Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue II, 2012 | Page 42

M U L
taurant before moving on to the rest of
the locations.”
Despite his busy career, the highenergy CEO still finds time to spend
with his wife and their three children, and to read and play cricket.
“I like to read in my free time, and I

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B R A N D

sometimes work from my home office so I can spend quality time with
my children.”
Patel advises would-be franchisees
who want to be successful in the long
term to start out with a goal of multiunit development. “Having one store is

not the way to make money,” he says.
In the future, Patel says he’d like to
grow his business in India. “Today, India
is growing at a rapid pace, and because
of recent liberalization and globalization it now offers great opportunities
for individuals to grow.”

MANAGEMENT
Business philosophy: I don’t want growth for the sake of growth. I want
growth, but I want it to be smart growth.
Are you in the franchising, real estate, or customer service
business? I’m in the franchising business and, of course, in customer service, because our first responsibility is to take care of our customers.
What gets you out of bed in the morning? I’m enthusiastic about
creating a great experience for our customers.
What’s your passion in business? It’s most satisfying to give outstanding value to our customers every day.
Management method or style: I try to demonstrate leadership with
each key team member, who then leads his people.
Greatest challenge: Like many multi-unit franchisees, I find the greatest
challenge to be finding and keeping the right people.
How close are you to operations? Very close. I know the day-to-day
operations of each shop, and I visit the stores every other day. I don’t just
monitor from afar—we receive reports on the stores’ operations every day
and I hold weekly meetings with managers to learn what is going on from an
inside perspective. In the weekly meetings, I receive a comprehensive overview of each unit. I hold myself responsible for the success of each location,

and every week I spend three or four hours with each brand. I have found that
visiting the different locations on a regular basis helps keep me accountable for
the success of the individual unit and allows me to grow the business.
Have you changed your marketing strategy in response to
the economy? How? We continue to market the quality and va