2019 The SCORE, Issue 4

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THE MAGAZINE OF FRANCHISE BUSINESS SERVICES

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2 019 ISSUE 4

The Need for Speed:

2019 FBS Summit Descends on Las Vegas

Restaurant Service Relies on the Right Mindset and Training PAGE 18

PAGE 26

McLane Foodservice offers its sincere gratitude to the BUFFALO WILD WINGS franchisees for their years of partnership and successfully growing together.

Š2019 McLane Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2019 Issue 4

FBS Board of Directors Wray Hutchinson Chairman Mark Jones Vice Chairman Jenny Beaudoin Director James Bitzonis Director Brian Carmody Director Steve Grube Director Roz Mallet Director Larry Podlager Director Bobby Pancake Director Christy Williams Executive Director

FBS Editorial Board Jessica Loeding Editor-in-Chief jessical@myfbsonline.org Sean Ireland Managing Editor seani@myfbsonline.org Rachel Jackson Associate Editor rachelj@myfbsonline.org

Advertising Sales

Jeff Reynolds Director of Business Partner Relations jeffr@myfbsonline.org 678-797-5163 Montserrat Almaraz Sales & Development Manager montserrata@myfbsonline.org 678-439-2284

Design and Layout

Kristen Thomas KT Graphic Design ktgraphicdesign@gmail.com

ON THE COVER Longtime franchisees Bob Senkar and Brian and Jeff Carmody capture their 25th anniversary service award moment onstage with FBS Chairman Wray Hutchinson, Vice Chairman Mark Jones and Buffalo Wild Wings President Lyle Tick. For more on the 2019 FBS Summit, see page 18.

COLUMNS 2

Chairman’s Column

DEPARTMENTS 4

FBS Member News

11 Recognitions 11 Event Calendar 17 One Topic, 10 Facts

FEATURES 13 Protect Your Employees and Customers Against the Dangers of Slips,

Trips and Falls

contributed by Lockton Cos. 16 Spotlight on the 116th Congress: Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA-52) 18 2019 FBS Summit Descends on Las Vegas 26 The Need for Speed: Restaurant Service Relies on the Right Mindset

and Training

by Sean Ireland, FBS associate director of communications 28 A Few Things Great Leaders Do

by Dennis Snow, Snow & Associates Inc. 30 Record Level of Wages Recovered by Federal Government:

Is Your Business Next?

by Douglas Duerr, Elarbee Thompson Sapp and Wilson, LLP 32 What Critical One-Hour Activity Must You Do Every Working Day?

by Dan Coughlin, The Coughlin Co. 34 Productivity Doesn’t Make You Efficient

by Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro®

DIRECTORIES 14 Associate Member Listing 36 Advertisers Guide and Editorial Calendar

Headquarters 1701 Barrett Lakes Blvd. NW Suite 180 Kennesaw, GA 30144 Phone: 678-797-5161 Fax: 678-797-5171

In keeping with our commitment to the environment, this publication is printed on certified, environmentally-friendly recycled paper using eco-friendly inks.

Franchise Business Services publishes The SCORE. Any reproduction, in whole or in part, of the contents of this publication is prohibited without prior written consent of Franchise Business Services. All Rights Reserved.

Copyright© 2019

Printed in the U.S.A.

www.myfbsonline.org

From the Chairman

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thletes gain a sense of camaraderie when they put on their uniforms and step onto the field together. Competing with team-

mates, reacting to their teammate’s actions in the moment and encouraging one another gives purpose to the sport for many athletes. Being part of a team means being part of something bigger than yourself. Then there is winning.

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Over 15 years ago, Franchise Business Services (FBS) was created to develop a similar sense of camaraderie among Buffalo Wild Wings® franchisees. The association was formed with a purpose of providing franchisees with education and training, advocacy and member services.

Together, we are stronger than any one individual, and by uniting our voices, we can provide benefits for the collective good of the franchisee community.

Recently, Buffalo Wild Wings has been on a journey to return to the Great American Sports Bar. From new product rollouts to branding and menu changes, the BWW® brand has evolved quickly over the past few years. These changes, combined with continued legislative pressures on employers, lead to many challenges for FBS members in their restaurants. What each of us does in our sports bars impacts the brand. Any one of us can harm or help all of us.

With a new decade upon us, FBS is reaching a turning point as owners

are settling in and getting used to the adjustments that have been made. FBS exists to provide valuable information and education for its members, and the board of directors is looking forward to focusing on this and getting back to the roots of the association.

This issue of The SCORE recaps one of FBS’ most valuable educational opportunities – the annual FBS Summit.

Each year, franchisees gather to share best practices and network with fellow franchisees and system suppliers. As we look forward to the 2020 FBS Summit in Las Vegas, May 6-8, FBS is putting together an agenda that will focus on the issues that you told us during our member survey are most important to you.

In addition to the Summit, FBS is here to provide services benefiting you and your business. When evaluating your insurance needs, whether health care, property and casualty, or EPLI, I encourage you to explore the offerings available to you through your association.

Not only will you find best-in-class products, but rates remain stable and competitive in an ever-changing market.

As we enter the new year and new decade, consider your involvement with Franchise Business Services and how you may be able to maximize the benefits of your membership. Attend the Summit. Contribute to communications.

Participate in insurance programs. Provide feedback on issues that are important to you. However you choose to be part of FBS, we welcome your support.

We hope 2020 is off to a great start and anticipate the excitement it brings for our Buffalo Wild Wings sports bars. As members of the “franchisee team,” we can all look to each other for advice, information and support. I wish you happiness and success in the new year and look forward to seeing you all in Las Vegas!

Wray Hutchinson

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MEMBER NEWS

The Cekander Group Hosts Blazin’ Wing Challenge at Jacksonville Pumpkin Festival F

or the fifth consecutive year, Buffalo Wild Wings® in Jacksonville, Illinois, owned by The Cekander Group, sponsored the Jacksonville Main Street Pumpkin Festival. Team members hosted a Blazin’ Wing Challenge, where participants attempted to eat eight wings covered

The winner of the challenge finished in a flash with a time of 1:39.

in the signature BWW® Blazin’ sauce.

Six brave contestants competed in the challenge, with the winner finishing in 1:39. The winner took home a basket of Halloween treats and BWW gift cards, and Participants tried their best to eat eight of BWW’s spiciest wings. all participants received coupons for a free snack-size boneless wings. the Jacksonville Fourth of July celebration Team members from the Jacksonville and local school sporting events. restaurant, led by Assistant General “Sponsoring events like this and Manager Liz Price, helped with the others gives us an opportunity to get out challenge and represented the restaurant, into the community that supports us,” handing out coupons to spectators. said Price. “It is a way to get our name The restaurant loves getting involved out to potential new guests and let the with the Pumpkin Festival and other surrounding areas know that we are here community events such as Relay for Life, to support them.” S

JK&T Wings Raises Awareness for Veterans in Big Rapids

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group of dedicated veterans in Big Rapids, Michigan, came together to raise awareness of the number of veterans that commit suicide each day. The U.S. Department of Veterans Administration estimates that an average of 22 veteran suicides occur per day.

To commemorate this, a group of over 20 veterans met on Sept. 22 to walk 22 miles for the cause.

Starting at 4:30 a.m., members of the Big Rapids AMVETS Post 1941 group and many other veterans gathered at the Buffalo Wild Wings® Big Rapids restaurant owned by JK&T Wings Inc. They were bussed to a location in Howard City about 22 miles away to begin their walk. The veterans walked all morning back to the BWW® restaurant and were greeted by hundreds of people waiting to give them a warm welcome.

“There were many sore ankles, knees, hips and muscles, many throbbing feet and a lot of blisters,” said John Duvall,

U.S. veterans enjoy wings, beer and company at the Big Rapids BWW after walking 22 miles to raise awareness of the number of daily suicides committed by veterans.

a U.S. Navy veteran and organizer of the event. “Yet, these amazing men and women fought through it all and finished the 22 miles.”

The veterans were extremely thankful to BWW Big Rapids for the welcome upon their return. “We appreciate all of the patrons giving us a standing ovation, high fives, knuckle bumps and sweaty hugs as we strolled in, and thank you to

all AMVETS officers that showed up to support the cause,” said Duvall.

“Working with organizations like these not only brings awareness to very important causes,” said Ben Nagy, assistant general manager of BWW Big Rapids, “it also provides a fun, upbeat atmosphere for these groups to gather and have a great experience to remember!” S

MEMBER NEWS

Brian and Jeff Carmody Selected as Grand Marshals for Ferris State University Homecoming Parade

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n Sept. 28, Brian and Jeff Carmody of JK&T Wings served as the grand marshals of the homecoming parade at Ferris State University, their alma mater. Both brothers graduated from the university’s College of Business and wore the No. 5 jersey on the Ferris football field, experiences they say have shaped their business strategies today.

“I think that being involved in athletics and then having a background in the business school helped us become wellrounded in the restaurant industry because of the ebbs and flows that you learn from being a collegiate athlete,” said Brian.

At JK&T Wings, community is an important building block of the business.

The brothers recall a motto from their days on the football field: “Every player, every play.” They have shifted this into a restaurant-focused phrase, “Every guest, every shift, every day,” encouraging the staff to provide each visitor with a great dining experience.

Giving back to the community is something they value. Brian noted that General Manager Steve Cassiday and Assistant General Manager Ben Nagy do a phenomenal job of keeping Buffalo Wild Wings® involved with not only the

Members of the Carmody family show their Bulldog pride at the homecoming game in September.

Brian and Jeff Carmody served as the 2019 grand marshals for the Ferris State University homecoming parade.

Ferris athletics community, but also the Big Rapids community.

In addition to riding in a red convertible during the parade, the Carmody brothers also spent homecoming visiting with former teammates and classmates, reminiscing on their championship-winning days. Some of their favorite memories from the university were winning division titles as Bulldogs. During the Carmody era, the Bulldogs went 71-31-3. Their university pride is on display in the Big Rapids BWW® restaurant with Jeff’s jersey and a poster of Brian in uniform framed and

hung on the wall.

“I think the university experience serves as a footprint for your path in success and life,” said Jeff. “It’s just been fun to be a part of not only the community but Ferris, and give back in some ways because of the experiences we’ve had at this great university.”

The brothers are both proud to be Ferris State alumni and love seeing the growth that the school has brought to the community. They noted that it was an honor and an “incredible privilege” to represent the university during homecoming week. S

UFC President Dana White Visits Buffalo Wild Wings in Times Square

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nothing but great reviews.”

UFC fighters Mackenzie Dern, Maycee Barber and Al Iaquinta stopped by the location as well. White and the fighters loved the BMF sauce and took time to snap pictures and sign autographs for guests. Modelo was also on site giving away complimentary beer to guests.

Hosting celebrities provides Buffalo Wild Wings with the perfect opportunity to showcase the one-ofa-kind BWW® venue. “Dana White’s presence provides us an opportunity to show everyone exactly why we are the No. 1 Great American Sports Bar,” said Zhu. S

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UFC President Dana White visited the Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in Times Square and tried the limited-edition BMF sauce.

ana White, president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), stopped by Four M Franchising’s Buffalo Wild Wings® in Times Square to tune in to the Masvidal vs. Diaz fight on Nov. 2, which was the UFC’s 500th live event.

All four floors of the restaurant were packed with fans there to watch the fight and meet White.

Guests also had the opportunity to try the limited-edition BMF wing sauce, which was in stores for one day only. “The customers loved it,” said Victoria Zhu, event sales manager for the restaurant. “Some couldn’t handle the heat, but for the most part, it had

MEMBER NEWS

Wingin’ It, LLC Opens New Restaurant on Coosa River

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n Sept. 30, people from Gadsden, Alabama, gathered at the new Buffalo Wild Wings® location for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The restaurant, owned by Rick Story of Wingin’ It, LLC, is located right on the waterfront of the Coosa River.

Guests can pull up to the boat slips for easy access to the restaurant to enjoy wings and beer.

Team members and Gadsden officials gather at the new Gadsden Buffalo Wild Wings, owned by Wingin’ It, LLC, for a ribboncutting ceremony on Sept. 30.

The Gadsden Buffalo Wild Wings is located on the banks of the Coosa River.

Story had been searching for the perfect location in Gadsden to build a restaurant for several years, almost giving up. One day, Gadsden Mayor Sherman Guyton called and asked if Wingin’ It would be interested in land on the river. “The city of Gadsden had built a boardwalk on the river beside the Coosa Landing where they have close to 80 fishing tournaments a year, and the location was next to it,” said Marketing Manager Leslie Nabors.

“They made it an easy decision to build right on the river.”

After more coordination with city officials and about four months of construction, the restaurant was ready for the grand-opening ceremony. Members of the Gadsden Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Guyton and other city officials came to show their support. “I can’t tell you how proud we are of these folks moving in here,” Guyton said at the ceremony. He also noted that the restaurant was part of the city’s plan to develop the riverfront, which runs through the heart of downtown Gadsden.

About 100 guests attended the event, which was advertised through local schools, newspapers and social media outlets. The restaurant gave out small footballs, slap koozies and floating boat key chains. Guests enjoyed food and drinks on the back deck, complete with couches, string lights and a beautiful riverfront view.

Wingin’ It likes having a restaurant on the water. Gadsden has established the area as an entertainment district, allowing guests to walk outside on the boardwalk with drinks. The restaurant is excited to host promotions and get involved with fishing tournaments and other water sports. It has already hosted a group of paddleboarders for a “Full Moon, Full Belly Paddle” event during which participants paddled to the restaurant, ate some wings and paddled back.

“We are thrilled to be on the Coosa River in Gadsden and think this may be the first of its kind for Buffalo Wild Wings,” said Nabors. “We will continue to market by getting involved in the community and conducting promotions for the fishing tournaments right next to us.” S

Four M Franchising Gives Yankees Tickets to Deserving Customers

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s the 2019 MLB regular season ended, Buffalo Wild Wings® restaurants across the Northeast gave guests the chance to watch the New York Yankees in person by winning a pair of free tickets.

Six BWW® restaurants, each owned by Four M Franchising, were given pairs of Yankees tickets, and each store decided how to give them away. The Danbury and Milford, Connecticut, restaurants held raffles for guests who purchased certain products, with two regular guests being the winners.

Other restaurants surprised regular guests with the tickets. In New Rochelle, New York, the tickets went to BWW regular Felix and his son. They were ecstatic to receive the surprise, which will give them a father-son moment to remember for a lifetime.

In North Haven, Connecticut, a couple received the tickets and was in awe. “This never happens to me,” the winner, with tears in his eyes, told General Manager Ray Denardis.

Two more loyal guests who have been going to BWW to watch Yankees games for years were surprised in White Plains, New York. For once, they watched a game live at Yankee Stadium.

Four M has given tickets to customers in the past, but this was the first time the company gave Yankees tickets. The Yankees

Four M Franchising gave away six pairs of Yankees tickets to fans across its locations.

are an important team in New York, and many fans gather in Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants to cheer for them. “Any support for your local sports team is a huge traffic driver,” said Juan Feliciano, area director for Four M. “Raffling tickets for a team of caliber like the New York Yankees speaks volumes.”

In addition to driving traffic, the ticket giveaways left a memorable mark on guests. Because of BWW, these guests have experiences and memories that will last for years to come.

“People don’t remember what you said to them, but they remember how you made them feel,” said Feliciano. S

MEMBER NEWS Diversified Restaurant Holdings Raises Money for Injured Sheriff

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n August, tragedy struck the Chippewa County, Michigan, community when Sheriff Mike Bitnar was involved in a car accident that left him on the long road to recovery. Members of the community came together to raise money for the Bitnar family to help with medical expenses.

The Buffalo Wild Wings® locations in Sault Ste. Marie and Marquette, owned by Diversified Restaurant Holdings, hosted an Eat Wings Raise Funds event to contribute to the cause. On Sept. 25, both locations donated 10% of the day’s sales to Bitnar.

“Our store learned about Sheriff Bitnar’s condition when he was involved in his accident,” said Shauna Bradley, Sault Ste. Marie manager. “Following social media pages and local news sources allowed us to keep in touch with his recovery.”

Between both stores, a total of $884 was raised for the sheriff and his family. The company is very proud to help someone in need. “I love that I work with a company that has such a strong support system for our local community and that does not think twice when reaching out and presenting opportunities to help out families,” said Bradley.

Born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, it is important to Bradley and other members of her team to reach out and help the community. She noted that community connections have been strong this year, and her team looks forward to strengthening relationships with the local community in the coming months. S

Carolina Wings Management Hosts UNCW Basketball for Tip-Off Luncheon

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n Oct. 21, basketball fans of the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) ate lunch with coaches at the Buffalo Wild Wings® in Wilmington, North Carolina.

During the 10th annual Tip-Off Luncheon, third-year basketball coaches C.B. McGrath and Karen Barefoot gave fans an inside look at their plans for this season.

The restaurant, which is owned by Carolina Wings Management, has partnered with UNCW and several other small colleges for the past 20 years. BWW® also hosts the Basketball Coaches Show each Monday in the fall during lunchtime.

Over 100 Seahawks fans came to the luncheon to hear from the coaches. Athletic Director Jimmy Bass and Mike Vaccaro, the radio voice of the Seahawks, also attended the event. The restaurant served an all-you-can-eat buffet with boneless wings, assorted wraps and salads. McGrath and Barefoot provided an in-depth look at their schedules, players and teams, then answered questions from guests.

Supporting local athletics programs has been beneficial for the restaurant, and the staff looks forward to staying connected for future events. S

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MENUS | BANNERS | WINDOW CLINGS | PROMOTIONAL IN-STORE | SIGNS | TABLE TENTS

MEMBER NEWS

Bruno Enterprises Raises $1,375 for Family of Fallen High School Football Player O n Wednesday, Sept. 11, Bruno Enterprises held a fundraiser at its Buffalo Wild Wings® restaurant in Joplin, Missouri, for the family of Kadin Roberts-Day, a Joplin High School football player who died Sept. 4 following practice.

The event included a silent auction with items donated from local vendors, donations from the community and a contribution of 15% of the day’s sales. Bringing in $1,375.45, the fundraiser had over 200 members of the community in attendance, including 32 members of Kadin’s family, who had a special memorial table with posters, pictures, flowers and a book for guests to sign at the event.

“We are a small community, the type that everyone goes to the local high school football games to support all our kids,” said Susan Harris, general manager of Bruno Enterprises’ Joplin location, which is owned by Jim Bruno. “Losing Kadin Roberts-Day, an amazing young man and football player, was devastating to all our families.”

The fundraiser, which benefitted Kadin’s mother and two siblings, was an emotional night for all.

“We had people that came just to support the family and give their condolences. It was a very emotional day for my team, as well,” said Harris. “There was a man making T-shirts honoring Kadin, and we all purchased one to show support.

The whole football team came at the end of the night to support the family as well. I have done many fundraisers, but this was the most important and the most emotional one I have ever done by far.” S

The Buffalo Wild Wings team in Joplin, Missouri, hosted a fundraiser in memory of Kadin Roberts-Day.

Guests expressed their condolences by writing sentimental notes in the book pictured above, which was given to Kadin’s family.

Employees made a memorial table honoring Kadin with posters, pictures, flowers and a book for guests to sign at the event.

Diversified Restaurant Holdings Hosts Knockout Event With Professional Boxer Joey Spencer

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espite his incredible performance in the ring, professional boxer and Linden, Michigan, native Joey Spencer has not forgotten about his hometown roots. Local Buffalo Wild Wings® restaurants have been there to support him throughout his career by BWW guests watched Joey hosting watch parties, meet Spencer, professional boxer, and greet events, and open train on the open bar floor. workouts for fans to come Guests also got to talk to and cheer for him. His photos and get autographs from Spencer. boxing shorts are on display in some of the local restaurants.

Spencer made an appearance Aug. 27 at the Buffalo Wild Wings in Flint, Michigan, owned by Diversified Restaurant Holdings, for an open workout. Guests enjoyed wings and drinks while watching Spencer train for his next professional fight.

Fans also had a chance to win special Joey Spencer merchandise through giveaways and get photos and autographs with the boxer.

The event was a great way for fans to show support for Spencer but also for him to connect with those who look up to him.

“I love my partnership with Buffalo Wild Wings,” said Spencer. “I always look forward to my open workouts because it helps me to connect with fans, and [Mid-Michigan Regional Director] Krystle [Tomaszewski] and her staff are always so great to work with. It’s been a fun partnership, and I’m excited to continue!”

Not only is Spencer a great role model, but he’s also a force to be reckoned with in the ring. At only 19, he has an undefeated professional record and seven knockouts. Despite his talent, he remains humble and shows gratitude for his fans at home.

“Joey is an amazing role model for the community, especially the youth,” said Tomaszewski. “He is involved in almost every community function he can be, from parades to fundraising events to speaking at Linden’s Night of Hope most recently. He adores his community and young fans.”

The open workout brought in heavy traffic to the restaurant – an 18% increase in sales year-over-year. BWW® looks forward to hosting Spencer for similar events in the future and hosting watch parties for his upcoming fights. S

MEMBER NEWS

Four M Franchising Hosts First-Ever Esports Watch Party in Times Square O

n Sept. 6, the Times Square Buffalo Wild Wings® was packed with loud fans cheering on their favorite team – a normal scene for the restaurant. But the fans weren’t rooting for the Yankees, Mets or Giants. They were supporting the New York Excelsior, a professional esports team.

Excelsior competes in the Overwatch League, which is the first major global esports league with city-based teams. Teams compete through the videogame Overwatch, a six-versus-six game played from a first person-shooter point of view. This was the restaurant’s first time hosting a watch party for esports.

Members of the Five Deadly Venoms Crew, a fan club dedicated to Excelsior, gathered in-house to watch a livestream of the championship match against London Spitfire. The restaurant offered $5 off tabs over $25 for Overwatch fans, which brought a heavy increase in traffic and sales. The fans dominated the

restaurant, taking up two dining rooms and the bar area.

In addition to streaming the match, the Five Deadly Venoms hosted a raffle for the fans who attended, giving fans the opportunity to win Excelsior merchandise. Proceeds went to the fan club’s homefront initiative, University Settlement. The settlement house was the first in the United States and now affects over 40,000 New Yorkers each year by providing support programs for immigrants, low-income, young and elderly members.

The Four M Franchising BWW® team had a great time hosting this event for the Overwatch fans and would love to host again if the opportunity arose. “The amount of excitement was unlike anything I have seen before,” said Area Director Juan Feliciano. “I have worked a lot of championship games and Super Bowls, but the amount of energy from this fan base was beyond anything I have witnessed.” S

Cape Girardeau Buffalo Wild Wings Raises Funds for Local Humane Society S

Guests take photos with family, friends and animals at the Spooky Pooches fundraiser photo booth.

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Dogs from the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri participate in the costume contest at the Spooky Pooches event.

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ince the creation of the Eat Wings Raise Funds night, the Buffalo Wild Wings® in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, tries to host an annual fundraiser for the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri. On Oct. 30, the restaurant hosted a Spooky Pooches fundraiser and mobile adoption event, where 15% of all net sales went back to the cause.

The event brought in a large crowd to see the puppies and raise money for a great cause. Over 200 people stopped in throughout the day. Children enjoyed a candy and toy table set up by the humane society, as well as a photo booth and costume contest. Skyview Animal Clinic assisted with adoptions, and three animals found new homes during the event. Leading up to it, team members placed flyers in to-go bags featuring pets up for adoption at the humane society.

The restaurant had an increase of $4,000 in sales from the event. The money raised for the humane society will be used to find homes for adoptable pets. The shelter is also looking to upgrade its facility, so the funds will be helpful for that goal, too.

Fundraisers are important for the community and Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants. “This gives people the chance to participate when they wouldn’t otherwise know where to start,” said Manager Holly Gordon. “It gives the community the knowledge that we are here for them and want to give back while also providing a little extra fun to their dining experience.”

The restaurant staff thanked the humane society for finding homes for over 1,300 animals this year and to the three families who adopted animals during the event. “This was a fun, fantastic experience for all who participated,” said Gordon. “We had such a positive response we are looking forward to doing something like this again.” S

MEMBER NEWS

Let’s Eat Out Partners With Local Biker Group

Members of the Roughriders arrive at the Eat Wings Raise Funds night to raise money to support local causes.

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ver the past two years, Let’s Eat Out’s Buffalo Wild Wings® in Lincoln, Nebraska, has shown its support for the Lincoln Roughriders. The local motorcycle group is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to brotherhood, fellowship, safety and supporting its community by helping local individuals and charities.

Most recently, the restaurant hosted an Eat Wings Raise Funds night for the organization, during which 30% of the proceeds from the day went back to the Roughriders. The fundraiser also included a bike show in the parking lot, with a gift card prize awarded for the “People’s Choice” bike. Guests of all ages enjoyed games on the patio. Over 100 people came out to show their support for the organization.

During their partnership with BWW®, the Roughriders have raised several thousand dollars for the community. Their donations have gone to large organizations like MakeA-Wish Foundation and the Boy Scouts of America, but their favorite donations are for smaller causes and individuals. One of these included buying a van and wheelchair for a single mother and her handicapped child.

“We feel very fortunate to do this for the community,” said Jeff Barnes, the president of the Roughriders, in a local ABC interview. “It’s just best for us to give back every chance we can and then ride motorcycles. It’s kind of the best of both worlds.”

The staff at the Lincoln BWW enjoys working with the Roughriders.

“We look forward to continuing our annual involvement with the Roughriders,” said Ron Johnson, general manager. “We hope to grow the event each year into one of the premier fundraising events for the organization.” S

Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club Visits Buffalo Wild Wings in Times Square

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our M Franchising’s Buffalo Wild Wings® in Times Square had the pleasure of hosting the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club to spread the word about their club. About 15 children ages 9-16 came to inform guests about the values and missions Boys & Girls Clubs offer.

Although some of the kids were nervous, others were more than eager to spread the word about their club. They provided information about the programs offered, including aquatics, performing arts and even ice hockey. They also talked to guests about the Team Up for Kids fundraising initiative, which provides youth with the opportunity to play team sports. Over 100 guests supported the club, which raised more than $500. Because the restaurant has many visitors from out of the country, it was the first time many of them had heard of the Boys & Girls Club.

BWW® chose to partner with the Kips Bay Club because of its mission to help kids succeed. The club offers many

Children from the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club spread the word about the club’s programs at BWW.

programs designed to empower youth, and teaches them not only how to succeed, but also how to become good citizens and lead healthy, productive lives. The restaurant has a goal of raising $4,500 for the club.

“BWW is all about giving back to the community, and we realize our team members make up the community,” said Victoria Zhu, event sales manager. “We have staff who participated in Boys & Girls Club growing up, and others have children currently in the program.” S

Four M Franchising Bartender Competes in Heineken Star Bar Competition

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n Nov. 12, B-Dubs® bartender Janelle Cwik competed in the Heineken Star Bar competition in New York City. Cwik, who has been with the brand since 2001, was invited to compete in the competition after she was voted the top bartender Longtime Buffalo Wild out of 39 local Wings® bartender candidates.

Candidates Janelle Cwik represented Four M Franchising in were judged on the Heineken Star Bar how quickly and competition. accurately they completed the five-step process: glass rinse, beer pour, foam skim, aligning the beer with the Heineken star and presenting it to the guest. Cwik competed against 12 other

bartenders in the first round and placed seventh in total points, which meant she had to compete to earn her place in the finals. The next round was a face-to-face competition, where Cwik tied with her opponent, resulting in a second face-off to break the tie. Cwik won and progressed to the next round, where she competed against the previous year’s champion. It was a close call, with Cwik coming up short by a slim margin.

Cwik has been a Four M Franchising team member since 2012, and the company was incredibly proud of her performance in the competition. “To have someone of her caliber represent us in such a prestigious event is beyond words,” said Area Director Juan Feliciano, who was present at the competition to cheer for Cwik. “Janelle is a leader among her team. She is looked to as one who gives inspiration to the team and leaders alike.

Dare I also say, she is the best bartender in NYC. Not only does she have the mechanics, but her personality is, by far, incomparable.” S

RECOGNITIONS Congratulations to the following High 5 Hospitality employees: Matt Kleckner is celebrating 15 years with High 5 Hospitality. Kleckner has a been key player on the Bear, Delaware, Buffalo Wild Wings® team as a bartender since the restaurant opened in 2004, becoming the backbone of the bar with his outstanding work ethic.

Katie Rullo is celebrating 15 years with High 5 Hospitality (H5H).

Rullo started her journey with H5H in 2004 as a cashier at the Bear, Delaware, BWW®. After bouncing among nearly every position in the restaurant over the next four years, she stepped into an administrative assistant role at the company’s home office. In over 10 years on the High 5 Hospitality support team, Rullo has become the manager of operational and financial processes, contributing to virtually every aspect of the day-to-day business. Her willingness to step up to face any new problem and find a solution has made her an invaluable asset to the team.

Jeff Lookabill was selected to be High 5 Hospitality’s multiunit manager of the southern Delaware and Salisbury, Maryland, Buffalo Wild Wings locations. Lookabill has over 35 years in the food and hospitality industry, beginning his journey with High 5 Hospitality in 2013.

Congratulations to the following Diversified Restaurant Holdings employees: Lisa Bissett is celebrating her 20-year anniversary with Diversified Restaurant Holdings (DRH).

After starting out as a bartender at the Sterling Heights, Michigan, location, she worked her way up to marketing manager for all 64 DRH locations.

Stu Stadler is celebrating 20 years with DRH. He helped open the Sterling Heights, Michigan, location as a cook and currently works as a regional director in south Florida.

Congratulations to the following World Wide Wings employees: Ahmad Almasri recently joined the Midwest division as the new director of operations. He has worked in the restaurant industry for over 30 years with several large companies, including Red Lobster, Ruby Tuesday, O’Charley’s and more. He has conducted international business in nine different countries.

FBS Board of Directors Meetings May 5-6, 2020 Las Vegas, Nevada FBS Summit May 6-8, 2020 Las Vegas, Nevada

Congratulations to the following

KATAR Group employees:

Cary North is the director of operations of the KATAR Group and is celebrating his 20-year anniversary.

Jack McIntosh, manager at the Avon Lake, Ohio, location, recently celebrated 25 years with Buffalo Wild Wings.

Marcus Corpuz is a bartender at the Ashland, Ohio, location and recently celebrated five years with B-Dubs®.

Kylie Shober celebrated five years as a server at the Ashland, Ohio, restaurant.

Abra Bennett, a manager at the BWW in Canton, Ohio, celebrated her five-year anniversary.

Brandon Bickers recently celebrated five years as an assistant manager at the Ontario, Ohio, restaurant.

Aubrey McGlone recently celebrated five years at the Ontario, Ohio, restaurant as a server.

Baleigh Stanish, a server at the Ontario, Ohio, location, celebrated her five-year anniversary.

Jordan Buchanan recently celebrated his five-year anniversary as a server at the Wooster, Ohio, restaurant.

Janet Longworth, a server at 11 the BWW in Wooster, Ohio, recently celebrated her five-year anniversary.

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We want to highlight your company’s achievements (employee promotions, new hires, employee or restaurant anniversaries and sales records). To submit information for Recognitions, complete the online submission form at www.myfbsonline.org/submissions, email communications@myfbsonline.org or call 678-797-5161.

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Nick Connolly has recently taken on the role of general manager at the Salisbury, Maryland, Buffalo Wild Wings.

Connolly started his career with High 5 Hospitality in 2013 as a bar manager during the opening of the Salisbury restaurant.

Jason Iannucci recently accepted the general manager position at the Newark, Delaware, BWW. Iannucci began his career with High 5 Hospitality in 2017 as an assistant general manager during the relocation of a restaurant and helped open the Christiana, Delaware, Buffalo Wild Wings.

EVENT CALENDAR

Team Up For Kids Fundraiser Brings in More Than $1.5 Million

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hroughout October, the Buffalo Wild Wings Foundation hosted its annual Team Up For Kids fundraiser in Buffalo Wild Wings® sports bars across the country. A record-breaking $1.54 million was raised to support local youth sports through partners like Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

The fundraiser also allowed local communities to come together at Buffalo Wild Wings and partner with us to change the game for kids. Guests competed in wing-eating contests, played games and met the young athletes from their neighborhood’s clubs. Many of the youths shadowed a host or server and explored

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different jobs and careers available at Buffalo Wild Wings. The kids were excited to tell their stories to guests and thank them for supporting their local ALL STARS sports program.

Over the past six years, Buffalo Wild Wings has given more than $21 million to support Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s ALL STARS program. This has impacted more than 2,000 club sites, resulting in more than 600,000 kids playing team sports. In 2020, more than 300,000 kids will participate in the ALL STARS program – all made possible by the support of the BWW® system! S

Protect Your Employees and Customers Against the Dangers of Slips, Trips and Falls

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lips, trips and falls are a leading cause of workers’ compensation and general liability claims. For your employees, slips, trips and falls are the third most common type of occupational injury. On average, these injuries account for 12 days of work missed for employees and are very costly to companies. In fact, the average workers’ compensation claims for a slip, trip or fall costs $46,592, according to the National Safety Council.

Should a customer fall, they may file a claim against your business for bodily injury. These claims will likely be covered by your general liability insurance policy, but they may cause your premium to rise when your policy is up for renewal.

Types of Slips, Trips and Falls There are many ways these injuries can occur: • Slips and trips without falling: A person catches themselves from falling due to slip or trip, but still gets injured.

• Falling on the same level: A person trips, slips or falls while sitting. Or a person falls onto or against an object on the same level.

• Falling to a lower level: A person falls from a collapsing structure, falls through surfaces or falls from a ladder, roof, scaffolding or other structure.

About Lockton Affinity

Lockton Affinity is the co-broker of the Elevanta insurance program. Since 1987, Lockton Affinity has met the dynamic, specialized insurance needs of small to mid-sized businesses, affinity groups, nonprofits, associations and franchisees. Today, Lockton Affinity is one of the nation’s leading program administrators, focused on providing comprehensive coverage and best-in-class customer service.

Learn more at Elevanta.LocktonAffinity.com. Questions?

Contact the Lockton Affinity team at Elevanta@LocktonAffinity.com or 844-403-4947.

This program is administered by Lockton Affinity, LLC d/b/a Lockton Affinity Insurance Brokers, LLC in California #0795478.

Coverage may not be available in all states and is subject to actual policy terms and conditions. Coverage may be provided by an excess/surplus lines insurer which is not licensed by or subject to the supervision of the insurance department of your state of residence. Policy coverage forms and rates may not be subject to regulation by the insurance department of your state of residence.

Excess/surplus lines insurers do not generally participate in state guaranty funds and therefore insureds are not protected by such funds in the event of the insurer’s insolvency.

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Protecting Your Business Along with slip, trip and fall risk-management tips, Lockton Affinity and Elevanta offer franchisees customized insurance policies to protect against the costs associated with slip, trip and fall accidents. The most common policies needed to protect your business from these injuries are workers’ compensation insurance and general liability.

Additional Benefits of Lockton Affinity and Elevanta Along with comprehensive coverage, members will have access to: • Complimentary policy reviews. Concerned you don’t have the right protection for your franchise? Email Lockton Affinity at Elevanta@LocktonAffinity.com with your current insurance policies, and we will review them free of charge to ensure your business has the right policies and limits in place.

• Risk-management tools. We offer risk-management tools like loss prevention plans, risk-management articles and newsletters, and webinars to help you mitigate risk and lower your insurance premiums over time.

• Efficient interactions. Apply for coverage with a quick application. In the event of an incident, we work to settle claims fast so that you can get back to business.

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Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls As a business owner, you can take proactive steps to prevent your employees or customers from experiencing a slip, trip or fall. Try these tips: • Remove obstructions. Always clean up spills and wet spots. After the mess has been cleaned up, place a wet floor sign to make others aware. Arrange or remove furniture so there is plenty of room for walking. Always clear your parking lots and sidewalks of snow, ice or debris.

• Improve visibility. Ensure you have good lighting in place.

Consider adding task lighting in dim work areas. Illuminate all parking lots, paths and walkways, too. Replace burned out bulbs promptly.

• Safety-proof. Add grab bars next to toilets. Ensure furniture is in good shape. Install non-slip rubber mats or rugs around sinks, beverage stations and other accident-prone areas.

• Reduce human factors. Require employees to wear slip-resistant footwear during their shifts. Spread out repetitive tasks, such as food preparation, to various workers throughout the day. Require employees to take frequent breaks from repetitive activities.

Your business is responsible for providing a safe environment for your customers and employees. Your business can also be held liable for any incidents that occur on premises, so it is important to secure the right insurance coverage.

Elevanta and Lockton Affinity also offer the following products to fully protect franchisees’ businesses: • Property • Commercial auto • Cyber liability • Employment practices liability • Professional liability • Alcohol liability • Umbrella

Support the Vendors

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THAT SUPPORT YOUR ASSOCIATION

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Elevanta Health Lockton Affinity McLane Company Inc. PepsiCo Oasis Advantage Campari America, LLC Ecolab Inc. Heineken USA New Belgium Brewing Quad/Graphics Inc. The Wasserstrom Co. Trupay Alliance Payroll Services

Partner Partner Diamond Diamond Sapphire Pearl Pearl Pearl Pearl Pearl Pearl Pearl Assoc. Mbr.

Hannah Copeland Reid Robson Charlie Gallagher John Ledva Connie Brennan Danny Moch Kasey Beeler Andrew O’Rourke Mark Peretti Scott Ingram Matt Brown Mathew Abraham Kelley Rafferty

hannahc@myfbsonline.org elevanta@locktonaffinity.com charlie.gallagher@mclanefs.com john.ledva@pepsico.com cbrennan@oasisadvantage.com danny.moch@campari.com kasey.beer@ecolab.com aorourke@heinekenusa.com mperetti@newbelgium.com scott.ingram@qg.com mattbrown@wassterstrom.com mathew.abraham@trupay.com kelley@alliancepayroll.com

678-439-2283 844-403-4947 317-331-1112 732-618-8578 973-219-1991 240-367-6137 612-750-0759 703-586-7917 281-309-4176 612-594-3166 614-737-8314 866-674-7300 281-825-4231

Anheuser-Busch

Assoc. Mbr.

Don Niestrom

donald.niestrom@anheuser-busch.com

630-689-6600

Audio Visual Design Install Avery Dennison Bank of America Merrill Lynch Bell’s Brewery Boston Beer Co. C&T Design and Equipment Co. Cintas Citizens Bank – Restaurant Finance Constellation Brands Copesan Crew CTI Foods Daktronics DAR PRO Solutions David H. Tishkoff, CPA, LLC Disaronno Domino Foods DRAS Cases Inc. Epsilon Esentia Systems Inc. Federal Heath FIFCO USA Founders Brewing Co. Franklin Machine Products Freshcheq G&G Closed Circuit Events Great American Snacks Green Dot Corp. – rapid! PayCard Guardian Protection Heritage Parts Huntington Bank iSolved HCM IQ Back Office Inc.

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Jason Abbott Tony Janega Cristin O’Hara Kris Freeman Gary Fragle Dominic Esposito Danielle Lawson Eugene Chang Marty Kern Chris Blakley Will Edwards Phillip Sanders Loni Haar Bill Borrelli David Tishkoff Matt Borgard John Hooker Josh Flattum James Slade Brandon Scott Randy Cearlock Jamie Williams Jeff Diem Drew Holst Jake Davis Nicolas J. Gagliardi Chris Helton Steve McDonald Dennis Moss Chuck Maddox John Luehmann Tom Oglesby Ken Johnson

paperwork@avdiusas.com tony.janega@averydennison.com cristin.m.o’hara@baml.com kfreeman@bellsbeer.com gary.fragle@bostonbeer.com desposito@c-tdesign.com lawsonda2@cintas.com eugene.chang@citizensbank.com marty.kern@cbrands.com cblakley@copesan.com will@crewapp.com psanders@ctifoods.com loni.haar@daktronics.com bborrelli@darpro.com dtishkoff@bullseye-controls.com mborgard@disaronno.com john.hooker@asr-group.com josh@drascases.com james.slade@epsilon.com bscott@esentia.com rcearlock@federalheath.com jamie.williams@fifco.com diemj@foundersbrewing.com dholst@fmponline.com jake@freshcheq.com nick@ggccevents.com chrish@appetizer.com smcdonald@greendotcorp.com dmoss@guardianprotection.com chuck.maddox@heritageparts.com john.luehmann@huntington.com toglesby@isolvedhcm.com ken@iqbackoffice.com

260-615-8995 630-862-1477 617-434-1897 269-303-3091 770-402-9850 513-682-1135 531-972-2384 847-722-8344 239-691-2584 817-917-6445 650-224-9290 479-879-4358 515-419-5849 248-705-0047 614-799-0856 630-235-9816 770-262-6077 507-402-4812 214-850-2071 225-924-9624 317-581-7790 x23 206-819-6588 317-506-9232 512-567-4902 319-240-8917 702-570-1295 208-921-2706 503-720-1187 404-405-6844 800-458-5593 614-480-4400 800-965-7819 612-919-0061

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Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr.

Bryan Waechter Burke Alder Robb Walker Donald Kiley Joy Arager Shawn Johnson Dennis Eastman Jim Randall Sonny Nuccio Zach Waas Bill Lethert Melchior George Meredith Clinton Ellen Hui Winston Banks Connor Adams William Rickman Terry Gentner Mason Engstrom Alex Alvarez Kristy LaMontagna Steve Zelinsky Sharon Soltero Craig Drummond Chris Bradford William Wildman Mark McCabe Jillian Straw Judy Ryan Jerry Lee Devyn Nance Jimmy Rack Chris Ludemann-Davis Erica Dorsey Ken Hibben Chad Troutman Sherri Evans John Black Harold Surabian Charlie Francus Jeff Cowles Ashley Piomelli Vladimir Edelman

bryan.waechter@itwfeg.com burke.alder@jolt.com rwalker@jonessign.com dkiley@kaarchitecture.com joy.arager@kellogg.com sjohnson@kpsullivanbuilders.com dennis.eastman@dpsg.com jim.randall@lagunitas.com sonny@mahoneyes.com waasz@princecastle.com bill.lethert@mendotavalley.com gregory.miller2@millercoors.com meredith.clinton@nen-inc.com eh@nationalfranchisesales.com wbanks@restaurant.org connor.adams@ncr.com wrickman@netsurion.com ncp1155@sgcglobal.net mengstrom@osdistillery.com aalvarez@onemoretimeinc.com kristy@opentable.com szelinsky@pabst.com ssoltero@ppbifranchise.com cdrummond@partstown.com cbradford@paycor.com wildman@pincomcap.com mmccabe@pitco.com jillian@plateiq.com jryan@plymold.com jlee@protect-allflooring.com dnance@qsrautomations.com jimmyrack@fuse.net chris.ludemann-davis@redbull.com erica.dorsey@royalcupcoffee.com khibben@seating-concepts.com chad@mysentio.com sherrie@shoesforcrews.com jblack@signatureny.com haroldsu@skechers.com charlie@springzy.com jcowles@sugarcreek.com ashley.piomelli@syrclean.com vlad@herofi.com

513-254-3298 801-362-4317 651-775-6424 937-294-3650 312-315-9003 317-677-5444 402-426-5216 312-292-1897 815-791-1005 630-873-0088 651-451-0420 414-931-2000 972-352-8994 415-902-8678 630-703-9043 314-898-5092 346-772-2145 419-656-6354 469-525-1701 323-839-8541 312-800-3039 314-882-4103 402-562-1801 717-329-4380 248-561-7150 317-472-2828 603-230-5509 415-805-8597 952-358-2630 989-739-6900 502-297-0221 513-617-4896 678-296-7326 800-366-5836 815-483-2253 843-633-2726 561-683-5090 817-446-0120 310-318-3100 x1860 213-290-1235 513-374-4317 412-779-1381 858-519-4364

Assoc. Mbr.

Mark Wasilefsky

mark.wasilefsky@td.com

860-371-8340

Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr.

Cristy Graham Mike Orlando Dan Longton Ted Travis Jamey Walsh Albert Grant Ron Rogers

cgraham@tekmarkinc.com morlando@tsbrass.com dan@hrgems.com ttravis@esoriginals.com jamey@upshow.tv sales@fsvps.com rrogers@valleyproteins.com

732-383-1210 864-380-6205 239-877-0110 949-510-0950 773-699-0095 800-881-1945 540-877-3220

Zenput

Assoc. Mbr.

Christina Klein

christina@zenput.com

404-994-4924

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ITW Food Equipment Group Jolt Jones Sign K&A Architecture Kellogg’s KP Sullivan Builders Keurig Dr Pepper Lagunitas Brewing Co. Mahoney Environmental Marmon Foodservice Technologies Mendota Valley MillerCoors National Entertainment Network National Franchise Sales National Restaurant Association – ServSafe NCR Corp.

Netsurion Northcoast Productions Ole Smoky Distillery One More Time Inc. OpenTable Pabst Brewing Co. Pacific Premier Franchise Capital Parts Town Paycor Inc. Pinnacle Commercial Capital Pitco/MagiKitch’n/Blodgett Plate IQ Plymold Protect-All Flooring QSR Automations Rack Draft Services Red Bull North America Royal Cup Coffee and Tea Seating Concepts SENTIO Shoes for Crews SIGNATURE FINANCIAL SKECHERS Springzy Sugar Creek SYR Targetable TD Bank – Restaurant Franchise Finance Group Tekmark Global Solutions T&S Brass and Bronze Works TraitSet HIRE Tredsafe/Walmart UPshow US Bank/FSV Payment Systems Valley Proteins

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Spotlight on the 116th Congress:

Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA-52) Q

businesses may have from working with the federal government. The bill cuts through the government bureaucracy to ensure payment to contractors within 15 days as opposed to the current time frame of 30 days. That’s why I co-sponsored this bipartisan legislation.

Through your tenure as a public servant, what qualities or skills did you develop that you utilize as a representative?

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Collaboration and consensus building. When I was elected to represent District 1 on the San Diego City Council, we had a Democratic majority city council and a Republican mayor. The council members and mayor represented diverse constituencies, but we all understood that, for the city’s government to function properly, we would have to work toward compromise. The ability to listen to other people’s opinions, respect their points of view and find common ground is still critical in my work as a congressman.

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What do you see as the current biggest threat to small-business owners?

The ongoing trade wars have a disproportionate effect on small businesses. Small businesses need regulatory certainty to plan and understand the cost of implementing those plans. The current trade wars have increased costs for both small-business owners and American consumers alike.

Every day, I hear from small-business owners and entrepreneurs in my district who have had to lay off workers or experienced slower growth because of the additional cost of current tariffs and the threat of additional tariffs that could be imposed at any time. We must negotiate equitable trade deals without additional burdens on our small-business community.

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How important is legislation, such as the Accelerated Payments for Small Business Act, to small business in the United States?

Most small businesses operate on tight margins, with startups often carrying substantial debt the first few years after they start. Tight margins mean businesses rely on quick cash flow so they can remain open and pay their employees all while manufacturing new products. The Accelerated Payments for Small Business Act minimizes cash flow concerns that small

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What challenges have you helped small-business owners in your district overcome?

There are a wide range of services that my office offers small businesses. We have helped businesses being audited by the IRS, having difficulty bidding on federal contracts and struggling to get paid for services they provided. My office can reach out on behalf of any business in our district to facilitate communication between federal agencies and businesses to try to resolve disputes in a timely fashion. Small businesses often depend on steady cash flow, so our help can be the difference between growth or closing their doors. We have recovered over $4 million in benefits for constituents, including those who operate small businesses.

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In what ways are you seeking feedback from small businesses in San Diego and then using that information in Washington, D.C.?

When I was first elected to Congress, I quickly learned that lawmakers can often isolate themselves in a D.C. bubble. I believe the best legislative ideas don’t come from D.C. but, instead, come from face-to-face meetings with smallbusiness owners and entrepreneurs back at home. I like to hear directly from the people affected by federal rules and regulations so we can work together on solutions that would make it easier to start and grow your own business. That’s why I visit San Diego small businesses and meet with their employees on a regular basis. Small businesses are key to our economic and job growth, so we should be doing everything we can to make starting and growing a business easier. S

One topic: 10 facts Customer Service Stats You Need to Know 1 By 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the main differentiator between competitors.

2 Companies that deploy a thoughtfully crafted customer service program enjoy a 92% customer retention rate.

3 American consumers are willing to spend 17% more to do business with companies that deliver excellent service, which is an increase from 14% in 2014.

4 A service-related problem with a company makes a customer four times more likely to buy from a competitor than if it was a product or price-related problem.

5 75% of today’s consumers expect to receive a consis-

34% of sales and marketing leaders believe that artificial intelligence will cause the biggest improvement in customer experience. However, the No. 1

When reordering, self-service tools are preferred by 86% of today’s B2B executives over dealing with a salesperson.

8 66% of adults say the most important thing a company can do to offer a good online customer experience is to value their time.

9 In 2017, 51% of customers said the phone still offered the fastest resolution from customer service. Online chat was next at 23%, then web self-service at 5%, text message at 4% and mobile app self-service at 3%. 17

10 62% of companies view customer experience delivered by the contact centers as a competitive differentiator.

Sources: Walker, Aberdeen, American Express, Bain & Company, Salesforce, Oracle, Newvoicemedia.com, McKinsey, Forrester, Statista, Deloitte.

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tent customer service experience at every point of engagement, whether it’s over the phone, in person, online or on social networks.

reason customers say they dislike calling companies is not being able to talk to a real person immediately.

2019 FBS SUMMIT

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he 2019 FBS Summit in Las Vegas, Oct. 9-11, was an unforgettable experience for franchisees, managers and vendor partners. Representatives from Inspire Brands and Buffalo

Wild Wings® corporate attended the event again this year to provide insights about what the future holds for BWW® restaurants. Attendees heard speakers present on a wide variety of topics, from operations to development to marketing. Former Army Ranger Kris “Tanto” Paronto shared an inspirational message about his experience in Benghazi during the keynote address. The agenda also allowed for franchisees and managers to network with vendors in the trade show FBS Chairman Wray Hutchinson welcomes attendees and kicks off the 2019 FBS Summit.

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and during the annual Casino Night and Texas Hold ’Em Tournament.

FBS is looking forward to another successful Summit in 2020!

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1 Board of Directors member Bobby Pancake responds to a question during the franchiseeonly session. 2 Members of the FBS Board of Directors, from left, Mark Jones, Roz Mallet and Brian Carmody answer questions on stage during the franchisee-only session. 3 Lyle Tick, president of BWW, welcomes attendees on behalf of the brand. 4 Attorney James Paretti speaks to attendees about workplace policy.

5 FBS Vice President of Legislative Affairs Misty Chally gives important legislative information to attendees. 6 Tim Ehlert, Inspire Brands’ senior director of government relations, provides FBS members with a legislative update.

7 & 8 Keynote speaker and former Army 19 Ranger Kris “Tanto” Paronto captivates the audience with his lively presentation of 13 Hours, the story of his experience in Benghazi, Libya. 9 Attendees listen intently to the speakers during general session.

DAY 1 1 From left, Michael Belsito, Amy Walters and Bob Sparks stop for a quick photo after general session.

2 FBS Chairman Wray Hutchison, Vice Chairman Mark Jones and BWW President Lyle Tick pose with franchisees Amit Patel, Stephen Sullivan, John Elwart and Brian Anderson as they award them for 10 years of service. 3 BWW President Lyle Tick, FBS Chairman Wray Hutchinson and Vice Chairman Mark Jones award franchisees Bobby Pancake and Bill and Garrett Schmidt for 15 years of service. 4 Lyle Tick, Wray Hutchinson and Mark Jones pose with franchisees Barbara and Bob Ganse and Jenny Beaudoin as they accept their award for 20 years of service. 5 Franchisees Brian and Jeff Carmody and Bob Senkar are welcomed to the stage and recognized for 25 years of service with Buffalo Wild Wings. 6 John Ledva from PepsiCo accepts his five-year FBS service award. 7 Evan Claus from Craft Brew Alliance poses with Bill Overton and Ken Hibben from Seating Concepts Inc. to show off their 2019 FBS Service Award for 10 years of service. 8 FBS Chairman Wray Hutchinson, from left, with franchisees Joe Frederick Jr. and Joe Frederick Sr. and BWW President Lyle Tick, presents the Fredericks with their 2019 FBS service award for 25 years of service.

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1 Franchisee Kevin O’Laughlin visits with Crew’s Jenna Giglio. 2 Plate IQ’s Devyn Schwartzberg discusses his company’s products with franchisees Brett Nelson and Dustin Crews. 3 Franchisee Michael Mastro visits Northcoast Productions’ booth.

4 Sugar Creek hands out samples for attendees to taste.

5 From left, Bill Goolsby and Jason Abbott from AVDI pose for a photo with franchisee Matt Benne. 6 FBS Chairman Wray Hutchinson socializes with franchisees during the opening reception. 7 New Belgium gives away samples to attendees at their booth. 8 John and Amy 21 Ledva from PepsiCo chat with franchisees. 9 Franchisee James Bitzonis poses for a photo with representatives from Constellation Brands. 10 Jake Davis from FreshCheq shares the company’s services with franchisees.

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1 Attendees enjoy breakfast on the Apollo Pool Deck to kick-start the second day of general session.

2 Attendees enjoy coffee and conversation at breakfast to begin the second day of the Summit.

3 & 4 BWW President Lyle Tick starts Thursday’s session with a recap of the previous day’s presentations.

5 Seth Freeman, Buffalo Wild Wings chief marketing officer, speaks about future marketing plans for the 22 brand. 6 Inspire Brands Senior Vice President of Insights and Customer Personalization Navin Sharma stresses the importance of customer loyalty to attendees. 7 & 8 Jamie Carawan, BWW vice president of brand menu and culinary, discusses recent menu changes with the crowd.

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general session. 2 Inspire Brands Chief Supply Officer Christopher Held discusses the supply chain update with attendees during general session. 3 Senior Vice President of Design and Construction for Inspire Brands Jim Cannon provides an

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update on development, national rollouts and remodels. 4 Brad Anderson asks a question of the FBS Board of Directors during the FBS Franchisee Town Hall. 5 CEO of Inspire Brands Paul Brown provides an Inspire update during general session. 6 Kevin O’Bryan, new vice president of global

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supply chain for Buffalo Wild Wings, shares insight on supply chain at his first FBS Summit. 7 Raghu Sagi, chief information officer of Inspire Brands, discusses technology initiatives and digital transformation. 8 Don Crocker, senior vice president of real estate for Inspire Brands, is welcomed to the stage at his first FBS Summit.

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1 Attendees enjoy a game of cornhole during the closing night event.

2 Franchisees try their hand at winning $10,000 during the Texas Hold ’Em Tournament. 3 After two full days of general session, attendees were invited to wind down, socialize and compete against fellow attendees during the Texas Hold ’Em Tournament and Casino Night. 4 Franchisees Brandon Jones and Kevin O’Laughlin socialize and share a laugh at the closing event. 5 & 6 Franchisees play an intense game of Texas Hold ’Em. 7 Jimmy Rack and Ricky Mullinax show off their $5,000 prize from the manager/vendor tournament. 8 Treavor Smith, 24 divisional vice president Midwest for World Wide Wings, was the winner of the franchisee tournament. 9 Autumn Birk with Shoes for Crews excitedly accepts her raffle prize.

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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

25 SCORE | 2019 Issue 4

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THE NEED FOR SPEED:

Restaurant Service Relies on the Right Mindset and Training

by Sean Ireland

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ranchisees and managers of Buffalo Wild Wings® restaurants never know exactly what their guests have in mind when they walk through the door. Diners may want to sit with friends, relax, enjoy a meal and watch the game in a laid-back atmosphere.

Others, though, may be looking for a quick meal on a lunch break or for a good dinner before they head to the stadium for the first pitch or kickoff.

Regardless of what each guest has in mind when they walk into their favorite BWW®, there’s no question that they will expect great-tasting food and drinks served in a timely manner. That’s where the restaurant’s speed of service (SOS) factors into guest experience.

“The speed of service can make or break a guest’s experience,” said Jason Garrity, a district manager with JK&T Wings, which operates 42 BWW locations in Louisiana, Massachusetts and Michigan.

“We live in a world where we’re accustomed to having things at our fingertips.

Whether a guest is stopping in for a quick lunch or hanging out for several hours to watch a game with friends, it’s important to respond to their needs as quickly as possible to ensure a positive experience and keep them coming back.”

“In this industry, convenience, quality and experience are king. Our American sports bars have to be the best on the block if we want to steal market share in this competitive landscape,” said Mick Rosckowff, chief operating officer of Spark Restaurants, which operates eight Buffalo Wild Wings locations. “Speed is the difference between a great experience and subpar experience. Especially now, with the focus on producing fresher, fromscratch products like our tenders and burgers, we must get that food out hot and fresh if we want the guests to truly experience that ‘wild’ dining experience.”

Providing that experience never gets any easier. “Because we are in a time when so many things are instant, the guest has higher expectations of speed,” said World Wide Wings District Manager Bart Vig, whose company owns 68 restaurants in Washington, Oregon, California, Illinois, Indiana and Florida. “If you deliver it quicker and still maintain quality, you have an advantage over the competition.”

It can be a challenge to create an atmosphere where guests feel welcomed to stay while ensuring each customer’s needs are met in a timely way and with smiles, and great food is served quickly.

Threading this needle is complicated even more by the guests who are only stopping for a meal with other destinations ahead of them. For these people, the restaurant’s efficiency is of even more importance.

It’s a process that begins the moment a guest walks in the door and requires effort and communication until the time they walk out, with every step scrutinized.

“Speed of service needs to be focused on in all areas from greeting the guest, getting them their beverages and food, and, maybe most importantly, getting them the check when they are ready to leave,” said Joe Frederick Jr. of Two Joes Inc., which operates two B-Dubs® restaurants in Minnesota. “One area of slow service can ruin the entire experience, and you don’t want an entire visit to be unfavorable because they had to wait too long for their bill or change.”

The recipe for providing comfortable, yet fast and effective speed of service calls for several different components.

Proper staffing levels and training for team members are the obvious, basic ingredients.

“Staffing is a major factor when it comes to speed of service. It’s critical to be aware of the previous year’s sales, current sales trends and local events to

staff appropriately,” Garrity said. “It’s also important to create an enjoyable atmosphere that team members want to be part of to ensure retention and employee satisfaction. Happy and experienced team members provide better guest experiences.”

Kevin Chitty, one of Garrity’s fellow district managers with JK&T Wings, agreed. “Speed of service starts with being properly staffed,” he said. “The bottom line is you must be staffed, or no tool will help your speed.”

Knowing how important it is to never be caught short in either the front or back of the house, Antsul Group, with seven restaurants in New Jersey and New York, puts special emphasis on maintaining a good workplace atmosphere. “Our units are always hiring and creating a fun work environment, so we are able to see retention and do not come across issues often,” said Jackie Torsiello, regional training and marketing manager for Antsul. “We drive SOS with contests on shifts, whether they are based on upselling or a bingo game, and to push items. Ensuring the staff is all over the steps of service is a driver to make sure we run short ticket times and turn over tables quickly.”

Getting the staff to that point takes training that makes acknowledging guests and addressing their needs the No. 1 priority of every employee. It must permeate the restaurant’s culture. “[Speed of service] starts from day one in orientation to cover expectations with pace, delivery and working as a team,” said JK&T’s Jeff Carmody, another district manager.

Proper training is important – it only takes one person to slow the whole team down. Employees must understand the menu as well as know how to properly

SEAN IRELAND is the FBS associate director of communications. You may reach Ireland at 678-797-5165 or seani@myfbsonline.org.

Tips for improving and maintaining speed of service Jeff Carmody, JK&T Wings:

• Always focus on the pace with the team (set the tone/expectations) in orientation.

• All team members run food and beverages when ready – not just servers.

• Have accountability with “section buddies” to promote teamwork.

• During high-volume times, use bussers and/or floor managers to assist.

Joel Dover, JK&T Wings: • Conduct a secret shop program to provide a snapshot of a meal period two to three times a month.

• Host mandatory meetings with implementation of new menu items or changes in operational procedures.

Juan Feliciano, Four M Franchising:

• Train. Train. Train.

• Focus on the basics.

• Speed comes with knowledge.

Joe Frederick Jr., Two Joes Inc.:

• Make sure the outside expos are on the same page and notifying management if ticket times exceed 15 minutes.

• Run periodic incentives for the HOH team members to decrease ticket times.

• Mistakes and remakes can lead to disaster for SOS. Preventing the mistakes as much as possible is critical.

• Focus on being overly prepared going into high-volume time periods. The less the team is distracted by stocking, the more time they can focus on the SOS.

Jason Garrity, JK&T Wings:

• Consider digital tools for accurate forecasting and scheduling or to streamline seating, especially with large parties.

• Provide headsets to all managers and key team members to help with the flow of communication.

Jackie Torsiello, Antsul Group:

• Managers being present on shifts and running the floor is always a huge way to drive the SOS.

Bart Vig, World Wide Wings:

• Share the whys with your team.

Everyone assumes that team members understand, but they may think that speed is because of labor costs and not because of guest expectations.

27 SCORE | 2019 Issue 4

leader,” Garrity said. “Stores with strong leadership and communication perform more efficiently. It’s important to have a game plan ahead of every shift and communicate essential information like ticket times and wait times to the rest of the team throughout the shift.”

“Each area works as a cog in the unit while supporting each other,” Feliciano said. “From the host greeting and seating, to the server and bartender handling all the guest needs, to the heart of house (HOH) executing to the stadium assistant resetting, each of these areas must work together to provide speedy service. If one fails, we all fail. And it is up to the manager to ensure everything and everyone is running on all cylinders.”

Managers set the tone, Rosckowff concurred. “We, as leaders of restaurants, need to ensure we lead a successful flow of business and address the bottlenecks.

When guests get hot and fresh food quickly, they enjoy their experience more, and their tips are higher. This lifts the morale of the staff, which, in turn, empowers them to deliver an even better guest experience.”

Managers must keep the lines of communication open and be aware of what’s happening at the door, at the bar and on the floor, and in the back of the house all the time. Frederick said management must also be ready to jump in wherever needed and be vocal about working as a team.

Above-restaurant leaders also have roles to play, Rosckowff said. “As a leader, you always want to leave your restaurant better than you found it. Every time we visit one of our units … most of the time is spent observing the flow of the business.

Our above-store leaders observe the experience of the guest from the moment they walk into the restaurant until they receive their food, and always have the follow-up touchback with that table.”

It’s a powerful statement about the importance SOS needs to have in every organization and restaurant from the top down. “SOS is an ongoing concern,” JK&T’s Dover said. “It has to be top of mind to ensure we keep our guests engaged and enjoying their visit to our sports bars.” S

THE

ring orders. When they need help, they stop others from doing their own jobs, further dragging down SOS and, by extension, guest experience. “People are fast with what they know,” said Juan Feliciano, area manager with Four M Franchising. “If they don’t know the product or the steps, slow is what you will get. By training the team properly, you ensure success.”

Jeff Dover, also a JK&T district manager, added, “The methods we use are built into our training. There are different types – team service, such as running food, running drinks, pre-bussing tables not only for your tables, but all tables. We have standards in our service – standard greet time, standard drink delivery, standard food delivery, standard check presentation.

These are all areas we focus on during training and daily supervision.”

The emphasis on teamwork and flow translates directly into SOS. “Each department is interdependent on the other executing their role to deliver the optimal guest experience whether it’s dine-in or delivery/to-go,” Vig said. “If one misses, it is difficult to recover the lost time to meet the guest expectations.”

“The flow of business impacts all areas of operations, both front and back of the house,” Garrity said. “Efficient speed of service ensures that operations run smoothly in all areas of the restaurant.

For example, a back-up at the door can disrupt the normal flow and can cause a trickledown effect, overwhelming servers and kitchen staff.”

“Front of the house and back of the house must stay in communication to keep a good flow throughout the restaurant because a mass seating will start with putting the servers behind and then move to the kitchen,” Chitty added.

Slowdowns lead to other problems, too. “Lack of speed of service can directly affect the quality of our food and beverages,” Dover said. “If food sits too long in the expo window or drinks are allowed to sit at our bar service station, it compromises the quality.”

Staffing and training are the basic ingredients to efficient SOS, but they must be seasoned with strong leadership.

Management has a key role to play, not only in making sure that restaurants are fully staffed for peak times with a welltrained team, but also in being present to keep communication open and people motivated and to step in when needed.

“The rate of the pack is set by its

A Few Things Great Leaders Do

by Dennis Snow

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here is a photo of Walt Disney picking up trash at Disneyland (probably in the late 1950s) that is my all-time favorite Disney photo. The message it communicates is timeless – effective leaders walk the talk.

I like to imagine a new Disneyland cast member in training at that time, hearing his trainer explain the importance of keeping the park clean. Glancing up, the new cast member sees Walt Disney himself picking up trash. Training doesn’t get any better than that.

The concept of leaders needing to “walk the talk” has been around forever and can seem overused. But I don’t think the phrase can ever be overused. The fact is that many leaders fail to put the concept of walking the talk into practice.

I was recently conducting a customer experience workshop for a small group of leaders. While we covered a lot of customer service and leadership topics, I saved the walk-the-talk topic for last because this is where things become personal. I asked the group to brainstorm this question: What observable behaviors will demonstrate to my team that I am totally committed to delivering outstanding customer experiences?

Plenty of responses came out of the discussion, but I want to highlight a few that I think capture the essence of what it means for a leader to walk the talk of service excellence.

Put actions to your words. The Walt Disney photo says it best. If you want your employees to behave a certain way, it’s imperative for you to behave that same way.

If you expect your employees to be highly responsive to customer needs, and yet you take days to respond to an employee’s communication (or you don’t respond at all), your behavior contradicts your expectation.

On the other hand, when employees see you helping a customer, or jumping in to assist during a busy time, or picking up that stray piece of trash, you’ve communicated that service excellence is everyone’s responsibility, regardless of title.

Recognize that words matter. What a leader says about customers, employees and other departments sets the tone for how team members will talk about customers, fellow

employees and other departments. When a leader talks about breaking down organizational silos, but constantly badmouths other departments in front of his or her employees, the blame game is reinforced and perpetuated. And rather than silos being broken down, they’re strengthened.

Engage the hearts and minds of your employees.

There may have been a time when the leader had the answers to most business issues that would arise. The leader had formal authority and was usually an expert in all phases of the operation.

However, due to changing customer expectations and competition, those days are over. Today’s best leaders get their people involved in improving the organization. They recognize that those employees closest to the customer know better than anyone what frustrates guests and what can be done to improve the customer experience. Effective leaders set the vision, but then play the roles of facilitator, idea champion and barrier remover.

Hold every member of the team accountable.

Effective leaders ensure that delivering outstanding service is non-negotiable. They don’t let substandard performance slide.

If a member of the team isn’t living up to expectations, effective leaders don’t hesitate to coach that team member. If substandard performance continues, effective leaders don’t hesitate to “invite the employee to work somewhere else.” An organization’s brand is too fragile to allow behaviors that frustrate or anger customers to continue.

Certainly, there are many other walk-the-talk leadership behaviors that could be listed here, and the workshop participants doing the brainstorming came up with quite a list. But the four

leadership behaviors noted here seemed to most resonate with the group, and me as well. I encourage you, however, to add your own items to the list.

One of my favorite leadership quotes comes from business author Tom Peters: “The problem isn’t that your people don’t know what you’re doing. The problem is that they DO know what you’re doing.”

It really is a problem when a leader’s actions aren’t aligned with his or her words. Trust is eroded, and the most he or she can hope for is employee compliance. Employee commitment is out of the question when leaders fail to walk the talk of service excellence.

Here’s something to think about: What observable behaviors will demonstrate to your team that you are totally committed to delivering outstanding customer experiences? S

DENNIS SNOW is the president of Snow & Associates Inc. Dennis worked with The Walt Disney Co. for 20 years and now consults with organizations around the world, helping them achieve their customer service goals. He is the author of “Unleashing Excellence: The Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Service” and “Lessons From the Mouse: A Guide for Applying Disney World’s Secrets of Success to Your Organization, Your Career, and Your Life.” You can reach Snow at 407-294-1855 or visit his website at www.snowassociates.com.

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Record Level of Wages Recovered By Federal Government: Is Your Business Next?

by Douglas H. Duerr

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t the end of October, the United States Department of Labor announced it had recovered $322 million in wages from employers for unpaid wages for fiscal year 2019. Surprisingly, this recovery exceeded the amount obtained in FY 2018, which was also a record year. According to U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia, “Through rigorous enforcement and compliance assistance, the U.S. Department of Labor is committed to ensuring that workers receive the wages they have earned. These recordbreaking numbers … confirm our ongoing commitment to strong enforcement.” That is, under the Trump administration, enforcement of wage and hour laws has been ramped up, not down. Thus, you should make sure you have focused on your compliance with laws regarding minimum wage and overtime compensation. When was the last time you looked at your wage payment practices to ensure they fully comply with legal requirements?

Oftentimes, I have heard from employers hit with enforcement actions, whether by a governmental agency or through a claim brought in court, that they either did not know the employees were not being paid properly because of someone’s mistake or they did not realize their policy/practice/rule/etc. violated the law. Some common violations in the hospitality business include:

1

Making employees pay for uniform items, whether issued by the business or required to be provided by the employee (e.g., slip-resistant shoes of a particular brand, style or color). Uniform items are a cost of the business, and these cannot be shifted to the employee if doing so would take the employee below the

minimum wage in the week of the purchase (or required payment). That is, even if you pay employees over the minimum wage, if they are required to buy a shirt and/or a pair of pants and only work a few hours that week (e.g., at time of hire), the cost of that purchase will almost certainly mean the employee did not receive minimum wage for that week.

Note that, in some states, employees cannot have their wages deducted for business expenses such as uniforms, even if the employee still receives minimum wage after the deduction.

2

Deductions from wages for cash register shortages. The risk of loss is a business expense, which, like uniform items, cannot be shifted to an employee. In my experience, even when a business owner is aware that cash register shortages should not be made up by employees, sometimes lower-level supervisors will let an employee “make up” the shortage in lieu of being written up. Even if the employee “agrees” or “volunteers” to make up a shortage, this should not be allowed.

3

Having employees clock out and then wait for everyone to leave at the same time at the end of the night. If employees are required to be on the premises, that time must be treated as “work” for purposes of minimum wage and overtime.

4

“Cleaning parties” or some other “volunteer” activity in which employees perform work off the clock to “earn” shifts or desirable assignments. If an employee is performing work, even

voluntarily, that time must be treated as work time for purposes of minimum wage and overtime. Sometimes, managers will let employees enter the business before their shift start (e.g., the employee gets dropped off early and the weather conditions are cold, etc.), and the employee will volunteer to do some work so that they do not have to do it later or as quickly. Again, that “volunteer” work must be treated as … work.

5

Fines or penalties for infractions (e.g., leaving the service entry unlocked, shirt is untucked, etc.) cannot be made if it takes an employee’s wages below the minimum wage. In addition, many states have laws prohibiting deductions from wages unless certain strict requirements have been met.

6

Not properly recording employee’s work time. With the proliferation of time-keeping devices, including on the POS, it seems that employees should have no problem clocking in or out; however, in some businesses, employees will forget to clock in/out. While often the shift manager can “edit” time in such instances, it is often alleged years later that the manager edited the time to reduce labor costs (e.g., eliminate overtime) to improve the bonus potential. Thus, if managers are empowered to edit time, make sure that there is a mechanism in place to provide an explanation of why the time was edited and that information regarding the edit was provided to the employee along with an opportunity to object.

7

Misclassification of managers as exempt from overtime. For a manager to be exempt, they must be paid a salary (i.e., a flat

amount for each week, with the amount not subject to variation based on the quantity or the quality of the work performed) and have, as their primary duty, exempt functions. That is, a manager cannot be treated as exempt from overtime if paid on an hourly basis or if their salary is subject to deduction for penalties or the like.

(There are strict rules permitting deductions for whole day absences, etc.; failure to follow the rule will result in loss of exempt status.) In my experience, where most hospitality employers get into trouble in this regard is that the managers do not have sufficient discretionary authority.

Note that to qualify as an exempt manager, the minimum salary under federal law increases to $684 per week on Jan. 1.

These are just a few examples of practices that can result in violations of wage and hour laws. While the amounts for each individual employee can be relatively small, the liability can go back several years for multiple employees. In addition to back wages due for such violations, federal and state laws also provide for additional penalties and damages that will at least equal the amount of back wages due if not exceed that amount. Thus, when was the last time you (or someone with sufficient expertise in wage and hour compliance) reviewed not only your business’s policies, but also the actual practices? Given the increased enforcement of wage and hour laws over the last several years, it may be time to take another look. S DOUGLAS H. DUERR is partner at Elarbee Thompson, a national labor and employment law firm with an industry practice area focused on franchises. Learn more at www.elarbeethompson.com.

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As a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) offering integrated, costeffective solutions for your business, Oasis Outsourcing brings remarkable value to you and your company.

SCORE | 2019 Issue 4

HR SERVICES | EMPLOYEE BENEFITS | PAYROLL ADMIN | RISK MANAGEMENT

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To learn more, contact Connie Brennan today at 973-219-1991, cbrennan@OasisAdvantage.com or visit us online at www.OasisAdvantage.com.

31

What Critical

ONE-HOUR NE-HOUR ONE-HOURONE-HO Activity Must You Do Every Working Day?

by Dan Coughlin

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he problem with business is busyness.

We all face the challenge of keeping our workdays from being eaten up with being busy. The angry customer calls, our boss wants something NOW, the computer breaks down, the package that was supposed to be delivered overnight somehow didn’t make it, and on and on. Every day multiple things take us off track, the week ends and we never got around to doing the one critical activity that we needed to do.

This requires a three-step process: 1. Define your role.

2. Clarify your one-hour daily critical activity.

3. Carve out one untouchable hour for your critical activity every day that cannot be interrupted.

Define Your Role Here’s a way to define your role.

Fill in the blank in this sentence: I am a professional ______.

For example, you might say:

I am a professional salesperson.

I am a professional client relationship liaison.

I am a professional operations person.

I am a professional marketer.

I am a professional trainer.

I am a professional executive.

I am a professional manager.

In my case, I see my role as a professional influencer.

Then you must define what that role does in or for an organization.

Here’s my stab at answering it for these roles: A professional salesperson convinces a buyer that the value of the product/ service being sold is worth the investment the customer needs to make to get it.

A professional client relationship manager works with clients to strategically grow their business in a sustainable way.

A professional marketer explains the change the product/service will make for a desired customer.

A professional operations person develops and executes processes to achieve a desired outcome.

A professional trainer explains the skills needed to do a certain task and works to develop those skills in other people.

A professional executive makes decisions about what will be done and what will not be done.

A professional manager guides human, financial and other resources toward achieving specific goals.

A professional influencer impacts how other people think so they can achieve what they want to achieve. This is not about motivating people. It’s about influencing them.

OUR

Clarify Your Critical One-Hour Daily Activity

Carve Out One Untouchable Hour for Your Critical Activity Every Day That Cannot Be Interrupted

For example, if you are making cold calls and you start to think about an email you need to write to a customer, write down that item, and then go back to your cold calls. Don’t write that email during this hour.

Conclusion This is not complicated. You know your role, and you know what you need to do. The challenge is to stay faithful to your one untouchable hour every day and not let other people or your emails and texts take you away from doing what you know you need to do during that hour. It will make all the difference between a great year’s performance and a mediocre one. You can spend more than one hour a day on your critical activity, but you must spend at least one hour a day on it. S

DAN COUGHLIN is president of The

And this is the key step. You must select one hour in your day to do your critical activity. If need be, communicate to other people that this is your one hour that needs to be uninterrupted. Put it on your calendar. Do NOT allow anything or anybody to interrupt you during that hour. If a thought pops in your mind about something else, acknowledge the thought and then tell it to go away.

Coughlin Company Inc., a management consulting firm focused on improving executive effectiveness and significance.

He serves as a thinking partner for executives, managers and business owners toward improving their most important desired business outcomes.

He does this through executive coaching for individuals and small groups. He also provides keynote speeches and seminars on effectiveness and leadership.

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SCORE | 2019 Issue 4

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33 THE

Every role has one thing that must be done for a minimum of one hour a day no matter how busy the person becomes.

A professional salesperson must feed the pipeline with new prospects. This can include making cold calls and asking current customers for referrals and then calling those individuals.

A professional client relationship manager must have one-on-one or smallgroup strategic growth conversations with clients.

A professional operations person must develop or execute processes to achieve desired results.

A professional marketer must work on clarifying the change the company wants to make for the customer and on determining the message to be delivered to the customer.

A professional trainer must break down complicated concepts and explain

them to other people or practice explaining them to other people.

A professional executive must make decisions or invest time in understanding a situation to decide what to do.

A professional manager must meet with employees on an individual or group basis, or plan an effective meeting with them, to guide them toward achieving the goal.

A professional influencer must clarify the message to send to other people and then deliver it in an effective manner.

PRODUCTIVITY DOESN’T MAKE YOU EFFICIENT

by Laura Stack

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ost of us know the difference between effectiveness and efficiency. Effectiveness is doing the right things, while efficiency is doing things right. Their intersection yields high productivity. I even wrote a book about it: “Doing the Right Things Right: How the Effective Executive Spends Time.”

But many people remain confused about the difference between productivity and efficiency. Too often, the terms are viewed as synonyms. They’re not. They’re related but certainly not interchangeable. Indeed, in some cases, they couldn’t be further apart.

Productivity is simply output per unit of time. Efficiency is the best possible output per unit of time, i.e., doing things right.

When you do the right things right, you hit your maximum level of efficiency and productivity.

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For example, if Andy produces 1,000 lines of code in a week while Brad produces 800 lines, it may look like Andy is the more productive worker; that’s true if he has a low error rate. But if his code requires 30 hours of debugging, and Brad’s works the first time it compiles, Brad is clearly far more efficient than Andy – and this plugs straight into his true productivity, his penchant to do the right things right.

Ultimately, he’s more productive than Andy, though for some observers, this fact may be easy to miss.

Here’s how to tell the difference between plain productivity and empowering efficiency:

1. Productivity is quantity; efficiency is quality. The biggest difference between productivity and efficiency is simple: Productivity measures bulk output; efficiency measures the proportion of output that works as intended. While it’s true, sometimes, that “quantity has a quality of its own,” the statement is more applicable to warfare than business. It’s often wasteful and hinders any attempt to maximize “right the first time” quality.

2. Productivity is performance; efficiency is how well you perform. Just because you perform something doesn’t mean you do it well, though it may prove workmanlike.

Consider daytime TV actors versus their movie and prime time TV counterparts. Daytime actors produce a new show every weekday. They tend to do a decent job, no knock to them, but movie and prime time actors have weeks or months to perfect their work, plus special-effects budgets.

3. Productivity doesn’t take underlying costs into account; efficiency does. Consider the coding example above. Andy did 1,000 lines of code that week while Brad did 800, so Andy was obviously the winner of the productivity award. But his code was so buggy it doubled the cost of production. Meanwhile, Brad’s code worked right the first time at half the cost of Andy’s. His more careful, methodical work saved money instead of just getting the product out the door ASAP. 4. Productivity is a raw measure; efficiency is a refined one. Raw productivity shows how much someone accomplished. Efficiency reflects productivity that generates profit and should always serve as an input to productivity planning – so that, ironically, it becomes an output as well.

Otherwise it’s Andy and Brad again. Productivity is just output; efficiency includes built-in quality control. It may not help speed productivity, but it ensures that what you produce fits your needs

and requirements the first time, so you don’t have to spend more resources fixing it.

PRODUCTIVITY + EFFICIENCY = TRUE PRODUCTIVITY Both productivity and efficiency matter, but in most fields (especially traditional manufacturing), productivity without efficiency is a business killer. So, what if you produce 100 machine parts if only 25 work as designed? Stretching to increase your productivity, whether your product is widgets, computer code, white papers or archaeological reports, can hurt you more than maintaining a slower, more deliberate pace – because when you work too fast, you make mistakes you then have to spend precious resources to repair. If you don’t, and the products get to customers who bring the errors to your attention in some dramatic way, then your business takes a hit and so do you. Look what happened to the Ford Pinto in the 1970s.

Do you really want a millstone like that around your neck when you can avoid it by intentionally coupling productivity and efficiency, instead of just assuming if you have one, you have the other? It’s clear that efficiency and productivity must be inextricably linked if you want to achieve true productivity – but they can exist separately, sometimes to devastating effect. S LAURA STACK, MBA, CSP, CPAE, aka The Productivity Pro®, gives speeches and seminars on sales and leadership productivity.

For over 25 years, she’s worked with Fortune 1000 clients to reduce inefficiencies, execute more quickly, improve output and increase profitability. Laura is the author of seven books, including “Doing the Right Things Right: How the Effective Executive Spends Time.” To invite Laura to speak at your next event, visit www.TheProductivityPro.com.

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CS

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Oct. 23

December

AD RESERVATION DEADLINE

PUBLICATION DATE

Oasis 31 973-219-1991 www.oasisadvantage.com PepsiCo BC 732-618-8578 www.pepsico.com Quad 7 414-566-4815 upress.qg.com/buffalowildwings TruPay 12 866-674-7300 trupay.com Wasserstrom Co. 35 800-888-9963 www.wasserstrom.com * CS=Cover Sheet, IF=Inside Front, IB=Inside Back, BC=Back Cover

2019 Issue 4 |

THE

SCORE

36

THE

CALL FOR FRANCHISEE NEWS Issue 1 is due out March 2020. As always, we want to highlight any news or events associated with our members. If you have ideas for potential stories, please submit online at www.myfbsonline.org, email communications@myfbsonline.org or call 678-797-5161

by Jan. 31. Our editorial staff can assist in writing the article.

THE

Bringing better insurance options to business owners like you.

Lockton Affinity is now a co-broker with Elevanta. As a franchise owner looking for insurance coverage to protect your business, you can expect more from Lockton Affinity and Elevanta:

Tailored product offerings Protecting against the risks your business faces can be difficult.

With coverage from Elevanta and Lockton Affinity, you receive tailored coverage designed with your requirements in mind.

Complimentary policy reviews Concerned you don’t have the right protection for your franchise?

Email Lockton Affinity at Elevanta@LocktonAffinity.com with your current insurance policies and we will review them free of charge to ensure your franchise has the right policies and limits in place.

Risk management tools We offer risk management tools like loss prevention plans, risk management articles and newsletters, and webinars to help you mitigate risk—and lower your insurance premiums—over time.

Learn more about this new partnership and its offerings by contacting Lockton Affinity at Elevanta@LocktonAffinity.com or (844) 403-4947.

Lockton Affinity, LLC | 10895 Lowell Avenue, Suite 300 | Overland Park, KS 66210 Mailing Address: Lockton Affinity, LLC | PO Box 410679 | Kansas City, MO 64141 | Phone 913.652.7500 Copyright © Lockton Companies. All programs administered by Lockton Affinity, LLC. D/B/A Lockton Affinity Insurance Brokers, LLC California License #0795478.

OFFENSE MEETS DEFENSE CHILL WITH A PEPSI. HEAT UP WITH WINGS.

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