Franchise Update Magazine Issue II, 2014 | Page 6

From the editor’s desk BY KERRY PIPES Franchise update|Q2 CHAIRMAN Gary Gardner CEO Therese Thilgen EXECUTIVE VP OPERATIONS Sue Logan EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Diane Phibbs VICE PRESIDENT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Barbara Yelmene I Make It Personal ’ve just returned from a week in Las Vegas at the 2014 Multi-Unit Franchising Conference. The event has grown enormously over the past decade. It brings together not only the finest multi-unit franchisees, but also the brands and suppliers savvy enough to go where the top franchisees are in an effort to make themselves known and get to know these top operators. One of the common threads among these seasoned business owners is a clear understanding of the role of technology and genuine human interaction. Technology is everywhere these days, with the proliferation of smartphones, tablets, Wi-Fi, and cloud technology, among many other tools. But technology was never meant to exist without human touch. Yes, there were exhibitors in Las Vegas whose product can collect, analyze, slice, dice, and interpret data, and show you how to refine the whole process to achieve the results you’re seeking. But none of this technology works without people. I witnessed this theme again and again at the conference, and it reminded me that it’s especially true in franchise recruitment and development. We’ve written about the role of technology in the pages of this magazine before, but it bears a fresh look now and again to recalibrate strategies and stay ahead of the curve—and the competition. It’s important to use the best tools available to develop a franchisee profile, determine the best places to generate leads, and to make contact and stay in touch with leads and 4 Franchiseupdate ISS U E II, 2 0 1 4 prospects—but not at the expense of a live phone call or meeting in person. Increasing lead quality is important, dashboard analytics are important, a strong effective CRM is important, understanding your cost per lead is important… I could go on. And I wouldn’t be telling most of you anything you don’t already know. But my question to you is, how are your sales teams and recruiters reaching out to leads and prospects? How much of what they do depends on technology, and how much is good old-fashioned face-to-face contact? I might sound like a broken record, but technology should complement the personal touch, not replace it. Joanne S. Black, author of the book Pick Up the Damn Phone! How People, Not Technology, Seal the Deal, talks about the importance of personal contact. Her manifesto is simple: to make a real connection and achieve true, meaningful communication, you have to make personal and even in-person contact. “It’s easy to get sucked into technology,” she says. “But the personal touch is the best deal-maker there is. Relationships matter more than anything else. The digital world, as great as it is, threatens personal connections. Humans need personal contact with others. Email, texting, and social networking certainly have a place in business today, but none of them replaces the power of a personal connection.” Does that echo the recruitment philosophy—and practices—of your brand? n BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVES Jeff Katis Judy Reichman EXECUTIVE EDITOR Kerry Pipes MANAGING EDITOR Eddy Goldberg CREATIVE DIRECTOR Samantha Calden DESIGN & PRODUCTION www.petertucker.com DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY Benjamin Foley WEB DEVELOPER Don Rush WEB PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Esther Foley TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Juliana Foley MANAGER, SOCIAL MEDIA Cheryl Ryan SENIOR SALES, EVENT & OPERATIONS SUPPORT MANAGER Sharon Wilkinson SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER, MEDIA AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Christa Pulling MARKETING ASSISTANT, SPEAKER LIAISON Katy Geller FRANCHISEE LIAISON, SUPPORT COORDINATOR Leticia Pascal CONTRIBUTING EDITORS William Edwards Tom Epstein Jeff Fromm Keith Gerson Darrell Johnson Marc Kiekenapp Jack Mackey Steve Olson Eric Simon Bill Wagner VIDEO EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Tim Gardner VIDEO PRODUCTION MANAGER, CHOREOGRAPHY Wes Deimling ADVERTISING AND EDITORIAL OFFICES Franchise Update Media 6489 Camden Avenue, Suite 204 San Jose, CA 95120 Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone] SEND ARTICLE INQUIRIES TO: [email protected] Franchise UPDATE magazine is published four times annually. Annual subscription rate is $39.95 (U.S.) FOR SUBCRIPTIONS EMAIL [email protected] or call 408-402-5681 FOR REPRINT INFORMATION CONTACT Foster Printing at 800-382-0808 www.fosterprinting.com