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November 20, 2009 News for the franchise sector     Franchise News    Trade group addresses franchisee-franchisor needs As the franchise industry deals with such issues as tax increases, health-care reform and credit access, the International Franchise Association continues to work to meet the needs of franchisees and franchisors. The trade association relies on its franchisee forum, franchisee board members and other opportunities for exchanges, explains IFA Chairwoman Dina Dwyer-Owens. "We have healthy discussions. But they are healthy discussions and they are fair discussions. And then we come to a conclusion that we think is good for everyone," Dwyer-Owens added. BlueMauMau.org (11/18) Marriott corporate reorg means changes for Ritz-Carlton Marriott International will bring the formerly standalone Ritz-Carlton brand operations into Marriott's corporate offices, as part of the hotel company's corporate reorganization plans that are slated to be completed by 2011. The Washington Post (11/19) Eateries band together in bid for new locations Five restaurant chains with a total of 1,300 locations have joined forces as a way to gain new outlets at airports and other nontraditional retail spaces. The chains, all owned by investment company Sun Capital Partners, are: Bruegger's Bagels, Fazoli's Restaurants, Friendly's Ice Cream, Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill and Timothy's Coffees of the World. The next step for the eateries will be to adapt their concepts to the smaller store sizes, limited menus and larger crowds found in nontraditional spaces. MediaPost Communications/Marketing Daily (11/19) Chief marketing officer named at 7-Eleven Rita Bargerhuff, who joined 7-Eleven in 2005 and was most recently vice president of marketing, has been promoted to the position of CMO. In this role, she will helm all advertising efforts and marketing promotions for the company in the U.S. and Canada Adweek (11/18)   Trend Watch  Companies go back to school to learn social responsibility More companies are turning to business schools to help them build best practices regarding corporate-social responsibility. "It's an increasingly important part of managing and enhancing a company's reputation," says Daniel Diermeier, management professor at Kellogg School of Management. The Wall Street Journal (11/19) Many U.S. consumers to do takeout Thanksgiving Restaurants still feeling the pain of the recession are looking to time-strapped consumers to kick off the holidays on a high note. Takeout is a popular option for many consumers who may turn to restaurants to provide their Thanksgiving meals. The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Miss.) (11/17) Luxury hotels reach out to budget-minded travelers High-end hotels in Boston and elsewhere are promoting perks and packages designed to reach beyond their affluent clientele and appeal to the tighter-budgeted masses. At the Copley Plaza Hotel, for instance, a Black Friday package is being offered starting at $279 a night, in which guests can be shuttled 45 minutes away to an outlet mall for discount shopping. The St. Regis is offering a fourth night free for guests who stay three nights. TheStreet.com (11/12)   Entrepreneur  3 strategies for getting bills paid Collection agencies and attorneys can help businesses get customers to pay overdue bills, but short of calling in the big guns, the experts in this Wall Street Journal article suggest three strategies owners can use first. Their tips: Check a customer's payment history before extending credit, make it easy for customers to make payments and use mobile devices to read credit cards in the field. The Wall Street Journal (11/13) Casual dress can still look professional USA TODAY columnist Gladys Edmunds says she is in favor of casual clothing but even service staff should come across as professional. She suggests that small companies at least supply T-shirts or aprons bearing the company logo, which serve a dual purpose -- employees look more professional and they are walking billboards. USA TODAY (11/18)   News from IFA  IFA to oppose Senate health bill as too costly, bad for employers Announcing its opposition today to a Senate health-care reform proposal introduced earlier this week, the International Franchise Association said the bill will not reduce the cost of health insurance for franchise employers, thus the association cannot support legislation that fails this test. Saying the franchising industry is very concerned that the budgetary costs of the legislation are vastly understated, IFA Vice Pres., Government Relations David French said, if enacted, the measure would ensure that franchise small-business owners "will face a future of job-killing tax hikes and mandates." Privacy, data security topic of Dec. 2 Webinar Surviving in the technology jungle requires new skills and rapid adaptability. That's why IFA's Dec. 2 WednesdayWise Webinar will address "Privacy and Data Security Risks for Franchise Systems and Suppliers," from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. (ET). Speakers include advisory board members of the IFA Supplier Forum, which sponsors the series. The session will include time for questions and participants may earn 50 CFE credits. Learn more about IFA -> Join IFA  |  Govt. Relations  |  IFA Events  |  Franchises  |  Suppliers   Featured Content    Opening Up With: Wayne Scarano of SGA Business Systems Steve Viuker Effective Word-of-Mouth is Made Not Born Yvonne DiVita Think Green This Holiday and Look For 'Made in the USA' Jill Fehrenbacher 5 Ways to Use Social Media Activity Offline John Jantsch How to Be More Resilient: Try Recharging Marcy Shinder   International Development  Subway's goal: 1,000 stores in Russia by 2015 Subway said it plans to have 1,000 locations in Russia by 2015, up from 78. The privately held company has 1,359 outlets in the U.K., followed by 785 in Germany, 168 in France and 110 in Ireland, and expects Russia to be its No. 4 European market by next year. Reuters (11/18)   Policy Update  Washington strikes a listening pose Top Obama administration officials met with entrepreneurs and trade associations on Wednesday in an all-day effort to, as Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said, "put in place the next wave of ideas" for helping small business. Geithner promised to assemble the day's suggestions in a report to President Barack Obama, and he hinted at further help "by the end of next year." The New York Times/You're the Boss blog (11/19)   SmartQuote  Nothing is impossible. Some things are just less likely than others." --Jonathan Winters, comedian, author and artist   Subscriber Tools       Print friendly format | Web version | Search past news | Archive | Privacy policy   Advertise Vice President, Development & Advertising: Scott Lehr 202-662-0785       Recent IFA SmartBrief Issues: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 Monday, November 16, 2009 Friday, November 13, 2009 Wednesday, November 11, 2009 Monday, November 09, 2009     Contributing Editor:  Megan Conniff       Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005     © 1999-2009 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information