Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue III, 2011 | Page 61

opportunity for driving, putting, and networking. The weather was perfect and the
Bali Hai Golf Club beautiful for both golf
and the 19th hole banquet where prizes
were awarded for the best scores, longest
drive, and closest to the pin.

the pizza brand’s amazing turnaround
over the past 18 months. He acknowledged the brand’s fall from grace and
described how Domino’s took a highly
risky gamble in openly admitting their
quality had suffered. The strategy under
his leadership has been to address the isDay 1: Shop talk, keynote,
sue straight on.
and more
“We knew something had to be differThe conference officially kicked off
ent and quality was the answer,” he told
Wednesday morning with concurrent
attendees, and described how the brand
sessions related to choosing brands and Charles Smithgall III,
spent two years working on its products
Aaron’s multi-unit franchisee
growing one’s business. Panelists shared
before introducing the dynamic marketand Conference Chair.
their experiences and perspectives and
ing campaign that, in effect, said, “Hey,
fielded questions from the audiwe’re listening to you and responding to your criticism.”
ence toward the end of each sesIt was a risky move, said Doyle, and it’s paid off: the
sion. A heavy schedule of concurbrand’s sales have increased in every quarter since the
rent sessions filled the morning,
campaign was launched in 2009. “Honesty, transparTOTAL
most centered on management and
ency, and listening to your customer s” are fundamentals
ATTENDEES
growth-oriented themes. Several
in business today, he said. “It’s a new world out there.”
sessions were repeated during the
More sessions followed in the
conference, allowing attendees more chances to catch
afternoon before the Exhibit Hall
the ones they wanted.
opened for the first of its three desOne such session was “Best Practices for Benchignated time slots. Multi-unit franmarking Unit Performance.” Steve LeFever (financial
TOTAL
chisees, franchisors, suppliers, and
consultant and chair of Business Resource Services),
executives capitalized on opportuEXHIBITORS
along with multi-unit operators Grant Norrid (Jack
nities to meet one another and disin the Box, Denny’s, Marco’s Pizza) and Don
cuss opportunities and deals, how they were
Fowler (Jiffy Lube), discussed ways to imfaring with new brands, and the intricacies
Over
prove the financial performance of franchise
of managing multiple brands within a single
units by emphasizing the need to keep tabs
franchisee organization. Franchisees looking
on profitability and unit-level metrics. The
for new brands took advantage of the opporfranchisEE
consistent message here was that making mantunity to kick the tires on dozens of brands
agers financially literate is key to enhancing
organizations and products throughout the conference.
the bottom line.
attended
The first keynote speaker was Domino’s
2: In the thick of
the conference Day second day of the things opened
CEO J. Patrick Doyle, who told the story of
The
conference

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Multi-Unit Franchisee Issu e III, 2011



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