It's that time of the month again. Regular readers of this newsletter tell us that previous editions were crammed with news they could use and we have no intention of disappointing them this time round. Should you be a new subscriber, welcome and make sure to read on! Lots of things have happened in the world of franchising over the past month and we'll try to cover those topics that are of most interest to you. Apart from dealing with events of the day, we examine the all-important topic of 2010 and how it may affect franchisors.
The 2006 Franchise and Business Opportunities Expo has come and gone. We brought you a report immediately after the event (see the Grapevine section of our website) but felt that now that the dust has settled, a more in-depth look will be of interest.
Those of you who have seen the article in Grapevine will know that the FBOE 2006 has broken all records. Over the 4 days of the event, more than 100 exhibitors were vying for the attention of over 11,000 visitors and it is safe to assume that in the process, many aspiring entrepreneurs received the kick start they needed to turn their dreams into action.
The Whichfranchise team was there in full force and we are proud to report that from the moment the exhibition opened its doors for the first time until the end of day 4, our stand remained a focal point.
Should you have a franchise-related query, write to us — experts@whichfranchise.co.za — and our panel of experts will respond, usually within 24 hours.
Attendance at the recent FBOE allowed us to cement relationships with established franchisors and open dialogue with many new ones. We discovered that the franchise fraternity will not allow the vagaries of the petrol price or Mboweni's turning of the interest rate screw dampen their enthusiasm and is extremely upbeat about the future.
Sounds reassuring but there is one thing that bothered us greatly. With the exception of some of the larger players in the food sector, none of the franchisors we spoke to had given much thought to the impact FIFA's ‘South Africa 2010’ spectacle would have on their businesses. They all said more or less something along the lines of “we are not in this line of business” but they couldn't be more wrong.
During a gala event held at the Sandton Convention Centre on the 12th October, FASA announced the finalists and winners of this year's Awards for Excellence in Franchising. Winners included - Hot Dog Cafe, King Pie, Vodacom 4 U and Woolworths.
Successful global brands like Starbucks invest more money in training than they do in marketing and with more than 2,000 stores worldwide, this strategy has paid off. Are you investing in your franchise support staff? Franchising Plus is offering another course for franchisor staff, Advanced Franchise training, from 1 to 3 November. It covers the basics of franchising, how to develop a franchise, marketing, financials and planning, the franchise package and meeting franchisee expectations. For more information, contact Annie Baptiste on annie@franchisingplus.co.za
The abolition of the RSC levy was widely welcomed; better still, no new levy or tax appears to take its place — for the moment at any rate. Some people have taken this as an invitation to stop paying their levies at an earlier date but this could be a costly mistake.
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