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| Edition One-Hundred and Ten of the Insider | |
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Hello and thank you for joining us for this week's Insider. Today it is our pleasure to welcome Bridgestone Select to the Inside Franchising website. Since Bridgestone's innovative retail format first launched in late 2006, it has continued to put up some impressive numbers. Be sure to read all about this new opportunity in our News Section below, where you will also find the story of a squeeky clean franchise and some interesting Quick Shots Franchising news from around the globe.
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Bridgestone Select Growth Continues |
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Today we welcome Bridgestone Select to the Inside Franchising website!
Bridgestone Select, the innovative retail format first launched by Bridgestone in late 2006, is continuing to put up some impressive numbers.
There are now 35 Bridgestone Select stores around the country with a host awaiting conversion to this new model and plenty of new sites continually coming on line.
Recently converted and new stores now on-line include Bridgestone Select Malaga and Bridgestone Select Balcatta in WA, Bridgestone Select Albion Park and Bridgestone Select Eastern Creek (NSW) and Bridgestone Select Southport in Queensland.
“Bridgestone are recognised as a leader in tyre retailing in Australia, having built a network of 255 Bridgestone Tyre Centre stores since 1986, 220 of which are franchise operated,” said Scott Wood, Bridgestone’s National Franchise Manager.
“With Bridgestone Select, we’ve launched a completely new concept and it truly represents the next generation of tyre retailing in Australia. We are now seeing the results, both in terms of sales figures and of the number of franchisees who are converting to Bridgestone Select.”
Bridgestone Select stores eliminate the traditional barriers normally associated with tyre retailing.
“From the research we conducted, consumers told us that they generally felt disempowered by the traditional tyre sales process and that tyre shops are often perceived as smelly and intimidating, particularly to women,” Scott said.
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“Bridgestone Select has addressed all the ‘big issues’ head on and encompasses everything from a tyre-free showroom to our free-standing computer pods that place both the retailer and customer on the same side of the transaction. It’s unlike anything else in the industry and shows a genuine respect for the customer.
“With this open environment, many of our franchisees are reporting that it is easier for staff to sell and it has made price less of a barrier.
“Traditionally, retailers might have knocked a few dollars off the price to try to get the sale. However, because they’re now both looking at the same product and price information on the POS screen, the retailer can more easily explain the difference between various tyres helping customers to make an informed decision on what’s right for them – rather than just price.”
Click here for more information about the Bridgestone Select franchise opportunity
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| Water not required to 'clean up' | ||
ecowash mobile won “Best Services Retailer” at this year’s American Express® Rewards for Excellence presented by the National Retail Association. Held in the Grand Ballroom of Sydney’s spectacular Sheraton on the Park, the night was attended by the finalists and some 300 guests.
“This is a fantastic achievement, we were up against many other contenders who all had great reputations,” said Stewart Nicholls, operations director of ecowash mobile international. He warmly thanked the NRA, his business partner and managing director Jim Cornish and importantly their franchisees.
“Our entire team deserve a huge pat on the back for this award and we are so proud of our franchisees as it is them that are seen on a daily basis by the public,” said Mr Nicholls.
Now in their 14th year, the Rewards for Excellence provides businesses operating in the retail and service industries the opportunity to showcase their outstanding, innovative and successful activities and initiatives to their customers and the industry.
Grown from a small two car operation in 2004, ecowash mobile now has over 50 franchises nationwide and has international operators located in 12 countries in the Middle East, Europe and the US. This revolutionary car wash uses no water with the success has been built on an exclusive 2-in-1 polymer compound which actually encloses the dirt particles to prevent scratching, unlike water which is in fact a poor lubricant. The formula is not only environmentally friendly and water saving, but protects the paint work of your vehicle against the elements at the same time.
Mr Nicholls concluded, “We have put a lot of time and effort into providing good quality services to our clients and real environmental solutions for people who want to make a difference with their everyday actions like cleaning their car.”
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| POSITION VACANT | ||
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Snap-On Tools has been named 23rd among the top 200 best franchise opportunities by US Franchise Market magazine. For its ranking, Snap-on Tools was recognized for its number of units, franchise stability, available financing and 2007 growth rate. Click here for more on this article Click here for more information about Snap-On Tools Congratulations! Congratulations to Boost Juice, winner of the Service Skills Australia Training Award in the NRA 2008 American Express Rewards for Excellence! Click here for more information on how you can join this award winning franchise, Boost Juice "Always Fresh" apparently has its price, as donut big gun Tim Hortons is finding out the hard way. The icon of Canadian franchising has been hit with an attempted $1.95-billlion class-action suit over its conversion from a "fresh-baked" goods restaurant to a "microwaved products store." Franchisee’s claim that moving away from in-store production, and the use of frozen donuts hasn't made them any more money. Rather, they argue, it has driven up the fixed costs of a donut from nine cents to 20 cents without increasing sales as allegedly promised. Click here for more on this story SumoSalad had opened its first upmarket Black Label concept store in the Melbourne suburb of Doncaster. In addition to the chain's usual take-away offering, The Black Label store incorporates a fine dining restaurant in the evenings. Click here for more on this story Starbucks Corp. said in a press release on its Web site that it will close approximately 600 "underperforming company-operated stores in the U.S. market." Click here for more on this story
Interested in the latest news from the ACCC?
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Recession, Revolution or Revival? Growth opportunities for franchisors and franchisees during economic uncertainty Date: Thursday 17 July Confirmed panelists: John O'Brien, CEO, PoolWerx Corporation Alan Bates, Corporate Lawyers, Lenards Michael Cavanagh, Business Development, Australia Post Stephen Sharry, CEO, Raine & Horne Queensland Facilitated by: Jason Gehrke, Director, Franchise Advisory Centre RFG rolls out new terminals to drive store performance Leading Australian retail food brand manager and franchisor Retail Food Group Ltd will bolster the operational efficiency and marketing of its 1,050 stores with the roll out of a new high tech point-of-sale (POS) system. All four of RFG’s brands – Donut King, Michel’s Patisserie, Brumby’s Bakeries and bb’s cafe – will receive Task Retail Technology’s Xchangexec software with NCR RealPOS touch screen terminals. The new system will enable customised in-store promotions, the creation of “bounce back” vouchers by individual stores, product ordering by mobile phone text messaging and real-time internet-based reporting of individual store and overall company performance. Click here for more information about bb's cafe and all of the Retail Food Group franchises
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*The content of all news items published in this newsletter are published in good faith and are reproduced from information provided by the individual companies the subject of said news items. Inside Franchising Pty Ltd takes no responsibility whatsoever for information and content being true and correct. |