Moderated by:Jerrod Sessler, CFECEO, HomeTask, Inc. & VaultFarm.com Technology

Panel:Amit PamechaCEO, FranConnect Software

Dan Martin, CFEPresident & CEO, IFX Online

Doug RogersPresident, Mr. Appliance, The Dwyer Group

A Roadmap to Setting Up Your

Technology Infrastructure

Session Flow:

Each presenter will present their section.

General Q&A for 40 minutes!

Text Message Questions During Q & A!

TEXT QUESTIONS: 206 214 8081

• Why You Really Need "IT“by Amit Pamecha• The Who, What & Howby Dan Martin• Assembling The Pieces & Getting Zees On Boardby Doug Rogers

14 MINUTES EACH SECTION

Why You Really Need "IT“

by Amit Pamecha

Why You Need “IT”• Getting Ahead of the Competition• Selling More Franchises• Cutting Operating Costs• Improving Franchisee Relationships• Increasing Franchisee Performance and Revenues

Establishing Needs & Benefits• Analyzing Current Status – Existing solutions, processes,

inefficiencies, costs• Look at Best Practices• Defining short-term and long term goals• Budget, Time, Resource

Defining Scope of Work• Software Options - Build, Buy or Hosted Applications• Getting the Stakeholders involved early• Selecting a Project Champion• Creating Buzz• Defining Reports and Acceptability Criteria

5 Best Practices• Talk to other franchisors• Analyze cost of manual vs automated processes• Leverage solutions that increase revenues (and not just at

cutting costs)• Measure “Metrics that Matter”• Not be “Penny Wise and Pound Foolish”

The Who, What & How

by Dan Martin

Key Implementation &Maintenance Elements

• Political• Practical• Legal

• Political• Easy to use, intuitive• Franchisees need to feel like they’re in control• Based on “real-world” franchisee needs• Critical to involve franchisees throughout the

process

Key Implementation &Maintenance Elements

• Practical• Easy to use, intuitive• Basic, existing hardware/software requirements at

User and Administration Levels• Singular Portal: “One-Stop Shop”

Key Implementation &Maintenance Elements

• Legal• User Policy Statement• User Activity Tracking

• FDD delivery and receipt through sale of franchise through termination or transfer

• Pre-Sale and Post-Sale documentation

Key Implementation &Maintenance Elements

• Reduce costs• Maximize efficiencies• Capitalize on opportunities• Create community• Proactive approach• Self-analysis

Goals

• Reduce costs• Calculate current communications and support

expenditures• Calculate current technology expenditures• Develop revenue generating programs• Develop budget• User acceptance and usage is critical

Goals

• Maximize efficiencies• Streamline support processes• Critical to involve both franchisees and franchisor

management• Develop and apply application usage policies (who

does what, where and when)• Integration: access from a singular point of contact

Goals

• Capitalize on opportunities• Introduce key applications during the franchise

sales process• Capitalize on public relations• Promote reduced time-to-market processes• Take advantage of political goodwill• Involve Approved Suppliers

Goals

• Create community• Franchisees: it’s a scary world out there!• Duplicate convention success online• Create a level playing field for access to

management, as well as other franchise owners and/or personnel

• Develop a structure that incorporates multiple levels of communication and delegation

Goals

• Proactive approach• “Franchisees don’t know what franchisees don’t

know”• Determine patterns and develop corresponding

strategies• Help Desk• Networking Discussions• Franchisee to Franchisee assistance• FAQs

Goals

• Self-analysis• “Franchisors don’t know what franchisors don’t

know”• Set realistic goals for technology development and

user buy-in• Provide for real-time feedback and usage

benchmarking• Mandate corporate participation• Utilize regular usage/activity reports

Goals

Assembling The Pieces & Getting Zees On Board

by Doug Rogers

Planning Your Roll Out

• Strategy• Process• Implementation• Evaluation

Strategy• Understand The Goal

• You don’t know what you don’t know• Discuss with all parties involved

• KISS – Project Scope• Small incremental releases are preferable • Under promise and over deliver (expectations)

Process• Getting Your team On The Same Page• Meet often during the process• Trial runs• Release Notes and Videos• Training your support team

User Buy In

• Communication• Cheerleader Users• Educating your team• Good support is sales

Final SessionQ&A

TEXT QUESTIONS: 206 214 8081

BONUS MATERIAL

What Can IT Do For Me?• Technology Should Solve A Problem

Note: You may not need all of these in the beginning…

Sample Solutions:

Location Webpage Builder Ad Builder Franchise Relationship Manager Electronic Disclosure Contact ManagerOnline TrainingWork Order Manager PR Manager

Blogs & Social Network Payment Collection & IntegrationCustomer Feedback Manager Help Desk (user support) User Rating System Chat Forum POSBookkeeping IntegrationCharts, Graphs & Reporting

How?• The BUILD vs. BUY Question

• BUILD Custom System• Critical path focus• Straight forward & simple to train• Integrates with other db’s / processes

• BUY Templated Solution• Leasing space, no ownership• Quicker implementation• Lower start up costs• Less customization available

What Expertise Is Needed?• Project manager

• Is everyone talking?• Is everyone listening?

• Architect• What do we need it to do?• Designs it!• Documents it.

• Developer• Builds it!• Ensures it works.

• Graphics Designer• Culture match?

• Marketing• Does it sell?

• Process engineer• Ensures efficiency.• Manages improvements.

Or, contact these companies to begin building your technology solution.

• FranConnect• IFX Online• Servant Systems• VaultFarm.com Technology

Common Errors, Mistakes, Blunders• Security Blunders: Password Tips

• Don’t use commonly selected passwords like:• p.a.s.s.w.o.r.d.• 11111• 123• money• letmein• qwerty• god• sex

• Security Blunders: Password Tips• Advise users to never give out their password• Determine if you want to allow your users to be

able to change their own passwords• Maintain a minimum number of password

characters

Common Errors, Mistakes, Blunders

• Security Blunders: Password Tips• Develop a “Password Policy” and include in “Terms

of Use”• Advise users to not have their browser “save” their

passwords• Change or append user passwords on a periodic

basis

Common Errors, Mistakes, Blunders