine you could take a photo of a product prototype and its specifications are automatically uploaded to the quality management software. Imagine if inspection was done entirely by camera and the inspection data was uploaded automatically. Complete a 5S audit at the click of a camera… Technology is not far from this reality.

Join the Technological Journey of Quality Management We live and breath technology because we love the idea of passive production, we want to enable our clients to produce top quality outputs while minimizing the time they have to spend on production. There is so much the quality management software industry has already accomplished to that end, the earlier your company jumps on this wave, the more you will get out of it.

• e-Signatures

When moving to online, how do you maintain the accountability the way a written signature does on paper?

Some standards (for instance Part 11 18 | October 2019

Ÿ Open Source API’s and Webhooks

Products like Zapier and IFTTT have made webhooking popular and easy. www.insightssuccess.com

Destination Athlete Leaders in the Youth Sports Industry

I

t goes without saying that the size of sports market of present day is vast, where tens of millions of youths playing sports every day. But, like with so many other industries, it had been too fragmented, too timeconsuming and too confusing. As a consumer, one has to deal with several different vendors for uniforms, equipment, trophies, etc. In addition, the focus was more on the sport itself instead of on the individual athlete.

Since 2008, Destination Athlete® is building better communities through athletes. The company exists to help the youth and high school teams get to their personal destination by providing a one-stop resource with everything a team needs in order to thrive and succeed.

“The first ten years of this company have focused on providing superior customer service and a fervent devotion to changing the conversation around sports. We are looking forward to what the next ten years will bring.”

Since the very beginning, Doug Dickison recognized that the industry was also lacking a focus on holistic development. The need for a more all-inclusive approach to address athlete needs resulting in the creation of Complete Athlete®360. It is a holistic, customizable development program led by a best-in-class team of experts proficient in various facets of personal development in areas often overlooked in youth sports. The goal of Complete Athlete®360 services is to develop successful teams and organizations by helping to create winning cultures, respected leaders and connected people.

A Visionary Chief As parents are involved in the coaching of youth sports in his town, Destination Athlete’s® Founder and Chairman, Doug Dickison, had ideas for a better way of doing things. He seized the opportunity to drastically change the youth sports market by spending the next two years creating a business plan, researching the existing vendors in the market and looking to companies that put their customers first. On July 14, 2008, Destination Athlete® became the first and only one-source solution for the very lucrative youth sports market. The company’s vision: “Everything Team, Everything Better™.”

The Complete Athlete®360 approach allows these experts to embed themselves in a team or organization’s culture and become a part of it. They get to know people and make personal connections. This allows them to provide a lens for the leaders to help reinforce their goals and develop their own people. These services are then customized to meet the specific needs of each client. The Complete Athlete®360 team of professionals collaborates throughout the entire process to ultimately deliver transformational, sustainable results.

Comprehensive Offering Destination Athlete® came out of a need for much more than the market was providing to the athletes, parents, and coaches. Hence, the most comprehensive offering was born. Four key areas were identified as the main focus including apparel, equipment, fundraising, and performance. Doug says “We view ourselves as the most thoughtful company in the athletic community, taking care of youth sports teams with our comprehensive holistic solutions and world-class service”. Further, he says “We strive to be the single recognizable choice of teams who have a quest for development and/or winning.” He adds,

That sentiment is echoed in this customer’s recent experience with Destination Athlete®: “Wanted to let you know both the girls and boys team as well as us coaches are thrilled with the teams’ new clothing! Most importantly, I would like to let you know that, hands down, you have been the best company that I have ever worked with in almost 30 years of coaching!

Great products, great artwork, speed in delivery and awesome communication made this experience with Destination Athlete® wonderful! We look forward to working with you through the years.” ~Mike Schiavo, Mainland swimming

20 | October 2019

www.insightssuccess.com

“

Getting you there, it is what we do on a daily basis.

“

Turning Consistency into Achievement In his experience as a small business owner, Doug’s unwavering belief in the business is the key to his success along with a good business plan and a full understanding of the economics of the market. Destination Athlete® is now a national company with 96 franchises in 17 states and continues to grow. For the fourth year in a row, Destination Athlete® has been named a Top 500 Franchise ranked #216

by Entrepreneur Magazine. Each year Destination Athlete’s® ranking has continued to climb. This positive exposure has given prospective entrepreneurs the ability to see the value in owning their own Destination Athlete® business. It allows them the opportunity to combine their passion for sports with a rewarding career in the evergrowing youth and high school sports industry.

Testimonials “Complete Athlete®360 is truly an all-inclusive program designed to help our entire community reach their optimal performance goals. Whether on the field, in the classroom, or out in the world, we are better prepared to engage in and reach our full potential” ~Meredith Santowasso, Director of Summer Programs, Rutgers Preparatory School “We chose to partner with Complete Athlete®360 because of the depth and quality of the programs it offers and its topnotch professionals with whom we can work. We have had an excellent experience and are excited about the development it has and continues, to offer our coaches and students.” ~Jan Hathorn, Director of Athletics, Washington and Lee University

Doug Dickison Founder & Chairman

www.insightssuccess.com

October 2019 | 21

Mantras

INTRIGUING

5

Recognize Your Employees Efforts

TO NURTURE A

Every employee works for almost 1/3rd of the day time in achieving company’s objective. Employees work for hours and get paid as well for their labour. But isn’t it would be great if the top performing employees get immediate recognition from their supervisor. Study shows that, when managers provide appreciation/bonus/incentives to the top performing employees, it does not only create a special bond amongst the employees and the management but also increases the probability of longer association of employees with the company. Doing such things also boost up employees confidence and morale towards work that ultimately benefits the company at large.

Spread your Values through Interactive Sessions Many people love gaming. There are people who are almost mad about gaming and can do whatever it takes to excel in this form of fun activity. But it is not easy to excel in gaming, gamers have to first understand all the nitty-gritty associated with their favourite game including rules, different stages, rewards, difficulty levels, bonanza price amongst others.

After taking cognizance of such things and practising religiously; a gamer really transform into an expert. On contrary to this, when it comes to employees in any

ROBUST BONDING WITH EMPLOYEES

E

mployees, management, and the customers are the three most vital and integral part of every business operation. Often every company focuses heavily on the third aspect i.e. the customers, justifiably correct as well as it is the ultimate source of revenue generation through which a company runs and flourish. But it is also equally important to focus on the first aspect with equal force - that is the employees- which create the value for the organization. Companies hire people, train them and try to retain them as long as possible, but not always an organization and especially managers do the things which increase the employee engagement with the organization.

Here we enlisted few time-tested mantras that can help any manager to improve employees’ longevity with the organization.

24 | October 2019

www.insightssuccess.com

Editor’s Perspective organization, performance and ethical behaviour decides their future in the organization. Unfortunately, when things do not go well, managers left with no option but to take some strict action against the employee which many times create strain in the relationship.

To avoid such things, it is must to brief about company’s policies, business objectives and values in advance so that each employee exactly knows what transformation he/she needs to does in order to sync with the company’s culture.

Now it is also important to preach such things by taking seminar/induction and other, so that new hires can understands the importance of it. Without face-to-face interaction, transferring the core value is almost impossible.

Therefore, it would be great to schedule brief meetings/seminars/informal interactive sessions which can keep the employees in sync with the company’s core culture and assist them to work on their weak areas. Doing such thing always avoid a confronting situation at workplace and ultimately strengthen bond between employees and management.

Take Interest in Your Employees What a particular employee likes? Where he/she graduated from? Who are its family members? What fun activity he/she likes in leisure time? What annoys a particular employee at workplace? Answers to such things can only be found in the minds of an employee’s close ones. If as a manager, you take an active and ethical interest in an

employee, it does not only open a friendlier pool between you and the employee but also help you understand his/her motivations, likings, dis likings and other vital things that are required to understand your employees better.

Ultimately, it assists a manager to carry out business operation by focusing on company’s objectives with ease.

This type of bonding also nurtures a working relationship that can open the channels of communication so that when your employees have a good idea, they feel free to reach you out. This way you can be the employees’ boss with keeping employees’ trust and love at the core.

Nurture an Environment based on Mutual Respect How you talk to your employees? How you behave with them? How seriously you resolve their grievances? How much space are you providing them to grow into their career? These are some of the hard-hitting questions that every manager has to take seriously. No matter how competent a manager is, if you won’t create an atmosphere of mutual respect, chances of losing your grip on the team remain high. Moreover, if managers find themselves pounding on the desk and engaging in intimidation tactics, good chances are there that they can lose respect among their employees. But if the managers create a positive workplace environment based on shared respect, then it will only lead towards growing your authority that too with affectionate bonding with the employees.

Discipline is ‘Must’ Being friendly is a good thing. It resolves many problems.

In-fact, sometimes it solves the problem before it arises and thus every manager should have this quality to create a bond. But sometimes your friendly demeanour at workplace gets exploited by some employees. Occasionally, some employees can’t separate the friendly boss from the friend and switch gears frequently between work-fun mode. If you find an employee that is becoming overly familiar, joking, or disrespecting someone, this is right time to show your authority and keep the work-place discipline under control.

Doing this can help maintaining discipline without even offending someone.

Although, the list is endless but these techniques surely do wonders for managers and organizations if followed consistently and stringently and help them achieve the desired goal of employee retention for long.

www.insightssuccess.com

October 2019 | 25

Alesia Visconti CEO Alesia Visconti CEO

. c n I e

v r e nS

a r F

v o r P

g n i id

is s s A

“FranServe is the world's largest franchise consulting and expansion organization. We help you be in business for yourself, but not by yourself.”

26 | October 2019

c n ta

t a e

y r e Ev

p e t S

E

ven for a motivated entrepreneur, starting a business from scratch includes a lot of risks. Instead of starting a business, one can consider franchising before entering in the realm of entrepreneurship.

Providing such fearless individuals a chance to thrive.

FranServe Inc, a franchise consulting and expansion organization, helps other to achieve their dreams of business ownership through franchising. In an interview with Insights Success magazine, Alesia Visconti, CEO of FranServe Inc. sheds light on the organization’s vision, objectives and exceptional services.

www.insightssuccess.com

Below are the highlights from the interview conducted between Alesia and Insights Success:

As franchising explodes in the USA and abroad, so will FranServe!

Give a brief overview of the company and its vision.

Testimonial “After a 20+ year career in corporate America I decided to become a franchise consultant. It was a very challenging change because I wanted to be able to knowledgeably serve my clients, but I knew almost nothing about the franchising industry. FranServe changed all that! FranServe has the most comprehensive training program in the industry, both initially and on- going. It includes continuing education, franchise specific reviews available on-demand, bi- weekly group calls for support and further development, and a fantastic 4-day annual convention which is by far the most useful I have ever attended in my professional career.

FranServe is the right choice if you want to join the Franchise Consultant Industry!” - Trey McClure, FranServe Consultant

As the largest franchise consulting and expansion organization in the world, FranServe connects entrepreneurs to franchise opportunities, introduces franchisors to qualified people, and trains the industry’s most knowledgeable consultants to make it all happen. Our culture, technology, reach and scale are helping us revolutionize the industry.

What are the cutting-edge products/services offered by FranServe?

We are a full service, three avenue company: 1. Helping people become franchise consultants 2. Assisting people to own a franchise that fits their needs 3. Helping franchise brands expand and grow What are the distinctive features/foundations that makes FranServe unique from its competitors?

We have a deep-rooted desire to help others achieve their dreams of business ownership through franchising. That can include training and developing the best franchise consultants, helping people become franchise owners, or aiding franchise brands to grow. We’re leading a revolution in the franchise industry and have built the largest organization in the world that connects people to franchise ownership. We are transparent in our actions and behavior, and are committed to our three core values: Integrity is Everything, Grow or Die, Teamwork Gets Results. We also stand by a Code of Ethics. In 2018, we acquired the Franchise Dictionary Magazine to further our growth initiative. In 2019, we donated $20,000 to Freedom Service Dogs of America, a non-profit organization providing service dogs to veterans and children.

Describe the experiences, achievements or lessons learn that has shaped the journey of the company.

The biggest changes in the company have come about because of the changes in the leadership team. We have a unique culture and take business seriously, but never ourselves. Working closely as a team encourages camaraderie and support. We don’t believe in pitting people against each other, ranking consultants based on achievements, or holding back information from one another. It is truly a transparent environment, full of warmth, fran-ship, and support.

Where does FranServe see itself in the long run and what are its future goals?

Our second core value is “Grow or Die” which means we always have our vision pushing forward, out on the horizon. www.insightssuccess.com

“FranServe consultants are knowledgeable, well-versed in the franchising industry, they educate and support their clients as they go through the due diligence process. I have worked with numerous consultants within the FranServe network and they are among the most professional and competent in the industry.”- Holly Owens, Alliance Franchise Brand “Being introduced to the FranServe opportunity is one that I'll be forever grateful. Every day I make positive changes in people’s lives and my own! I’m emotionally, professionally and financially rewarded and feel very blessed to be part of such a caring community of professionals.” -Diana Capirano, FranServe Consultant About Alesia Visconti Alesia Visconti, has 20 years of experience as a CEO & President, driving organizational development and taking companies to the next level, both domestically and internationally. An author, professional speaker, and entrepreneur, her motto in life is “Work hard, play hard, help others, repeat.” Visconti’s own career took a twist when she began training as a FranServe consultant while serving as the CEO of an international career transition firm. She quickly rose to the top, became the President, then CEO of FranServe, and now continues to lead the next stage of FranServe’s evolution.

Passionate about the franchise industry and ensuring people have the opportunity to take control of their future, Visconti never loses sight of her mission: to help others achieve their dreams of business ownership through franchising, and to train and support the industry’s best franchise consultants. www.FranServe.com

October 2019 | 27

Emerging Tech and Revolutions to Avoid Digital Irrelevance

T

he past several years have brought about sweeping changes in business technologies from main stream adoption of AI and voice activated devices to AR and VR solutions. Personal assistants power multiple devices and the internet of things push companies to keep up or get left behind. As emerging technologies push forward, consumers are getting use to a level of service, unimaginable just a few years ago. Millennials and Gen Z’ers have grown accustomed to being able to customize everything, get it the next day, and return it with no ramifications.

All of these technological advances are changing the way business is conducted at a base level and automation is finding its way into everything from marketing to warehousing. To cap it all off SEO is becoming increasing qualitative. Since quantitative factors can be gamed to beat the system, giants like Google and Amazon have decided that just because your company has an excellent keyword and schema strategy, doesn’t mean your business is the best at what it does. Both are relying more on qualitative factors like customer conversions, customer reviews, and even the amount of foot traffic you have at your physical locations.

Amazon and Google get set to square off as the Ecomm arms race continues to escalate and Zero Click ECommerce becomes ground zero for these platforms to gain your business. Zero Click Ecomm allows you to book a service or buy a product from your home speaker or phone without leaving the Google or Amazon platform or going through a traditional checkout process.

In order to succeed, businesses need to be flexible, adapt to a changing landscape and meet consumer expectations.

What often is not addressed, however, is whether a business should adopt these technologies and how to decide which ones make sense. With development costs for custom built consumer-based apps starting at 100k and lead times over 3 months, todays CITOs and CEOs need to drive innovation, protect it, and capitalize on it just to stay ahead of the competition. Three technologies or revolutions that every 28 | October 2019

business needs to consider right now are Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), and Zero Click Ecomm. Ÿ

Artificial Intelligence (AI): No matter what generation you are from, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has impacted you in some way. The old chess playing robot Deep Blue project, with origins dating back to the 80’s, has evolved into the advanced systems like IBM Watson and Amazon Lex. Once highly guarded proprietary systems, AI platforms have become open and friendly to developers with systems capable of learning and driving results. Today Artificial Intelligence drives consumer interactions through website and texting platforms.

Many automated marketing platforms are incorporating AI to make sure that your advertisements reach the people most likely to purchase your product.

AI is an emerging tech that all businesses need to put on their short list. PWC predicted that AI will help marketing solutions based on Big Data and we already see business systems like Buxton incorporating AI into their mapping models. AI is advancing science, marketing, and business management, AI has the power to predict results, improve ROI, and save money. Ÿ

Augmented Reality (AR): Augmented Reality is becoming a game changer for many industries, however, what exactly is it and how does it benefit modern business? Many people I talk with still confuse Augmented Reality with Virtual Reality (VR). Virtual Reality is a 3D environment, a complete virtual world that is immersive where the consumer is fully rendered inside a digital space and requires somewhat cumbersome electronics like headsets and haptics to complete the experience, (á la Ready Player One).

Augmented Reality (AR) is much more practical and prevalent. AR allows the consumer to change things about their real environment with the assistance of technology, www.insightssuccess.com

Tech- Talk usually a phone app or integrated web tech. The beauty space has flocked to AR to allow consumers to virtually try on make up or change their hair color such as the YouCam Makeup – Magic Selfie Cam showcased at the 2019 CES show. These are practical solutions to consumer pain points, allowing them to try before they buy. AR can help a consumer choose furniture, car accessories, and more, as they look in real life on themselves or in their own house as opposed to how they think they will look be online images. Wayfair has been leading the charge in this space and revealed at Shoptalk that they are digitizing much of their online inventory and converting them into interactive images. Ÿ

Zero Click Ecomm: Zero Click Ecomm isn’t tech, but it is a revolution. Powerhouses Google and Amazon are going head to head for your business and it is a two-pony race. According to an Adeptmind Survery, 46% of product searches originated on Amazon compared to 34% originating on Google. Amazon has been dominating the global Ecomm market, proving a long tail strategy can be immensely successful. As they grow, Amazon is bringing that level of innovation into the brick and mortar world with automated checkout and account based transactions.

Google however has not given up. They may be behind in product search originations, but according to Statista.com 63% of all searches still start with Google. Google’s goal over the next couple of years will be to have you never leave the Google Platform. Google’s technology investments in Google Business, Google Merchant, Google Manufacturer, Google Reserve, and Google Analytics, allows business to list their location, sell their products, book their services, advertise their wares, and track their ROI, all without ever leaving the Google Suite.

As business tech evolves and progresses, business need to keep pace to avoid becoming obsolete. The good news is that as the tech advances so do the solutions, and many software companies are building out of the box solutions for various industries to bring you up to date. There are AI solutions for customer service, marketing, and management. There are AR app builders who can help you utilize the technology for your consumer solutions, even if your company hasn’t been keeping up to date. It will be every CEOs responsibility to provide the vision of how the tech fits into their organization and CITOs and CMOs will be integrating the technology and pushing it even further. If we embrace the change, we will be able to do more and achieve higher ROIs with deeply satisfying consumer experiences. Artificial Intelligence will make sense of Big Data, Augmented Reality will provide the ultimate customer experience, and Zero Click Ecomm will make the transaction process easier and simpler, bringing more ROI to companies with the vision to utilize the technology and avoid digital irrelevance.

www.insightssuccess.com

About the Author Greg Forsythe is the Senior Director of Branding and Innovation for Deka Lash and serves as a marketing consultant and advisor for the beauty and wellness industries.

Greg has directed commercial projects for Fortune 100 clients such as Wal-Mart, CVS, Verizon, Kroger, Walgreens, Johnson and Johnson, and UPS. Greg studied Operations Management at Penn State before obtaining his Marketing Certification from The Wharton School.

October 2019 | 29

Providing Digital Marketing Solutions to over 100,000 Businesses Worldwide for more than 2 Decades.

T

he internet has completely altered the face of business.

Gone are the days when Yellow Pages, television, newspaper, and radio advertising ruled a company’s media budget. Today, businesses are investing in digital marketing campaigns to promote their products and services and are reaching their consumer base in a more relevant, personal, and cost-effective manner. Forecasting the impact that the internet would have on the face of business, WSI, a leading expert in digital marketing, entered into the marketplace more than 20 years ago. The knowledge and expertise they’ve gained over the years have enabled them to become one of the largest and most experienced digital marketing agency networks in the world; helping over 100,000 businesses to grow by providing them with unique digital marketing solutions.

In an interview with Insights Success, Daniel Lattanzio, Sr. VP of Franchise Development at WSI, shares the company’s story, service offering, and future vision. WSI provides marketing solutions to businesses of all sizes and across all industries. They help organizations solve their marketing challenges and stay ahead of the learning curve in this fastpaced digital world.

Below are highlights from the interview conducted between Daniel and Insights Success: Give a brief overview of the company and its vision.

WSI is a digital marketing company headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Founded in 1995, we began franchising our proven digital marketing system a short time later. Now, after more than 20 years in business, we have offices across the globe, and a network that’s helped over 100,000 businesses develop their digital marketing strategies.

WSI’s proven model helps our franchise owners take back control of their lives in order to achieve the next level in their career, build equity for their future, and enjoy living the lifestyle they want. Our network of consultants really makes a difference, both in their own lives and in the businesses of their clients.

What are the cutting-edge products/services offered by WSI? At WSI, we don’t believe in cookie-cutter digital marketing strategies. Businesses may have similar pain points, but their goals and objectives are unique. That’s why our approach to delivering digital marketing solutions (the WSI Internet

32 | October 2019

Solutions Lifecycle®) has a whole phase dedicated to learning about the marketing problems a business needs help solving.

Our goal is to build a long-lasting business relationship with our clients and become their trusted partner for all their digital marketing needs. We do this by leveraging digital marketing tactics like PPC, SEO, social media, Facebook advertising, marketing automation, inbound marketing, etc., to help elevate their online brand awareness and reputation, provide them more leads and sales, and improve the performance of their online properties.

Give a detailed description of the Founder/CEO/Management’s contribution to the company and the industry.

After attending Sir Wilfred Laurier University, our co-founder, Dan Monaghan, founded a sales and marketing company at the age of 21. The company, The Northern Group, had a focus on marketing environmental products in Canada. Within three years it had grown to an annual sales volume of $14,000,000 in four countries. In 1993 Dan co-authored the book, Why Not Me? which quickly became a national bestseller.

With Dan’s ability to foresee emerging trends and capitalize on them, he co-founded WSI in 1995. In 1996 he wrote the book Amazing Secrets of Profiting from the Internet. WSI’s latest book, Digital Minds, was released in 2013 (and again in 2015 with a 2nd edition). It quickly achieved bestseller status and is now available in multiple languages and is one of the top-rated digital marketing books available on Amazon.

Today, WSI’s boasts the world’s largest digital marketing footprint. WSI’s partnerships with industry leaders like Google, Microsoft, and Adobe have positioned the company as a worldwide leader in delivering digital marketing solutions to businesses.

What are the distinctive features that make WSI unique from its competitors?

WSI is a business consulting franchise, bringing high level consulting to small and medium-sized businesses worldwide.

Unlike other franchise models, we have a patented consulting system that all franchisees follow, allowing them to create strategies that are targeted and measurable for each business.

WSI Consultants are free to focus on their client’s current and future strategy while following our 6-phase WSI Internet Solutions Lifecycle® and have access to a vetted list of topnotch suppliers deliver high-quality digital marketing solutions on their behalf. www.insightssuccess.com

Solving digital marketing challenges for over 100,000 businesses worldwide.

Daniel La anzio Sr. VP Franchise Development

WSI

As a digital marketing company, WSI’s collaborative network of Consultants makes it very unique in comparison to other marketing agencies. Our consultants can tap into the collective brainpower of the WSI network and apply these insights to each business they work with.

Describe the experiences, achievements or lessons learned that have shaped the journey of the company.

When the founders of the company first laid out the vision for WSI, it was before the internet as we know it today. Back then it was called the information superhighway, and the objective was to build the distribution network for goods and services around the world using this superhighway. It was this initial concept of the internet that inspired our founders to create a company to help businesses leverage digital communications.

At WSI, we realize that many businesses lack an understanding of the internet and its full potential. Embracing and closely following the ebbs and flows of the digital marketing industry is one of WSI’s greatest strengths. We have over two decades of experience, not only keeping on top of the pulse of the digital space but also adapting our systems and processes so we can continue to provide the best digital marketing strategies to the businesses we work with. For members of the WSI network, this represents opportunities to teach, consult, and lead businesses on how to use digital marketing to their fullest advantage. At WSI, we’ve embraced change and developed a process that offers our network unlimited opportunities and an unprecedented growth curve.

Where does WSI see itself in the long run and what are its future goals?

“We are moving into the world of Minority Report, where advertising is delivered to the consumer in a personalized manner.”

www.insightssuccess.com

Digital marketing has changed; where previously demand could be harvested through marketing, now we must generate demand through personalized knowledge of the end client.

With AI and machine learning we can harness millions of data points and develop exact user trends. At its core, WSI is a consulting company that analyses the business strategy of our clients and delivers an agile digital marketing strategy to align with their business goals. We can’t forecast all the digital marketing tools and services that will be available in the future, but we can forecast that WSI will be there to provide these tools to our existing and future clients.

Give us a few testimonials of your clients that accurately highlight WSI position in the market.

“Internally they refer to our network as the WSI Family. I can tell you first-hand, they mean that. It is a family with all the respect, coaching, care and familiarity a work family can provide. I’m proud to be part of this family. WSI is in the digital marketing business, and for those of you dreaming of succeeding, and willing to work hard, in your own business, WSI delivers.”-Domenic Ali, WSI Digital Marketing Consultant “In October of 2017 I left the corporate world to run my own digital marketing business under the WSI umbrella. WSI has provided me with a wealth of knowledge via in class and online training. They provide their Internet Consultants with everything they need to start and run a successful business with continuous support. Everyone at the home office is very well versed in the history and new developments in all aspects of digital marketing and consistently update the services and training available. They are also very pleasant and professional in every engagement. I appreciate all that you have done and continue to do to assist me and my business and I’m glad to be a part of the WSI family!”-Jeremy Howard, WSI Digital Marketing Consultant

October 2019 | 33

IS

FRANCHISE A PROFITABLE STROKE OF BUSINESS?

T

echnology, technique—name it, the world has bestowed some remarkably adaptive implications and stimulated them into becoming a global brand. Yet, many organizations are striving to attain the full benefits of being a globally recognized brand. To stretch out confinements, various organizations often offer franchise licenses to franchise owners in potentially profitable regions for acquiring a better customer approach. Instead of starting from a scratch, an individual can purchase a franchise and start with a proven business model that has a more probability of achieving success.

With adequate management and guidance, one can easily flourish in the business world. Franchise business strikes down certain hardships and struggles that might be faced in the start-ups. Choosing franchise 34 | October 2019

www.insightssuccess.com

Franchise Ecosystem

businesses over a start-up could prove as a better idea, as it has more fruitful benefits that of any initial-staged businesses.

An Established Open System Unlike any start-ups, a franchise business allows an individual to carry out the operation directly from the established foundation. From brand cultivation and marketing to future plans and customer base, a new franchise owner is blessed with almost everything. An outlet of a franchise ensures the idea of following the similar business modules and operational methods can be more effective. And, implementing some new tweaks in such absolute aspects makes the task easier for a distributor.

In addition, it also allows professionals to overview the business reports and key performance indicators which aid www.insightssuccess.com

one to adapt and make appropriate business decisions. Besides, a strong support system is often a necessity rather than a want. It supports an individual in maintaining balance between both independent ideologies and the brand’s business modules. The support mostly includes the vast knowledge about the franchise and an expertise outlook on products. With such system, many new business personalities can perpetually sustain in the massive markets.

Less risk factor and Higher Success Rate One of the primary concern factor and the misconception in franchise business lies within the limitation of autonomy. Unlike individual enterprises, a franchise business might be facing some problems regarding receiving a full scale autonomy which can be overruled thereafter. It requires

compassion over choosing a franchise which is more suitable with a purchaser’s business ethics. This reduces the risk of being dominated by franchisors and other investor entities and helps in drafting own rules to follow on.

Though a franchise comes with a wellestablished platform, it does require consistent efforts on bringing the organization upwards. According to various reports and facts, it has been also stated that the success rate of franchise business is quite higher than an independent entrepreneurial venture. As franchisees operate under a systematic business model, they get an indirect training in marketing as well as staff handling. With a large-scale marketing, the franchisees can promptly attain more customer attraction resulting into a higher growth rate.

October 2019 | 35

Instant Customer Access Customer engagement is one of the most crucial and difficult processes in a business to bear. To gain more number of customers, an organization has to invest their time and efforts on processing various marketing aspects.

In case of franchise business, the odds are quite similar but with fewer efforts.

As most of franchise brands have a national or a global recognition, franchisees are required to contribute into a “marketing budget” through which the parent companies could process out an extensive promotion campaigns. Meanwhile, franchisee can also start an independent campaign in order to gain instant customer engagement.

Below are some methods through which franchisees can uplift the business, independently.

Focusing on target audiences—instead of exaggerating over customer approaches, one can narrow down the target audiences to highly qualified prospects. It allows business owners to concentrate and come up with best prospects to deliver.

Return-policy—being the most traditional and effective way to attract customers, utilizing return-policies in franchise business will aid the franchisees to get better customer approach. Providing something in return and offering various schemes helps in creating an adverse marketing network.

How Franchise Business works?

Quite a few requirements are needed to be fulfilled by a prospective franchisee owner in order to get qualified for licensing the brand’s name. The qualification requirements significantly vary from one franchisor to other. It often includes maintaining a higher net worth and a good credit score for a larger initial investment. In addition, a franchisee must be having another source of income also an industry/management experience for guiding business effectively.

Subsequently considering all the factors, the franchisor determines whether the prospective owner is worthy enough to be qualified for the business or not.

A Franchise agreement includes certain sets of terms which are required to be followed by the franchisees. After being qualified, an individual signs an agreement where he/she has to pay a franchise-fee in order to acquire the license to use the brands name and its business processes. Simultaneously, the franchisor assists franchisees with allocation, supplier connections, storemanagement and staff training.

However, it also bestows various facets like specific tested operating system, with creative marketing strategies.

Initially, the opportunities of implanting reinvention in franchise business are narrowed down as the focus of a franchiser is on delivering a consistent experience across all the locations. A multiple franchised locations, a franchisee can easily attain increased purchasing power. Also, Franchise business allows business persons to be flexible to try new products or services in order to test in the real-time market scenario. Thus by considering above aspects, it can be concluded that the franchise business is most secure and best option to invest in.

36 | October 2019

www.insightssuccess.com

®

Zen Massage

Reinventing the Retail Massage Business Model

M

anaging health conditions and enhancing wellness are growing priorities in people’s lives. Consumers and the medical community alike are embracing massage as part of a comprehensive wellness journey; it is also increasingly a part of health care plans. The Zen Massage® franchise system is growing by capitalizing on these trends.

Zen Massage is a successful system with locations in six states. It is poised for growth nationwide, particularly the Southeast. It offers competitive advantages that both consumers and franchisees prefer. For consumers, it offers professional massage therapy and skin care services in a comfortable environment at everyday low prices with no contracts or membership fees.

To franchisees, it offers a simple, proven business system at lower costs and fees.

Consumer- friendly Offerings Zen Massage has reinvented the retail massage business model. According to the company’s research, consumers hate contracts and membership fees like they hate cell phone and cable TV contracts and fees. Zen is structured to not lay those hassles on consumers.

This is a main reason its customers choose Zen Massage.

A Franchise Business Veteran Randall Scribner, CEO believes a franchisor’s success comes from building strong, successful franchisees.

38 | October 2019

He is a veteran of nearly 25 years in the franchise field as an executive and as a franchisee, including 14 years with TCBY and serving as COO of Just Fresh Restaurants. Keith Larson, VP of Consumer and Franchise Marketing, was a long-time veteran of McDonald’s Restaurants in both marketing and franchising/operations.

Randall joined Zen Massage as consulting CEO in 2008 and acquired the system in 2010. The past few years have been spent preparing all aspects of the Zen Massage system for its current

strong location performance, and system expansion. Larson joined in 2014 and began retooling Zen marketing.

Key Learnings The key thing that Zen Massage has learned is to view the industry from the customer point of view, first and foremost, and to view its business from the standpoint of, “What does it take for a franchisee to succeed?”

Offerings to Franchisees Zen Massage® offers the following to prospective franchisees:

Ÿ Comprehensive classroom and onthe-job training before their center opens. Ÿ Side-by-side help when one does open. Ÿ Guidance in recruiting Licensed Massage Therapists, hiring and training administrative personnel, and team building. Ÿ Zen Massage’s proprietary, comprehensive, regularly updated Site Selection, Training/Operations, Location Opening, and Marketing/Advertising Manuals. Ÿ Help selecting the best location for their Zen Massage business, and assistance in design and build-out of their location. Ÿ Timeline driven store opening manual Ÿ Ongoing consultation with the company's Franchisee Support Team Ÿ Internet and technology support Ÿ Visits from Field Support www.insightssuccess.com

“ Close your eyes

count to ® Zen!

“

Representatives Ÿ Custom built Zen Massage branded website (including mobile) personalized to their location and services.

Includes dedicated portal for franchisee resources. Ÿ Business system software specifically written to assist them in running their Zen Massage business efficiently and profitably. Ÿ Leadership and resources in marketing their Zen Massage business, from Grand Opening to on-going promotional efforts – including social media and internet marketing direction and content. Ÿ Specially negotiated discounts from vendors including its national Zen Massage contract with Dermalogica tm.

Poised for Growth There’s a Japanese saying Keith Larson learned during his tenure in McDonald's: “To go fast, you must first go slow.”

He says Randall inherently knew this, and spent several years after acquiring the company fine-tuning operations and reshaping it as a franchise system. When Larson joined Zen Massage, he took that approach to get its marketing positioned right. In the last three years, the company has reached the place where it is really poised for growth - and it's happening. Recently, it has welcomed four new franchisees to its system and is about to open a fifth new location. (Zen’s16th).

Ensuring Customer Satisfaction “At 59.99...without the membership and great hours that can accommodate mostly any schedule, it is unbeatable.” Court G. Charlotte NC “Great new massage place, no more monthly contracts. Bri was my massage therapist and she was great on relieving my tightened neck muscles” – Kimberly P. Henderson, NV “I go to Zen Massage several times a year the massages are always great and the prices are wonderful, unlike other chains they have no contracts/memberships so there is no awkward/annoying sales pitch to join.”- Tamar R. Boca Raton, FL Keith Larson Partner & VP of Marketing

www.insightssuccess.com

October 2019 | 39

Bahram Hakakian Founder BARAMI

40 | October 2019

www.insightssuccess.com

Expert’s Opinion

One Stop Shop for Professionals on the Go

T

he world of fashion and retail is going through continuous changes; it seems as if as soon as anyone gets a new system set up, it changes again. There is more confusion than there are remedies. Old timers, as well as new fashion houses, have either down sized or completely closed their doors in the recent years.

Every time someone reads an article from so-called professionals, they notice even more emphasis on customer service; although customer service is an important part of the business, by now it is pretty much a standard procedure throughout high end retailers.

If we review all businesses in general, what we notice is that those who are succeeding, at least comparing to most others, have certain elements in common and one in particular: value.

Operations, such as TJ Maxx, are www.insightssuccess.com

growing and forcing most other department stores to become irrelevant.

Major specialty European chains, such as ZARA or H&M, deliver fashion, a cool place to shop, as well as value.

They are taking market share from their U.S. competitors season after season. Most U.S. stores, up until the closures began a couple of years ago, were forced by Wall Street to grow without any concern for profitability.

There is a very big conflict with most top executive’s interests and actual business models. They are expected to grow the top line first, so that the chains and other retailing majors continue over saturating all U.S. markets with their foot prints; only to be rewarded on the short-term, while their tenure may last. When they left, they also left a less manageable and more challenging business for the next group to navigate; they kicked the can down the road.

The biggest challenge for the larger companies is the fact that everyone wants to tweak the business, rather than reviewing all nuts and bolts of their model. Now, discounters must give department stores a run for their money, and some Europeans are doing the same to U.S. chains; no one is willing to take a major risk, they are not even looking at those issues and who can blame them for being scared?

As for the smaller “mom and pop shops,” unless they can come up with something other than trying to buy better or give a better customer service, their years will be numbered in all major markets. There was a time where there were a few boutiques on most New York City blocks, but today, aside from just a few, they nearly are all gone. Those models would likely still work for suburbs where those major chains do not find it profitable to have a presence.

October 2019 | 41

About the Author At the age of 24, fashion designer Bahram Hakakian opened his rst retail location, BARAMI, with a vision of giving women what they deserve out of fashion. Now, founder Bahram Hakakian, aka BARAMI, and his three daughters are proud to announce the new direction of their fashion empire, by creating a wholesale collection as Patrizia Luca. Their collection is being sold within a wide variety of specialty stores, as well as their own BARAMI locations; turning their retail stores into a multibrand, one stop shop for the professional on the go.

Technology has forced retailers and businesses to look into e-commerce, however, most have not yet discovered how to make it profitable.

With online return rates being an average 35%, restocking and putting items back into their original shape could become a labor-intensive process; all assuming the items are unused upon their return. Shopping online, while great for technology purchases, gives no personal immediate gratification. Shopping for fashion has been an outing for many individuals, to bond with friends and family. We keep hearing different ratios of numbers of online selling versus brick and mortar selling. According to the co-author of Conversion Optimization, Khalid Saleh, in 2018, 8.9% of all retail sales in the U.S. came from online selling. This meant there were still another 91% of sales that went 42 | October 2019

to brick and mortar operations; a rather large number. If we also take into account that between 20,000 to 25,000 stores have closed their doors in the past few years and split those sales through their remaining stores, the potential becomes even greater.

ZARA, and its counterparts, have effected every country in the globe. All this, while registering success and growth year after year. They deliver fashion at a good price, however, they are focused mostly on a trimmer woman and a younger generation. American women are sized, on average, between a fourteen and a sixteen; most cannot shop that type of product.

This leaves a space open for fashion in the U.S. that is made for individuals actually residing in the U.S. What needs to be looked at, is an exciting collection that will not be all over specialty chains and is done for the U.S. market. Most U.S. stores have their customers trained to buy when they are running sales; when the merchandise is marked up merely to be marked down. In other value oriented chains, they market at the price that they want to sell and when they run a sale for a limited time, the stores get packed. We often notice that most of these stores remove their staple items from their sales floor during sale period, while adding other leftover, or older items, to the sales floor. Thus, changing a customer’s perception and retraining them to buy at full price will become a daunting task that will put most chains in a nowin situation.

One would like to assume the landscape will change within the next decade or so, since we will be evolving as each year passes.

Barami Hakakian BARAMI stores

www.insightssuccess.com