Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue III, 2012 | Page 8

Multi-Unit Franchisee Departments Gary Gardner Notes from the Chair Therese Thilgen It Doesn’t Stay in Vegas! 6 2012 Multi-Unit Franchising Conference delivers take-home winnings Online What’ online @ mufranchisee.com 8 s Franchise Figures Service Brand Stats 10 10-year growth trends in the franchised services sector Columns Security Not-So-Smart Phone? 68 Mobile payment growth raises serious security issues BY GARY GLOVER Finance The Sponge Technique 70 Squeeze your balance sheet to improve cash flow BY STEVE LEFEVER Investment Insights Don’t Be a Yo-Yo 74 Keeping a calm and steady hand in a volatile, uncertain economy BY CAROL M. SCHLEIF Customers Count Going Above and Beyond 76 Creating your own culture of extraordinary customer service BY JACK MACKEY People Social Hiring 78 Making the most of social media to find the best employees BY MEL KLEIMAN Exit Strategies 80 CHAIRMAN CEO President Steve Olson Vice President Operations Sue Logan Vice President Marketing Kimberlie Guerrieri Vice President Business Development Barbara Yelmene Business Development Executives Jeff Katis Judy Reichman Executive Editor Kerry Pipes Managing Editor Eddy Goldberg ART DIRECTOR Franchise Update media group Samantha Calden DESIGN & PRODUCTION www.petertucker.com Internet Content Manager Benjamin Foley Sales and Subscription Department, Office Manager Sharon Wilkinson Project Manager, Media and Business Development Christa Pulling Contributing Editors Gary Glover Darrell Johnson Mel Kleiman Steve LeFever Jack Mackey Carol M. Schleif Jim Sullivan Thomas J. Winninger Dean Zuccarello Advertising and editorial offices: Franchise Update Media Group 6489 Camden Avenue, Suite 108 San Jose, CA 95120 Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone] Send manuscripts and queries about story assignments to: [email protected] Outsource To Maximize Valuation franchiseupdatemedia.com mufranchisee.com franchising.com franchise-update.com BY DEAN ZUCCARELLO Multi-Unit Franchisee magazine is published four times annually. Using third parties to reduce costs offers additional benefits Franchise Market Update Create Your Own Future 82 Understanding economic cycles can help you navigate financially BY DARRELL JOHNSON 4 Multi-Unit Franchisee Is s ue III, 2012 Annual subscription rate is $49.00 (U.S.) For subscriptions email [email protected] or call [phone] For reprint information contact Foster Printing at [phone] www.fosterprinting.com