a message from
the president
|
2015 Issue 1 GearedUp
I
2
t has been just over a year since
the PF Independent Franchisee
Association (PFIFA) was established and already this organization has made great strides in providing
benefits to the entire system, with many
more in the works. I am proud of what we
have accomplished thus far and thankful
for the hard work of your fellow franchisees serving on the board of directors
who helped make achieving these goals
a reality. You can read more about these
board members on page 18.
To start, PFIFA worked with the FAC
and corporate to execute a Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) focusing on
current and retroactive changes to the
Franchise Agreement, Franchise Disclosure Document and Area Development Agreement; Policy and Procedure
Changes; POS Migration and Release; and
Equipment Negotiations. All these efforts
were for the benefit of all franchisees
and the brand as a whole, and include
important aspects such as successor rights,
transfer rights and more flexible re-equip
timelines.
As part of the MOU, franchisees have
been a part of the equipment negotiation
process for the first time. Myself, along
with James Innocenti, Sharon Lomasney
and Dave Leon have met with PF Equipment, current vendors and potential
vendors over the course of the past few
months to review proposals and negotiate
terms. This is an excellent example of how
collaboration between franchisees and the
franchisor can improve
brand equity for all
stakeholders. Decisions
regarding equipment should
be made in the coming months.
The association also helped fund and
support the FAC Technology Committee
in guiding the replacement of Visionary to
ABC Financial. We also hired FreedMaxick
CPAs to conduct a review to quantify
damages relative to Visionary.
One of the most significant new
initiatives of PFIFA is developing a
purchasing co-op for the entire system.
The supply chain committee, led by Pete
Hopkins, has been working for several
months with a proven leader in supply
chain management for franchise systems.
PF corporate has been receptive to the
concept. By leveraging the purchasing
power of the entire PF system, huge
savings can be realized. The committee is
also looking into the development of an
online purchasing catalog and systemwide
P&L benchmarking. There is much work
to be done but we will keep you updated
as this effort progresses.
The membership committee, chaired
by Brian Kablik, has been working on
developing a robust membership database
to facilitate our membership communications as well as preparing for the
July 1 membership renewal. In 2014, 52
percent of ownership groups joined the
PFIFA—an unprecedented level of firstyear commitment. As we move into our
second year of existence, and further the
important work being done to protect and
grow our franchisee equity, our goal is to
represent more than 75 percent of ownership groups.
By now you should have all
received your membership dues invoice.
Remember that all of the endeavors you
are reading about require the time and
financial support of the franchise system.
If you have any questions about membership, you can call the PFIFA office at
678-797-5160.
Last, but not least, welcome to
your new association magazine, Geared
Up! This quarterly publication is meant
to highlight the achievements of your
business and your employees as well as
provide you with some useful business
insights. We hope you enjoy reading it and
become active in submitting information
for each issue. We are lucky to have much
to celebrate and recognize.
While the above are just a few examples of the fruits of our labor, I am proud
of everything we have accomplished in the
last year. However, I am equally excited
about what our future holds. Together,
we can continue to make a difference by
enhancing the overall Planet Fitness brand
and our experience as franchisees.
Sincerely,
Trey Owen
PFIFA President