Franchising World October 2011

By: Scott Pressly

 

There are several groups and individuals that, when combined, make up the foundation of the International Franchise Association.  Among the IFA’s membership are franchisees, franchisors and suppliers that each play a vital role in the success of the organization.  Although it is obvious that the franchisees and franchisors are the face of the franchise industry, suppliers are playing an increasingly important role in all franchising efforts and contribute to the attainment, credibility and longevity of the brands they support.

This year, the leaders of the Supplier Board of Directors, along with IFA staff support, have created a new organizational structure to help coordinate and focus the various efforts of the Supplier Forum Board. These leaders have introduced a new, functional structure comprised of four operating groups that are designed to increase the productivity and effectiveness of the entire Supplier Forum. 
This new system has been put in place to better facilitate individual participation for all Supplier Board members in the day-to-day operations of the Supplier Forum.  Each Supplier Board member will be directly involved with one of the four operating groups, creating clearer ownership and accountability at all levels of the Supplier Forum.

In addition, each operating group will set specific goals for the 2011-2012 membership year, which will further increase the productivity and impact the Supplier Board can have on the entire franchise community.  The Supplier Forum, which now looks more like a seasoned operating company with direction and structure, directly reflects the commitment and excitement that lies within the organization’s members.
The four operating groups that make up the newly structured Supplier Forum are as follows.

The Membership Group

The Membership Group, led by Javelin Solutions Founder and President Ryan Cunningham, is the heart and soul of the Supplier Forum and is the reason why new members inquire about the forum and existing members continue to serve.  The members within this group are in charge of coming up with different strategies to recruit new members, as well as retain current members, all while providing support to all of those involved. The Membership Group’s responsibilities include the mentoring of new supplier members to be sure that they are up to speed and comfortable. Additionally, the group works on ways to enhance the value of the supplier membership, retain existing supplier members and come up with surveys to gauge member satisfaction and opportunities for improvement.

The Membership Group’s current goals include evaluating satisfaction of current IFA supplier members, communicating the benefits of becoming a new IFA supplier, recognizing supplier member loyalty and developing a Supplier Retention Program which heightens the value of the Supplier Forum and what they contribute to the IFA community. 

The Communications Group

The Communications Group, led by Sherri Fishman,  CFE, president of Fishman Public Relations, is the glue that holds the Supplier Forum together. It is the group that helps showcase the value and loyalty that the forum has within the IFA. This group’s goal is to increase awareness of the Supplier Forum’s broader vision and role within the public and the franchise world, in addition to coordinating communications throughout the entire organization.  Educating Supplier members on “best practices” to leverage IFA membership is a top priority for this group. As the communications ambassadors for the Supplier Forum with other IFA subcommittees, the Communications Group has become the face of the committee that offers insight into what is taking place within the forum. In addition to facilitating communication, this group also works to secure PR opportunities and is beginning to take advantage of social media avenues to help promote the IFA and Supplier Forum to the public.

The Business Solution Roundtable Group

This group, headed by Ron Feldman, CFE, CEO of Franchise America Finance, has one very important task to focus on: the coordination of the Business Solution Roundtables for the annual convention. This group leads the highest-rated program at IFA and is charged with increasing overall interest in the Business Solutions Roundtables. This group is in the process of developing ways to streamline the roundtables process to ensure the quality of the content that is presented. The individuals in this group are constantly researching topics that people want to hear about and have a strong interest in, resulting in increased attendance and valuable information that members will walk away with. Developing a clear process manual for succession to future Business Roundtable Groups will help keep this group on track over the next several years. 

 

The Seminars Group

The Seminars Group, led by Mark Kirsch, CFE, partner at Plave Koch PLC, works with his fellow members to research relevant topics pertinent to those across the franchise industry. Maintaining a strong pipeline of topics for the informational WednesdayWise Webinars is of utmost importance. Since the new structure of the forum, the Seminars Group has already seen an increase in attendance that can be directly correlated with the relevant topics chosen for discussion. Building up interest and excitement around the seminar topics is a vital role within the forum that will help the organization grow. Additional seminars conducted by this group include the “Suppliers-Get the Most Out of the Convention” workshop, before the convention; a “training” seminar for new supplier members regarding franchising, how franchisors act and make decisions and how to become an effective supplier to franchisors; and two separate workshops designated as “Supplier Forum” workshops that will highlight supplier members.

 
The time and energy that each of the members have dedicated to the Supplier Forum is astonishing.

Combined, the four operating groups make up the new Supplier Forum, resulting in the type of in-depth dialogue between members that is leading to productivity, camaraderie and excitement. The time and energy that each of the members have dedicated to the Supplier Forum is astonishing, given the current senior-level positions that they each hold on a daily basis. The amount of involvement and enthusiasm that is being demonstrated by team leaders and members is truly impressive and the results are reflecting everyone’s hard work.

The new practices implemented within the Supplier Forum will become a permanent change that will positively affect the future of the board. Those within the forum look forward to continuing a strong relationship with all members and groups associated with the IFA. 



Scott Pressly, CFE, is the managing partner of Van Ness Capital Advisors, a highly-focused, strategic advisory firm exclusively for CEOs of franchise businesses. With extensive relationships in the franchise community, Pressly is active on several franchise related boards including serving as a director for the International Franchise Association, chairman for the IFA’s Supplier Forum Advisory Board and a trustee for the IFA’s Educational Foundation. He can be reached at 678-533-4075 and



scottpressly@vannesscapital.com

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