The SCORE, Issue 3, 2022

FBS Board of Directors

James Bitzonis

Chairman

Roz Mallet Vice Chairman

Steve Grube Secretary/Treasurer

Wray Hutchinson

Chairman Emeritus

Mark Jones Director Jenny Beaudoin Director

Brian Carmody Director Bobby Pancake Director

Larry Podlogar Director

Ed Lynn Director

Christy Williams Executive Director

FBS Editorial Board

Rachel Jackson Editor-in-Chief rachelj@myfbsonline.org

Allison McCallum Managing Editor allisonm@myfbsonline.org

Jared Johnsen Managing Editor jaredj@myfbsonline.org

Advertising Sales

Jeff Reynolds

Director of Business Partner Relations jeffr@myfbsonline.org 678-797-5163

Christy Rowan

Vendor Sales & Development Manager christyr@myfbsonline.org 678-439-2284

Design and Layout

Kristen Thomas

KT Graphic Design ktgraphicdesign@gmail.com

Headquarters

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

ON THE COVER

The AZ Wings Management team is all smiles. Bill and Gayle Schmidt champion company culture at their sports bar, and it shows. For more on how they and other franchisees strategize to accomplish this, see page 16.

Buffalo Wild Wings GO: A QSR Take on a Beloved Brand by Jared Johnsen, FBS Managing Editor

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.

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

Copyright© 2022 Printed in the U.S.A. www.myfbsonline.org

Letter From the Chairman

We all know that employee retention is a critical component of your HR plan. At RSQ Foods LLC (formerly Four M Franchising), we are very blessed to have some fantastic managerial employees, many who came to us as hourlies or started as shift leaders and were deserv edly promoted to assistant managers. Every year, we hold an assistant manager outing to celebrate them in a fun environment. This year we will spend the day at the Captain Lawrence brewery.

The general managers will be holding down the forts on this date, and as I look at our AM roster, the tenure of many of our assistant management staff truly amazes me. Their dedication and loyalty to our company and the brand is top shelf! We have more than half of the team with over 12 years tenure! This is truly an incredible fact in today’s work culture/environment, and we are extremely grateful and proud of them. They embody the core principles of B-Dubs: Hustle, Sportsmanship, Community, Spontaneity and Fun. We must be doing something right! I hope

you take a moment to reflect on your key employees and their dedication to your company, and don’t forget to celebrate them; they will be very appreciative, as will your HR team. Wishing you all a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving! Until next time... S

As we look to close out another tumultuous year in the restaurant business, it is so important to appreciate your employees and recognize their achievements. Their dedication and loyalty to our company and the brand is top shelf!

We have more than half of the team with over 12 years tenure!

Wishing you all a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!

Jim Bitzonis FBS Chairman

United Way Spices Up Fundraiser With BWW Wing Eating Contest

Grube Inc. Buffalo Wild Wings® sports bar in Bridgeport, West Virginia, hosted a fundraiser for The United Way of Harrison and Doddridge Counties, featuring a wing-eating contest and a dunk tank.

On Aug. 14, sports bar No. 3380 hosted the 14th Annual Hot Wing Eating Contest Fundraiser. BWW® donated staff, over 1,000 hot wings and a venue to make the event a success.

The wing eating contest was a compe tition to see who could eat the most wings and raise the most money. With a $20 entry fee, contestants had eight minutes to eat as many hot wings as possible without the use of a beverage. Teams had the opportunity to be sponsored by local

organizations to raise money. With 33 participants, the contest ended with the victor eating an impressive 26 wings.

This year’s fundraiser was the debut of the dunk tank, where attendees would pay to submerge a volunteer in cold

water. The volunteer in the dunk tank would change every hour, including notable figures such as mayor of Bridgeport, Andy Lang.

The event was incredibly successful, with the attendance of 300-plus people and over $103,000 donated to United Way. The event also drove restaurant sales up 20% the day of the event. Jason Mike, Grube Inc. BWW regional manager, wants to continue to grow the event with more additions to increase engagement.

“This is a great event out of COVID-19 because a year and a half ago, we didn’t know if we were going to be able to do an event like this,” Mike said. “It was great to see everyone together and happy again.” S

High 5 Hospitality Sports Bar Trains for Narcan Administration

In 2017, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared the opioid epidemic in the U.S. a public health emergency.

With Delaware having more than double the national average of opioid overdose deaths in the U.S., Lori Ewald, director of human resources and marketing for High 5 Hospitality, wanted to act to keep the company’s staff and customers safe.

On June 23, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services partnered with High 5 Hospitality to train staff on the signs of an opioid overdose, the administration of Narcan and procedures in case this situation were to happen in a Buffalo Wild Wings® sports bar.

Held at Buffalo Wild Wings No. 3831 in Christiana, Delaware, the sports bar’s team members and High 5 Hospitality administrative staff were involved in this event. The training was 15 minutes and optional.

Narcan is an emergency medication used to help reverse the effects of opioids in case of an overdose. Eighteen kits containing two Narcan cartridges and

fentanyl-testing strips were distributed. Employees were taught how to administer the medications effectively and how to give rescue breaths in case someone’s heart stopped.

Those who attended the event were very receptive to the training. Many of the staff found a common ground knowing people who are addicted to, or have died, from opioids.

High 5 Hospitality hopes to train staff at each of its sports bars on the importance of Narcan administration. The company wants to keep its guests and employees from becoming a statistic in the opioid epidemic.

“The restaurant industry is second to the construction industry for substance abuse,” said Ewald. “We do not condone the use of drugs. We are just trying to save a life.” S

Wing-eating contest competitors trying to out eat one another.

Buttons

Members of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services train Buffalo Wild Wings staff on the use of Narcan.

BWW Franchise Sells Boneless Wings at Spin Doctors Concert

One of RSQ Foods LLC’s Buffalo Wild Wings® recently served attendees at the Rock White Plains concert in White Plains, New York.

On July 26, sports bar No. 3405 set up a tabletop concession for concert attendees to buy boneless wings of two varieties: mild and honey BBQ. Closing off the street, Rock White Plains lasted three hours, with American rock band the Spin Doctors performing as the headliner and Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds as the opener.

The venue hosted 2,000 people. “It was a great time,” said White Plains BWW® General Manager, Donald Vitolo. “People really enjoyed everything.”

The concert was one of many events sports bar No. 3405 has catered. It has also participated in the Downtown White Plains Wing Walk, a sampling event

showcasing the area’s wings.

Rock White Plains is being planned for next year, and the RSQ Foods LLC sports bar intends to cater it again. S

RSQ Foods LLC Celebrates Sports Bar Relocation to Nanuet

On Sept. 13, Buffalo Wild Wings® franchise RSQ Foods LLC opened sports bar No. 3939 at the Shops at Nanuet in Nanuet, New York.

The sports bar had a soft opening to acclimate the new staff. This location was previously located at the Palisades Mall in Nyack, New York. Due to its trouble some placement in the mall, franchisee and FBS Chairman, Jim Bitzonis, decided to relocate this BWW® when the lease expired.

“It was on the fourth floor of a very large mall,” Bitzonis said. “It was too far and difficult for third-party delivery drivers to pick up orders. The location made it hard to take advantage of off-premises business.”

The relocated sports bar served promise during its development, with a lower cost to build than remodeling the old location. With the previous renters being restaurant owners, the new

location came with a generous amount of restaurant equipment.

“So far, it’s a win-win situation with cheaper rent and double the takeout orders,” Bitzonis said.

This sports bar takes the center stage model featuring a bar that has windows that open to the outside dining area. It comes custom with all new audio-visual

equipment and memorabilia.

Bitzonis’ goal with this sports bar is simple: an increase in sales and a better experience for the customer.

“I love the location it is in,” Bitzonis said. “Our numbers are already prom ising, and I am very excited to see what this sports bar can do.” S

EVENT CALENDAR

FBS Summit

April 17-20, 2023

Marriott Resort Sawgrass Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Store No. 3405 set up a tabletop to sell boneless wings to concert attendees.

The opening band, Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, performs.

The staff of the Nanuet BWW celebrating the grand reopening.

BWW Sports Bar Kicks Off High School Football Season With Fundraiser

AGrube Inc.-owned Buffalo Wild Wings® sports bar scored funds for Wilmington High School in Wilmington, Ohio.

On Aug. 15, sports bar No. 3153 raised a little under $500 for the high school by holding a spirit night. The event was a part of the Eat Wings, Raise Funds program, an initiative to raise money for organizations in the commu nity by donating a portion of sales from a specific time frame on a night of restaurant service.

The BWW® shined with the school’s colors with decorations, a balloon archway and the staff sporting Wilmington Hurricane gear.

With the attendance of

football players, families and Wilmington Hurricane fans, the sports bar roared with excitement for the team. Activities included a wing-eating contest and interviews with the new head coach and players.

“It was just a fun time,” said Grube Inc. Marketing Shift Lead, Tresa Back. “This was our first event post-COVID-19. I was happy to see the football players excited about the season.”

Back said community outreach is a priority initiative for the company, which offers to host high schools and nonprofits regularly. With the success of the event, Grube Inc. and Wilmington High School will work together again in the future. S

The FBS FAC Talks Business at Inspire Brand’s Headquarters

The Franchise Business Services (FBS) Franchisee Advisory Council (FAC) met on Sept. 13, at Inspire Brand’s headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, to discuss the current state of the brand and to plan ahead for the upcoming year.

Among BWW® leaders, members of the FAC that attended this meeting were FBS Chairman Jim Bitzonis, FBS Vice Chairman Roz Mallet, Former FBS Chairman Wray Hutchinson, Jenny Beaudoin, Bobby Pancake and Mark Jones.

The topics reviewed were: Blazin’

rewards, complimentary dishes to guests and fraud, reversals, financial perfor mance, the affects of inflation and costs

of goods and off-premises perfor mance. Current technologies like the handheld servers were discussed, as well as FreedomPay issues, constraints of the system, purchasing strategies, marketing, limited-time offer performance, how to return lapsed guests and the introduction of new sauces.

Attendees also had the opportunity to sample potential menu items that could reach sports bars in 2023.

The FAC plans to meet quarterly in person as they did before the COVID-19 pandemic. S

The staff at sports bar No. 3153 sporting Wilmington Hurricane gears.

The FBS Franchisee Advisory Council (FAC) meeting with BWW representatives at Inspire Brand’s headquarters.

The Jones Group Delivers for Kids in Ft. Wayne, Indiana Fun & ExcitementFun & Excitement

On July 29, DeMarcus Beasley, former American professional soccer player, hosted a soccer clinic for the Foster Park Boys & Girls Club. The day was filled with celebration, with the highlight of the day being a $20,000 donation from the BWW® Foundation that will be used to rebuild the Foster Park Boys & Girls Club sports program.

Director of Operations, Ed Minnich of Jones Group, was ecstatic to participate since this Boys and Girls Club is the very one he grew up attending daily.

“I knew I needed to be involved and give back in any way to help the kiddos,” Minnich said.

The October Team Up for Kids Campaign provides a turnkey way for franchisees to support local youth nonprofits in their community. Contact Catherine Stranberg at cstranberg@inspirebrands.com to learn more. S

COMPANY

Support the Vendors

THAT SUPPORT YOUR ASSOCIATION

LEVEL CONTACT EMAIL PHONE

Elevanta Health Partner Caroline McShane memberservices@elevanta.com 678-797-5160

Lockton Affinity Partner Reid Robson elevanta@locktonaffinity.com 844-403-4947

Mize Restaurant Group, providing Elevanta Payroll and Accounting Services Partner Martie Rison mrison@mizecpas.com 800-234-5573

McLane Foodservice Distribution

Diamond Lynn Modisette lynn.modisette@mclanefs.com 972-364-2050

PepsiCo Diamond John Ledva john.ledva@pepsico.com 732-618-8578

Retail Tech Inc. Emerald Shannon Johnson sjohnson@retailtechinc.com 952-224-4327

Campari America Sapphire Jess Hix Conlon jess.conlon@campari.com 281-851-7755

WyreStorm Technologies ProAV Corp. Sapphire Jim Reinhardt jim.reinhardt@wyrestorm.com 631-901-9709

Comcast Business Pearl Emma Prokesch eprokesch@gmrmarketing.com 631-624-3146

Ecolab Pearl Kasey Beeler kasey.beeler@ecolab.com 612-750-0759

Heineken Pearl Chuck Mathison cmathison@heinekenusa.com 770-377-6959

New Belgium Brewing/Bell’s Brewery Pearl Kari Gladney kgladney@newbelgium.com 419-280-6015

Paulaner USA Pearl Scott Outwater soutwater@paulanerhpusa.com 845-702-8355

Sazerac Pearl Candida Banti cbanti@sazerac.com 415-302-0202

The Wasserstrom Co. Pearl Matt Brown mattbrown@wasserstrom.com 614-737-8314

Affinitech Inc. Assoc. Mbr. Charles Mattox cmattox@affinitechinc.com 727-331-1003

AllianceHCM Assoc. Mbr. Jennifer Gordon jennifer@alliancehcm.com 281-825-4220

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Audio Visual Design & Install Assoc. Mbr. Jason Abbott jrabbott@avdiusa.com 260-615-8995

Awning and Sign Contractors

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BeatBox Beverages Assoc. Mbr. Jeff Diem jdiem@beatboxbeverages.com 317-506-9232

BeerBoard Assoc. Mbr. Josh Solomon josh@beerboard.com 315-579-2360

Boston Beer Co. Assoc. Mbr. Gary Fragle gary.fragle@bostonbeer.com 770-402-9850

Brown-Forman Corp. Assoc. Mbr. Dennis Greenwood dennis_greenwood@b-f.com 678-602-5996

C&T Design and Equipment Assoc. Mbr. James Bales jbales@c-tdesign.com 317-654-3721

C Squared Advisors LLC Assoc. Mbr. Pete DiFilippo pete@c2advisorygroup.com 401-525-6771

Constellation Brands Assoc. Mbr. Tommy Becks tom.becks@cbrands.com 636-438-8160

Copesan – Specialists in Pest Control Assoc. Mbr. Ray Mannello rmannello@copesan.com 253-405-0860

Daltile Assoc. Mbr. Terrie Miller terrie.miller@daltile.com 216-409-3153

Disaronno International Assoc. Mbr. Matt Borgard mborgard@disaronno.com 630-235-9816

Dras Cases Assoc. Mbr. Josh Flattum josh@drascases.com 507-402-4812

Duvel USA Assoc. Mbr. Michael Kelliher m.kelliher@duvelusa.com 708-297-1142

E&J Gallo Winery Assoc. Mbr. Gerald Sullenberger gerald.sullenberger@ejgallo.com 214-727-1844

Federal Heath Assoc. Mbr. Greg Root groot@federalheath.com 760-420-3590

Founders Brewing Co. Assoc. Mbr. Liz Waldman waldmanl@foundersbrewing.com 847-340-0619

G&G Closed Circuit Events Assoc. Mbr. Nicolas Gagliardi nick@ggccevents.com 888-756-5601

Global Beer Network Assoc. Mbr. Christy Hanson christy@globalbeer.com 720-331-1462

Green Dot Corp./rapid! Assoc. Mbr. Edward Cole scole@greendotcorp.com 813-340-3276

Henny Penny Assoc. Mbr. Nick Frantz nfrantz@hennypenny.com 937-456-8752

Keurig Dr Pepper Assoc. Mbr. John Orgeron john.orgeron@kdrp.com 678-333-2031

Lagunitas Brewing Co. Assoc. Mbr. Tommy Hunter tommy.hunter@lagunitas.com 847-363-0639

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Netspend Assoc. Mbr. Marene Harof mharof@netspend.com 678-642-8311

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Red Bull North America Assoc. Mbr. Yamila Riquelme yamila.riquelme@redbull.com 917-544-2837

Remy-Cointreau Assoc. Mbr. Ben Lorimer ben.lorimer@remy-cointreau.com 214-929-3441

SAVI Controls Assoc. Mbr. Byron Baird bbaird@savicontrols.com 214-785-6510

Seating Concepts Assoc. Mbr. Ken Hibben khibben@scicustom.com 815-483-2253

ServSafe Assoc. Mbr. Winston Banks wbanks@restaurant.org 630-703-9043

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Assoc. Mbr. Nick Bunce nick@sierranevada.com 520-405-1727

SKECHERS Assoc. Mbr. Karl Hodoh karl.hodoh@skechers.com 785-608-8124

Sprockets Assoc. Mbr. Tyler Chambers tyler@sprockets.ai 843-508-3027

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Meet the FBS Chairman: Jim Bitzonis

RSQ Foods LLC

Total

Number of BWW® Locations: 11

States operated in: New York and Connecticut

A: I put my way through college working at a Greek diner, so I knew about the restaurant business and how exciting it was — I enjoyed it. I never imagined going back after becoming a professional.

When I got disenchanted practicing law, there weren’t enough paying criminal cases to keep me interested. I started doing other types of law, like divorces, and it really drove me out of wanting to be a lawyer. I was unhappy, and the work was depressing.

My then-father-in-law was an industrialist, and he kept asking me to come work for him, but I resisted up until this point. He owned the Sweetheart Cup Co. and operated a bunch of factories in the Northeast. They were a large food-service operation, producing cups for McDonald’s and Wendy’s, along with their cutlery, straws and other takeout containers.

I finally agreed to work for him but under the condition that I wouldn’t move from Connecticut. So, he bought a factory there, and next thing you know, I was running this factory. I loved it.

After a few years, he sold the whole company to Solo Cup, their main competitor. That left me in a tough spot because I wasn’t an owner, so I didn’t know what I’d do next. He told me to find a business, and he would be my partner.

In 2004, I started looking around for good opportunities, thinking I wanted to get into steakhouses. That didn’t end up working out, and a friend suggested I look into Buffalo Wild Wings. I’m a sports fanatic, so I immediately thought it was great. The only sports bars around my area were small, dingey places, and I knew it would be smart to tap into this market.

I went and visited several successful franchisees’ stores, like Bobby Pancake, John Weiler and Michael Ansley. They were extremely helpful and instrumental in us becoming franchisees.

We essentially brought the concept to New England, always wanting to help potential franchisees open their businesses in neighboring states. I’ve met so many life-long friends and had so many great experiences that I never would’ve had without being a BWW® franchisee.

Q:

In your opinion, what stands out about the BWW brand?

A: The word I like to use is unique. It’s a concept unlike anything else, and there’s nobody out there like us.

There’s nothing like being in a Buffalo Wild Wings on game day. We used to call it the stadium away-from-the-stadium. The excitement and energy are fantastic, and that’s what keeps me going.

Q: What are your goals for FBS as chairman?

A: I have a couple. First, I want to continue representing the membership’s concerns and best interests using all the experience I’ve earned and relationships developed by myself and all the extremely talented board members.

Our last conference was probably the best one we’ve ever had, according to the people who attended and the raving reviews we received. It wasn’t just a standard conference, and we had a lot more fun. I’ve vowed to continue that and start a new tradition.

Q: In your opinion, what is the most valuable benefit franchi sees receive as members of FBS?

A: The organization is fantastic! We have so many smart, business-minded people as franchisees, and the sharing of information is so valuable for all of us.

There are so many opportunities if you need help with anything to do with owning a franchise, and it’s particularly helpful for smaller franchises that don’t have the benefit of scale because all services are leveraged through the association.

It’s our job to protect the franchise community and the brand as much as we can.

Q: What is the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received?

A: The devil is in the details.

Q: What do you think is the biggest challenge currently facing franchisees?

A: The current economic climate as a whole is making things difficult for franchisees. Inflation and the rising cost of goods are cutting into our bottom line. On top of that, the labor market is down and finding competent help is challenging. We want to keep our tenured staff members feeling fresh and not burnt out.

Q: What do you think could be a solution for this problem?

A: Electing business-oriented legislators.

Q: What is the biggest shift in the industry since you started as a franchisee?

A: Our business has changed with takeout and delivery being a considerable part of our operation. The pandemic-hangover is still affecting people, and we want to get more customers in seats in our sports bars.

Q: Tell us about your family.

A: I’m actually celebrating 10 years of marriage to my wife, Kirsten, today [Oct. 7]. It’s been 10 years of bliss.

I have three children, Zachary, Jake and Olivia, who are all adults now. None of them are involved in my business, but they have a great work ethic. They got that from me!

I’m close with my father, Aristotle, or Telly for short, and he just recently turned 96.

Q: What is your favorite item on the menu?

A: Traditional wings with salt and vinegar seasoning. S

Q: How did you become a Buffalo Wild Wings® franchisee?

Jim Bitzonis and his wife, Kirsten.

One topic: 10 facts

EMPLOYEE RETENTION AND THE Turning Point

1

As a rule, employee retention rates of 90% or higher are considered good, and a company should aim for a turnover rate of 10% or less.

Forty-one percent of workers consider job security as the No. 1 reason to stay with a company.

Eighty percent of employees felt more engaged when their work was consistent with the core values and mission of their organization. 4

A good onboarding program leads to 69% of employees staying at least three years.

Businesses that are highly engaged could reduce their employee turnover by 59%.

6

Attrition statistics show nearly 3 million Americans quit their jobs every month. 7

It costs an employer an average of 33% of an employee’s yearly salary for their exit. 8

Thirty-one percent of employees have quit their job within the first six months of starting. 9

Close to 35% of workers would consider offers from other companies if they didn’t receive a raise over the next year. 10

Sixteen percent of Gen Z and Millennial employees have quit jobs because they felt the technology provided by their employer was inadequate.

Sources: Seeds Scientific, Apollo Technical and Springworks

Spotlight on the 117th Congress: Rep. Michelle Steel (R-CA-48)

ASmall business has been a part of my family since I came to this country. My mother owned her own business, and my husband operates his own law firm. In both cases, I’ve seen firsthand how hard it is to succeed as a small-business owner when the government imposes burdensome regulations and taxes. When I saw my mother forced to pay taxes that she did not owe, I decided to run for public office to help small businesses. That’s why, from the California Board of Equalization to the Orange County Board of Supervisors, and now in Congress, I’ve been a lifelong tax-fighter and have always worked to lower taxes and relieve unnecessary barriers to business’ success.

small-business owners, to navigate federal agencies. The federal bureaucracy is massive, slow and confusing, so it’s no surprise that it doesn’t always work well for the American people. That said, by advocating directly for constituents in their interactions with federal bureaucracies, my team and I have been proud to return more than $14 million to residents of my district. Most of that came from the Small Business Association. Making government work better for taxpayers is one of the most important parts of my job, and I’m always glad to do whatever I can.

ASince the pandemic, 40% of businesses in California have not been able to return. A big part of that is out-of-control taxation and regulation. These broken policies, on top of the crippling effects of inflation and our broken supply chains, mean that our small-business owners are facing an uphill battle on all fronts. Small business makes up almost half of our economy. If we can’t get inflation under control so businesses can afford to keep their doors open, fix our supply chains so they can get the supplies they need and empower the men and women who set out to run a business so that they can grow and thrive, the conse quences will be far-reaching.

AI regularly visit businesses in Orange County to hear directly from them about how policies in Washington, D.C., are impacting their operations. From restaurants and retailers to healthcare providers and service professionals, our community is home to a vibrant and entrepreneurial group of business owners who are dedicated to providing jobs, offering the best goods and services around and giving back to their neighbors. Unfortunately, they’re struggling under the weight of inflation, labor shortages and a broken supply chain. I rely on and implement their feed back when I’m working on policies in Congress.

AThroughout my career in public service, I’ve been proud to advocate for the men and women who have the determina tion to operate their own business. I’ve consistently supported legislation to empower small business, which is why I’m proud to have received the National Federation of Independent Busi nesses’ “Guardian of Small Business” Award for my 100% pro-small business voting record. I’ve also introduced legislation of my own, such as the SNOOP Act, which will ensure that all Americans – particularly small-business owners – can go about their business without a distant bureaucrat in Washington, D.C., looking over their shoulder every time they participate in the mobile or digital economy.

My office also works with constituents, including

AMy role on these Committees gives me an in-depth look at the challenges facing small businesses. I get to hear from everyone, from economic experts to hardworking business owners, and then I get to work with my colleagues to propose legislative solutions to their problems. One bill I introduced as a product of this process is the Worker Flexibility and Choice Act, which will establish a new work arrangement that combines the flexibility of independent work with certain workplace protections and oppor tunity for additional benefits. As workers and businesses across the country continue to experience labor shortages and the highest inflation in 40 years, finding ways to promote employment flex ibility should be a top priority for Congress. That’s what this bill does, and that’s something I’m committed to doing on behalf of business owners across the country. S

Q What skills or perspectives from your background do you apply as a public official?

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

Q What challenges have you helped small businesses in your district overcome?

Q In what ways are you seeking feedback from small businesses in your state/district and using that information in Washington, D.C.?

Q How has your role on the Education and Labor and Transportation and Infrastructure committees influenced your opinions on the impact of legislation on small business?

LOOK LISTEN READ

Look, Listen, Read is a quarterly compilation of some of the most highly rated and reviewed apps, podcasts, books, websites and other resources. Franchise Business Services does not support or endorse the use of these tools, which merely serve as a guide to exploring a new level of knowledge and productivity for your business.

1

Todoist is a task management app that automatically elevates your most important tasks. This way, you close all the most important doors sooner than later and take less time figuring out what to do and when. Todoist is also a great tool for visualizing your team’s productivity levels.

2

With Noisli, you can create and listen to your own personal sound environment to help you focus on your tasks, reduce stress and relax, or simply wind down after a stressful day.

3

“The Wealthy Franchisee” pulls concepts

from cognitive behavioral therapy, brain science, interviews and Scott Greenberg’s firsthand experience as a franchisee to help readers replicate the mental habits, tactics and financial results of high-performing franchisees. As a franchising consultant, Greenberg has helped franchisees improve their performance.

4

Franchising specialist Erik Van Horn reveals the secrets he uses as a franchisee, consultant, investor and entrepreneur. Follow “Franchise Secrets Podcast” to learn tactical and practical tools that will help you buy, grow and sell franchises like an expert.

5

In the “Beyond the To-Do List” podcast, productivity experts share how to implement strategies that managers can use for them selves and share with their teams.

6

Paylocity’s all-in-one cloud-based payroll and human resources platform stands out by offering scalable services, hundreds of app integrations and solid customer service availability. Its payroll features aid business owners in paying employees, filing and paying taxes, reimbursing expenses and more.

It’s time to ditch the industrial age play book of leadership. In “Leadership Is Language,” you’ll learn how choosing your words can dramatically improve decision-making and execution on your team.

7

8

QSR Magazine’s “Fast Forward,” a podcast from the editors of the leading publication for food-service owners and operators, discusses the future of the fast-food restaurant industry. Made for restaurant executives, entrepreneurs and leaders, each episode features an interview with fast-casual founders and visionaries who discuss the ongoing successes and challenges of building a restaurant company from scratch.

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“The Energy Bus,” an interna tional bestseller by Jon Gordon, takes readers on an enlight ening and inspiring ride that reveals 10 secrets for approaching life and work with the kind of positive, forward thinking that leads to true accomplishment at work and at home. S

&COMPANY CULTURE YOUR BUSINESS

People are the heart of any organization. At Buffalo Wild Wings®, many franchisees are continuing to adhere to this approach, as it is the people who keep restaurants running smoothly and efficiently. Gayle Schmidt, franchisee with AZ Wings Management in Arizona, put it perfectly when she said, “Culture to me is about the people — see the individual as a person and not as an employee — in your business. You don’t build a business, you build people. And you can sense the culture of a business the second you walk into it.”

The last few years have not been easy for the fast-food and quick-service restaurant industries. According to the PEW Research Center, April of 2020 saw the highest unemploy ment rate in U.S. history — 14.4%. That being said, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that by July 2022, unemployment levels were back to pre-pandemic numbers, with the restaurant industry alone adding 15,000 new jobs in August of 2022. The pandemic provided a unique opportunity to start fresh with new goals in mind and gave restaurant industry experts a push to better themselves and their businesses.

One huge way franchisees can do this is by supporting and giving back to employees, whether they are new or returning team members. Company culture is an important factor in this equation because it demonstrates the shared values, goals and practices of an organization. Notice the emphasis on the word shared — when the same ideals are shared at all levels, businesses reflect that.

With so much turnover in the industry, restaurants are undoubtedly gaining new employees that must be onboarded. Justin Ellis, a partner at GDF Partners Florida LLC, knows that in order to get everyone in the groove of a company’s culture, “It has to start at day one.” Ellis continued, “Onboarding and

by Allison McCallum

orientation has been a focus where we can get new team members into what it means to belong to our organization right out of the gate with clear expectations of both themselves and [of leadership].” Clear and consistent messaging keeps employees in the loop and mindful of their actions at work, and it’s important to encourage them to ask questions and be involved in the company.

“Learning culture characteristics are key. It’s a huge aspect of maintaining engaged teams that do not care to look outside [of our organization] for employment,” Ellis said. An open line of communication between leadership and team members ensures that everyone is on the same page and keeping the company’s culture in mind with everything they do in the workplace, while making them feel comfortable to ask for help when they need it. So long are the days of gate-keeping: employees are a crucial part of company culture and successful businesses.

The culture of an organization is also a huge factor in employee retention. The pandemic shone a light on how tired workers really were because as a society, we got caught up in the fast pace of unprecedented growth across all sectors. More than ever, it’s important to implement practices that reflect how societal values have shifted, and work/life balance has moved to the top of everyone’s priority list.

“Understanding the new environment and what team members need in order to feel they belong to a fun, safe and inclusive organization has been at the top of our minds,” Ellis said. “We work hard to be people-focused and work to understand each individual and their needs,” he continued. Some practices he uses to accomplish this are accommodating people’s schedules

AZ Wings Management employees bring stellar service and great attitudes.

to fit their life needs, consistent praise for work well done, as well as promoting internally. “I believe that more team members are coming to us with concerns about [longevity] than ever before. Protecting [this safe environment] for our team members to grow while supporting their optimal work/life balance allows for us to nurture retention throughout our restaurants,” he said.

Schmidt echoed this same mentality, saying, “Make your employees feel important… they matter. When you do this, you won’t believe how much they care about you and your business.” Schmidt likes to bring the fun to her employees by having dress-up theme days, staff parties and outings and even hosts a family day at she and her husband’s sports bar. “People remember how you

make them feel!” Schmidt added.

Without leadership and management teams, running our sports bars would be impossible. You can’t be everywhere at once, and having a good report with managers is crucial to nurturing a safe and friendly environment that also runs efficiently. Often, leadership sets the tone for a shift, so starting off on a positive note will rub off on the staff. One tip Schmidt has for managers and other leadership roles is to greet every employee by name.

“When your employees show up to work, stop the task you’re doing long enough to look at your employee, say good morning by name and [offer a positive affirmation]. Make them ‘feel’ like they belong here, that we’re glad to see them and that it’s going to be a good day with them here.” Uplifting management should be an important part of your company’s culture, because ultimately, they are extensions of above-restaurant-leadership, and in turn, they will uplift the rest of the team.Schmidt finished, “Leadership is not a position or a title… it’s action and example.”

Now more than ever, franchisees are connected to their teams. As you grow your business, think about how your leadership reflects on your sports bar’s image and the morale of your staff. Utilizing these tips above can not only enhance the company culture you want to promote but also the performance of your sports bar. S

ALLISON MCCALLUM is the communications editor for FBS. You may reach McCallum at allisonm@myfbsonline.org or 678-797-5165.

General Manager Rocky Smith and the rest of the team at their West Palm Beach, Florida, location.

BUFFALO WILD WINGS

GO

by Jared Johnsen

Buffalo Wild Wings® is one of the largest sports bar chains in the U.S. with around 1,200 locations. With such a profound prominence, the brand wants to increase the accessibility of its delicious wings, burgers and other dishes to more cities nationwide. However, according to the 2020 U.S. Census, around 20% of Americans live in rural cities. The distance for these consumers is a great deterrent for them to enjoy their nearest BWW® sports bar. As a result, there is a new concept implemented to tap into these markets.

Introducing: Buffalo Wild Wings GO.

BWW GO is a different format of the brand that only provides takeout and delivery orders. Each restaurant will come with a walk-up counter, select seating and a digital menu board. With a smaller menu and limited dine-in options, Buffalo Wild Wings GO is a potential solution for expanding the brand.

“GO gives the chance for people that live in small towns to have the taste of Buffalo Wild Wings,” said Chris Olexa, founder of Aspire 2B Hospitality Group and Buffalo Wild Wings GO franchisee. “We can’t just open a full-size sports bar anywhere. The decrease of needed space, money, staff and resources allow us to bring this concept to markets that were once unthinkable.”

For Olexa, the target market for these locations are highdensity areas and, of course, smaller cities. While the average, full-service Buffalo Wild Wings is roughly 6,400 square feet, BWW GO locations range from 600-1,800 square feet. The size alone allows these restaurants to be placed in the hearts of urban metropolises. Accessible to rural areas, they also have the potential to be placed into locations like strip malls, previous quick-service restaurant locations and other small buildings.

“I’m a small-town guy, and I wish Buffalo Wild Wings was in my hometown,” said Mathias Grube, project development manager for Grube Inc. “This really has the chance to spread and to get into new communities.”

With a simple design comes a simple menu. The new concept comes solely with the core items BWW is known for, including

wings, burgers, fries, tenders and more. Customers can enjoy their favorite selections in a faster and arguably cheaper manner.

“These menu items are what we’re good at and known for,” Olexa said. “The simple design and menu of these locations result in more manageable restaurant operations.”

Olexa expressed the ease of steps in closing these locations at the end of each workday. With most GO locations’ kitchens only containing friers, griddles and basic countertops, the after-hours protocols contain a significant decrease in steps.

“We don’t have to calculate and tip out our employees like we do for a full-service Buffalo Wild Wings,” Olexa said. “With a lot less to clean and manage, we can still produce great profit with less staff.”

The quick-service restaurant (QSR) aspect of this concept allows for a profound decrease in roles needed for the restaurant to function. Because of the simplicity of these locations, they alleviate the need for wait staff, hosts, bartenders and more. The number of positions has reduced drastically to two: cashiers and cooks.

“I feel as if these GO locations were built for the next generation of consumers,” Grube said. “Third-party delivery services continue to grow, and we have to prepare our business for this transition.”

The reduction in workforce for this concept coincides with barriers that franchisees must go through to build and open them. Because these businesses do not serve alcohol, state law does not require licensing for beer, wine and/or spirits. Grube expressed the rapid turnaround and low cost he experienced while his locations were constructed.

“Coming from the sports bar world, this concept is a lot to learn,” Grube said. “The corporate training team was extremely helpful with building and planning these locations. Our team tries to improve upon each opening, so we learn from our mistakes.”

Despite the benefits of owning a Buffalo Wild Wings GO, many franchisees have raised concern with the negative impact this concept may have on the brand. Buffalo Wild Wings’ slogan is “Beer. Sports. Wings.” Many feel the QSR concept is not representative of the brand’s core values.

“Other franchisees feel as if the GO concept takes away from the sports bar experience,” Olexa said. “I feel as if it gives more people access to our brand and has the potential to expand it.”

Grube said BWW GO is a concept worth investing due to its steady foot traffic and profitability.

Grube nor Olexa confirmed the impact BWW GO has on nearby full-service locations. Olexa predicts the concept will provide relief to nearby locations by absorbing delivery orders.

With the future of food service gearing toward delivery and takeout, Olexa feels as if the GO concept is the way to put BWW ahead of its competitors.

“If you look at Wingstop, they are making an absolute killing with takeout and delivery and are rising fast,” Olexa said. “We need to gain our share of the market before others do.”

With two BWW GO locations under his belt, Grube is elated to open more and currently has some planned to open in 2023. Olexa shares Grube’s sentiment, as he is excited to expand.

“This is the most excited my company has ever been, and I believe the Buffalo Wild Wings brand has a bright future,” Grube said. S

The Actions of Leadership: Meet Situations as They Arise

by Dan Coughlin

There are some really exciting moments as a business leader.

You’re standing on the platform giving the keynote speech at a big all-company conference. The audience is sitting on the edge of their seats. You announce a major new strategic direction for the organization, and the crowd goes crazy.

Or …

You’re sitting at the boardroom table at company headquar ters. You announce to the team that the organization has just broken the all-time sales record.

Those moments make up about .05% of your life as a business leader. Most of the time you are dealing with situations as they pop up.

One Moment at a Time

Most situations that pop up during the day cannot be anticipated:

• A long-term supplier unexpectedly goes out of business.

• A great client demands dramatically lower prices.

• A star employee demands a huge pay increase.

• A prospective new client wants to meet with you as soon as possible while you’re traveling to a big family event.

• An employee does something that creates an irate client. We could go on and on.

You can’t prepare for a moment that you don’t know is about to happen. However, you must meet the situation head on. If you wait until you’ve had time to practice for it, the moment will be gone.

What do you do?

Think of principles and protocols.

Principles

Principles are your code of conduct. It’s incredibly important that you clearly define your code of conduct before challenging situations pop up. Otherwise, you could spin your wheels for a long time before deciding what to do. In most situations you don’t have an unlimited amount of time to decide and move into action.

A great example of principles is what happened in the NBA about three years ago. Daryl Morey, then the general manager of the Houston Rockets, texted: “Fight for freedom. Stand for Hong Kong.” The Chinese Basketball Association was furious and removed the Houston Rockets games from Chinese television. And then something remarkable happened … Adam Silver, the commissioner of the NBA, supported Daryl Morey’s right to freedom of speech. He didn’t punish Morey. A new situation arose, and Silver depended on his code of conduct to develop a response. He said, “The NBA will not put itself in a position of regulating what players, employees and team owners say or will not say on these issues. We simply could not operate that way.”

Chinese State Television then made a statement strongly disagreeing with the league’s stance on Morey’s comments: “We’ve noted that Adam Silver, the commissioner of the NBA who has been attending events in Japan, has responded to the inappropriate comment on Hong Kong made by the general manager of the Houston Rockets, Daryl Morey. We voice our strong dissatisfaction and opposition to Adam Silver offering as an excuse the right to freedom of expression. We believe that no

comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expressions. In light of this, China Media Group sports channel has decided to immediately suspend the current plans to relay broadcast the NBA pre-season (China games) and will immediately undertake a full check of all cooperative exchanges involving the NBA.”

Even in the face of a potential massive loss of revenue, Adam Silver stuck to his code of conduct. He said, “I understand that there are consequences from that exercise of freedom of speech, and we will have to live with those consequences.” Silver went so far as to say the league isn’t apologizing for Morey’s freedom of expression but instead “regrets that so many people are upset.”

Write down the code of conduct that you will follow in any situation. And then stick to your code of conduct no matter what situation arises.

Protocols

A protocol is a set of step-by-step guidelines that you can use in a variety of situations.

I encourage you to develop your protocol for different situations like a media crisis, an operations crisis, an employee crisis, etc.

I used to work a great deal with companies in the restaurant industry. One day there was a mad cow disease report in the newspaper. The executives I worked with scrambled to deal with the situation.

The next day one leader asked, “What is our mad cow protocol going to be from now on?” The team worked for several days to put in place a set of step-by-step guidelines that they

could pull out in a moment’s notice. Then they communicated the new protocol to all the relevant individuals.

A few years later another report popped up in the news paper. The team followed the protocol immediately and resolved all concerns very quickly.

What protocols can you put in place and communicate on how to deal with various situations?

Conclusion

You can’t possibly know every situation that is going to be thrown at you over the course of a year’s time. What you can do is clarify your principles and your protocols. That will allow you to be ready for much of the unknown. If you still face a situation in which you don’t know what to do, it will help you to further clarify and strengthen your principles and protocols for future situations. S

Since 1998, DAN COUGHLIN has worked with serious-minded leaders and executives to consistently deliver excellence. He provides executive coaching, leader ship and executive development group coaching programs and seminars to improve leadership and management performance. His topics are personal effectiveness, inter personal effectiveness, leadership, teamwork and manage ment. Visit his free Business Performance Idea Center at www.thecoughlincompany.com.

Trying To Be Funny? Watch out!

What is the harm in a little joke? Doesn’t a little teasing help lighten the mood and improve the workplace? While jokes and a little teasing can be a good thing when done properly, unfortunately, it can have serious consequences.

Very early in my career as an employment attorney, I investi gated a complaint of alleged harassment by an assistant manager at a restaurant. Both male and female staff agreed that he did his job well overall, jumping in to help when needed, helping with customer issues, etc.

There was also universal agreement that he was a constant jokester. Male employees claimed that they could not really remember his jokes, only that they were funny. Female employees? While there was no evidence he ever solicited any of them for sex, the female employees could provide numerous, specific examples of sexual jokes and comments and expressed their displeasure at being the targets of the jokes and teasing. Can you guess the outcome of the investigation?

In 2018, the Harvard Business Review, in an article written by Stefanie K. Johnson and Juan Madera, reported that more sexual harassment claims are filed in the restaurant industry than in any other. Other studies and news reports confirm that pervasive sexual harassment is not limited to one type of restau rant but crosses all types from fast food and quick service through

by Doug Duerr

white tablecloth. Both males and females report experiencing sexual harassment by supervisors, co-workers and customers.

While the #MeToo movement over the last few years has put a spotlight on sexual harassment in the workplace with lurid examples of powerful individuals (almost exclusively men) using their positions to obtain sexual “favors” from women, the most common forms of sexual harassment are verbal. Certainly, instances of sexual harassment in the form of inappropriate touching (including hugs) and demands for sex occur in restaurants. But in Ms. Johnson’s and Mr. Madera’s study, the most frequent conduct was “told suggestive, sexual stories,” “made offensive remarks,” “made crude sexual remarks,” “made sexist comments” and “attempted to discuss sex.” This study result is consistent with other studies showing that sexual harassment was often in the form of jokes, teasing, comments and other verbal conduct.

Why does the restaurant industry have the highest number of incidents of sexual harassment? Several factors may be at play here, but that does not mean that sexual harassment needs to occur in your restaurant(s). Overall, more managers tend to be males with females more typically in subordinate roles. Furthermore, particularly with the recent increase in the

employment of teenagers due to the labor shortage coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees are younger in the labor market. That is, managers and their subordinates are less likely to recognize when conduct that might be acceptable in other contexts crosses into workplace harassment that can result in significant financial liability. This lack of knowledge and expe rience is amplified by the unfortunate reality that a major source of harassment is customers. Ms. Johnson’s and Mr. Madera’s study concluded that managers were less likely to disapprove of sexually harassing conduct by customers than similar conduct by co-workers.

What does this mean for you? Because the industry generally suffers from workplace harassment, you will need to be extra vigilant if you want to keep it out of your restaurants. You cannot assume that your newly hired manager with years of “industry experience” is likewise experienced with recognizing and preventing sexual harassment.

Indeed, like the assistant manager I investigated decades (yes, decades) ago, s/he may likewise think that telling jokes with sexual overtones or content is an appropriate way to lighten the mood or bring positive energy into the environment. Thus, as a first step, you need to make sure you have an updated, written policy on harassment that covers all forms of harassment and provides examples of the conduct that is prohibited. Then, you need to have meaningful and effective training of managers and supervisors regarding how to recognize and prevent harassment and what their responsibilities are. They (and you) need to model the conduct that is expected.

In addition to training managers and supervisors, you need to train employees about what conduct is and is not permitted.

Remember, co-workers are a potential source of harassment and need to know what conduct is not permitted. For your teen workers, such training is particularly important as they are even less likely to know what is permitted and what the boundaries are. Consider whether to provide them with harassment training tailored to younger persons.

If you follow these suggestions, you are likely to get pushback similar to: “This means we can’t tell jokes anymore!” It would be a sad day if the only jokes were sexual (or racial or agist, etc.). There are plenty of other topics to joke about. If your employees (particularly your supervisors) do not know how to make a workplace a pleasant place without telling jokes of a sexual nature, then you know you need to reevaluate the environment.

Unfortunately, the restaurant industry has a history of subjecting its employees to an environment of harassment, partic ularly sexual harassment. While that not only means potential legal liability in enforcement actions and lawsuits, it also results in “soft costs” arising from employees who are not as productive as they could be due to their work environment.

Make sure you have policies and procedures in place to prevent such harassment with clear directions on how to bring forward complaints and provide training on what is, and is not, permitted and model that conduct. While this may not eliminate all potential harassment, it will go a long way toward doing so and making your restaurant(s) stand out as a great place to work. S

DOUGLAS H. DUERR is a partner at Elarbee Thompson, a national labor and employment law firm with an industry practice area focused on franchisees. Learn more at www.elarbeethompson.com.

Earned Wage Access? Should Your Organization Offer Earned Wage Access?

Should Your Organization Offer

by Stacy Smith

It’s no secret that many of our employees struggle with making their funds stretch until payday. Earned wage access (EWA) is an employee benefit that has emerged in recent years as a way for employees to meet their financial needs in the middle of a pay period. Without EWA, employees in need of ready cash might turn to payday loan services or overdraw their checking accounts – both of which incur high fees.

How Does EWA Work?

EWA programs are offered by a variety of vendors with different fee structures, but the basic concept is the same:

Employee Request: The EWA vendor provides a method for an employee to request a certain amount or percentage of their accrued wages, usually within specified limits (i.e., up to 50% of earned pay). Depending on the vendor and the employ er’s program, limits are also set on how frequently an employee can request EWA within the same pay period.

• Earned wage access is not an employee loan but an advance against current earnings. Generally, the EWA vendor is provided with access to the organization’s timekeeping

system to calculate pay and time worked as of the date of the EWA request.

• Payroll taxes may be withheld from EWA payments to ensure funds are available to pay tax deposits.

Payment: The EWA provider takes on the liability of paying the employee. Funds can be deposited to the employee’s bank account, a prepaid debit card or the employee’s existing pay card solution. Some EWA vendors set up a separate bank account in the employee’s name. Direct deposits to an employee’s bank account usually occur within 24 hours, but transfers to external debit or payroll cards may take longer depending on the pay card vendor and may carry additional fees.

True Up: When payday rolls around, the employee is paid a reduced amount offset by the EWA deposit, and the EWA vendor is reimbursed for any pay advances made during the pay period.

Depending on the program, any applicable fees might depend on how quickly the employee needs the money, with

Considerations in Offering EWA

Earned wage access is still a new employee benefit, and it’s an evolving marketplace. It’s important to do your due diligence in researching EWA vendors and programs to determine whether it’s right for your organization. Here are some pros, cons and considerations:

• Is this a benefit your employees need? Do you have a lot of requests for pay advances or employee loans?

• Offering EWA could provide you with a competitive advantage over other local employers, providing higher employee recruitment and retention.

• EWA provides a safety valve for employees experiencing financial pressure.

• Because it’s based on actual earned pay, fees for employees are substantially lower than payday loan services.

• Visit with your payroll service to determine whether it already has a relationship with an EWA vendor.

• Analyze the EWA vendor’s fee structure. Know who’s responsible for paying fees for different types of transactions and whether those fees are reasonable.

• You’ll be providing the EWA vendor with your employees’ confidential payroll information, so you want to be sure the firm is reputable and trustworthy.

• Be aware of your state’s rules on providing early pay to employees. Since this is a new trend, your state may not specifically address earned wage access programs but may

have existing rules on providing pay outside of normal pay periods.

• Mistakes happen, so be clear on who’s responsible for making corrections – your organization or the EWA vendor.

• There is some concern among financial consumer advocates whether offering EWA helps or hurts employees. It certainly provides a cash influx to employees when needed, but will some employees fall back on an EWA program as the norm rather than the exception? And if so, is that financially healthy? And if fees are assessed to the employee for each EWA transaction, at what point do those fees rival the payday loan and overdrafts the EWA program is intended to eliminate?

You may be thinking that you could offer an earned wage access program in-house without using an outside vendor, and it is possible. But doing so would increase the administrative burden on your payroll staff and impact your cash-flow situation. You’d also need to develop the program from scratch and keep up with applicable laws and regulations.

Whether your organization should offer an EWA program is not a clear-cut answer and will require some thoughtful study. But especially in the restaurant industry, it’s a definite trend to consider.

If you’re ready to start exploring an EWA program for your business, contact member services at FBS for more information about their partner, rapid!. S

STACY SMITH, CPA, is a shareholder of Mize CPAs Inc. – a full-service accounting firm that has provided the Elevanta accounting and payroll solution since 2003.

FAQs About Business Insurance

Choosing insurance is one of the most important decisions you will make for your business. But coverage options can be confusing and complex. Here are answers to some of the most common FAQs about business insurance for Buffalo Wild Wings® franchise owners.

What Is Business Insurance?

Business insurance helps protect your company’s assets from losses that may occur due to normal business operations. Types of business insurance can vary, with coverage options that can protect against property damage, bodily injury, legal liability or employee-related risks.

What Is a Claim?

In insurance, a claim is a request by a policyholder or an allegation brought against your business by a customer or other third party. Without proper coverage, you risk greater exposure to losses and third-party claims that are costly and stressful to defend against.

What’s the Difference Between Claims-Made and Occurrence Policies?

Claims-made policies cover you from claims made while your policy is active. Occurrence policies protect you from covered incidents after your policy has lapsed or expired, for an additional cost. A tail coverage endorsement can also be added to

a claims-made policy to provide added protection by extending the reporting period for claims.

What Is an Endorsement?

An insurance endorsement or rider is any kind of change to the original terms of your policy. Endorsements may add specific coverage or increase limits, or they may exclude or restrict certain types of coverage. Tail coverage is an example, extending the effective dates of coverage for an expired policy.

What’s the Difference Between General Liability and Property Insurance?

General liability protects your business against third-party claims by customers and others alleging damages for incidents such as bodily injury, personal injury or property damage. Property insurance protects against risks to your business’s property, such as fire, theft or weather damage.

FAQs About Insurance Providers

What’s the Difference Between a Program Administrator and Broker?

A typical insurance broker works with clients to analyze and recommend suitable insurance options from one or more carriers. The program administrator (PA) plays a bigger role and is autho rized by a carrier to quote, bind and issue polices on behalf of the carrier. The PA may also handle claims. By working with a PA, you

benefit from the PA’s experience and industry relationships within a specific area of insurance that may make buying more convenient.

What Happens if You Work With Multiple Brokers?

With brokers competing as order-takers, accuracy and completeness of submissions plummet. This can put your business at risk of being underinsured and exposed to dangerous risk levels or overinsured with coverages you can’t use. A broker’s role should be advisory, using expertise and established relationships with underwriters to help you find tailored, cost-effective coverage.

What Is a Carrier?

An insurance carrier is the insurance company that ultimately provides the policy and handles the execution and support of the policy. If you purchase insurance from a broker, you may have several points of contact for your policy. With a program administrator, you may have a single point of contact for all your policy needs.

Why Is Choosing a Dependable Carrier Important?

It’s important you choose a carrier that is financially sound and well-respected to ensure your restaurant has adequate defense against claims and protection in the event a settlement or judg ment needs to be funded. Insurance with the wrong carrier could leave you underinsured or overexposed to risk.

What’s the Best Way to Choose a Dependable Carrier?

A dependable carrier will maintain an ongoing high rating from A.M. Best Co., the industry’s global credit rating agency. A carrier’s length of history in the business and expertise in your area is also key for your decision.

Business Insurance for Your Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise

Business insurance can be complex, especially for franchise owners, and it’s important to get all your questions answered before purchasing or renewing coverage.

To learn more about your business insurance options, contact co-brokers Lockton Affinity and Elevanta. Together, they will work with you to ensure you receive coverage tailored to you and the needs of your business. Visit Elevanta.LocktonAffinity.com to learn more. S

The Elevanta Insurance Program is administered by Lockton Affinity, LLC d/b/a Lockton Affinity Insurance Brokers LLC in California #0795478. Coverage is subject to actual policy terms and conditions. Policy benefits are the sole responsibility of the issuing insurance company. 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. Elevanta will receive a royalty fee for the licensing of its name and trademarks as part of the insurance program offered to the extent permitted by applicable law.

The Experience of Great Customer Service

The term “customer service” evokes different images in people’s minds. One image could be that of friendly, smiling, helpful employees who go out of their way to serve you. Or it could be the opposite — indifferent, unfriendly employees who can’t wait for you to leave or hang up the phone.

Most people can recall many examples of poor customer service. Whether it’s the help desk employee that puts you on hold for 20 minutes or the store cashier who engages in a personal conversation with a co-worker instead of ringing up your purchase, poor customer service can make people feel frustrated and vow never to do business with that company again. You can probably think of several examples of poor or mediocre service you’ve received in just the last few days.

In this article, I focus on some key elements of excellent customer service and more importantly, how to provide excellent customer service. I should first make very clear that customer service isn’t about a department that deals with customer issues or complaints. What I’m talking about is the entire experience a customer has when dealing with your organization.

Defining Great Customer Service

Because it’s relatively rare, great service feels like a gift. You feel welcomed and that the organization cares about you as a customer.

You feel valued rather than merely tolerated. The company’s

processes are designed for the customer’s convenience, not the organization’s conve nience, and the processes feel seamless. If there’s a problem, the company takes ownership and goes out of its way to correct the issue.

Why Is Excellent Customer Service Important?

Receiving great customer service makes us want to continue to do business with an organization over the long haul. And that alone is the secret to business success — retaining customers by providing great customer service.

With so much competition out there, customer loyalty is the single most important attribute your business can have. You achieve loyalty by doing the “little things” that make customers want to deal with you again and again and recommend you to their friends.

The real difference is how a business makes their customers feel. If customers feel valued, most will remain loyal. If they feel undervalued, sooner or later they will defect to a competitor.

Many studies from organizations such as TARP, American Express and others have shown that one of the top reasons customers leave is poor customer service. Other studies have noted how customers define poor service: “An attitude of indiffer ence on the part of employees.” So, while poor customer service certainly causes customers to leave, indifferent service can be

by Dennis and Danny Snow

almost as detrimental.

With customers citing poor customer service as a reason for leaving, what can your company do to achieve customer loyalty?

Assuming your products and prices are competitive, you need to focus on providing excellent customer service to gain loyalty. To do that, here are four simple principles to help you make sure your customers remain loyal to your organization.

How to Deliver Great Customer Service and Create Loyal Customers

1. Look At Everything Through The “Lens of The Customer”

Because customers have their choice of where to obtain goods or services, the business must convince the customer that it truly cares. Engaged, caring employees or customer service professionals raise the customer’s confidence that the business is looking out for the customer’s interests. When that employee suggests a new product or service, the customer trusts that his or her best interest is at heart. On the flip side, if the customer senses a lack of caring, he/she will question the motives behind any recommendations.

A good example of seeing through the lens of the customer relates to the use of industry jargon. Every business has its jargon, acronyms, etc. It allows employees to communicate with each other in a kind of shorthand. But it’s important to remember that customers typically don’t understand that jargon and find it confusing and intimidating when it’s used in communication.

Successful businesses speak the language of the customer, not the language of their own industry. In other words, they look through the lens of the customer when choosing their words.

Take, for example, the banking industry. Would a young couple buying their first house be looking through the same lens as a customer who buys and sells real estate for a living?

Of course not. That young couple purchasing their first house is excited and nervous — that’s the lens through which they are experiencing this purchase. Therefore, they need a loan officer who is excited for them, who explains the terms in everyday language and who provides information that will make their buying experience easier. A bank that shows that level of care is likely to earn that young couple’s ongoing business.

One of the reasons we tend to look through our own lens rather than the customer’s is that the longer we do what we do, we start to think that customers know what we know. But they don’t always know what we know.

Those processes and procedures that you and your team might deal with every day, your customers don’t. That’s why so many times when there’s a customer problem, and we analyze it later, we’ll say it was a communication issue. And the issue is that we assumed that the customer knew how this process or procedure works, and the customer did NOT know how it works, and our relationship with that customer suffered because of that assumption.

When designing customer processes or delivering service through those processes, it’s important to keep this question in mind: “Am I seeing this experience through the customer’s lens?”

2. Pay Attention to the Details Because “Everything Speaks”

Imagine visiting a fine dining restaurant for a special occa sion. You’ve been looking forward to the meal, and you’ve heard good things about the restaurant.

Then imagine noticing something crusty dried on your silverware and old lipstick marks on your water glass. Wouldn’t you begin worrying about the cleanliness and quality of every thing else in the restaurant? Everything speaks!

Now imagine a customer entering your place of business. She notices trash in the parking lot. When she enters the reception area, she sees delivery boxes stacked by the receptionist’s desk. She sees employees standing around eating and having personal conversations.

All of this detracts from your business’s image. Consciously or unconsciously, the customer’s antennae go up and makes them question, “Do I really want to spend my money here?”

When it comes to delivering great customer service, the “every thing speaks” philosophy means that all employees understand that even the little things count. Pay attention to everything, including whether the physical environment is neat and clean, whether all necessary supplies are available, whether the employees are dressed appropriately, etc.

Anything that sticks out as “wrong” becomes an intrusion on the customer experience. These intrusions add up and result in customer concern. On the other hand, when customers sense an atmosphere of professionalism, care and order, they feel a sense of confidence.

How many times have you seen employees in a business walk right by trash on the floor or a display that has been bumped out of alignment? Employees who understand that everything speaks will take a moment to pick up some wadded paper and straighten the display because they know that such behaviors have a direct impact on the customer experience.

Attitudinal Everything Speaks

This principle doesn’t just apply to the physical environment. There’s also what I call “attitudinal everything speaks.”

We’ve all dealt with a customer service rep who we could tell didn’t really want to help us. We could tell by the tone of voice that he or she would much rather be doing something else.

On the other hand, we’ve dealt with service providers who appear through their demeanor that they are delighted to see us or hear from us and are anxious to serve us. That’s what I mean by “attitudinal everything speaks.”

Take a moment to think about your company’s physical and attitudinal service environment. Since everything speaks, what are the details saying about your organization?

3. Create Customer “Wows”

Small gestures can create customer wows.

Consider the housekeepers working in the hotels at Walt Disney World. Housekeepers have a tough job. Cleaning up after people on vacation is a challenge. Even in such a challenging job, Disney’s housekeepers will do little things that make guests say, “Wow.”

For example, while spending a day in the Magic Kingdom, children will often leave their stuffed Disney characters in their hotel rooms. Housekeepers have been known to position the characters with playing cards in their hands or tuck the characters into the children’s bed to create a moment of magic.

Employees can do many things to create wows. Remembering a customer’s name is a huge wow, creating a feeling of family. Letting a customer know that another product may better meet

Customer Service

their needs is another wow. Sending a goody basket with a handwritten note to that young couple who just took out their first mortgage is a wow.

Some wows are small and some are large, but make no mistake about it — wows add up.

One of the most powerful ways to make creating wows a part of your organization’s culture is to share best practices with fellow employees. Hold a company meeting so employees can share things that they have done that dazzled customers. Just talking about these behaviors increases the likelihood that others will adopt some of the practices or create new ones of their own.

Imagine everyone on your team performing with this mindset: “Will my behaviors make this customer say or think, ‘wow’?”

4. Know What Frustrates Customers – And Do Something About It

“Why does this have to be so difficult?!?”

How many times have you had that thought as you navi gated through some company’s confusing, maddening process? My guess is you could rattle off several experiences without batting an eye. I know I can. Sometimes it’s all you can do to keep from screaming.

Recently I was helping my mom close an account with a large online bank. She hadn’t used this account in years, and the balance was just $94. Well, it might as well have been $94,000 with all the hoops we had to jump through just to close the account. It reached a point where I just wanted to tell the customer service rep, “Just keep the $94.” (Maybe that was their strategy all along.)

I realize that this frustrating experience was not the customer service rep’s fault. She was simply following the process the bank has in place for closing an account. And maybe there are good reasons for the hoops we had to jump through.

But it doesn’t matter. To the customer, it’s a clunky process that will likely keep me or my mom from ever working with that bank again. Frustrating processes are everywhere:

• The appliance repair company that tells you a technician will be at your house sometime between 8:30 a.m. and noon. From the customer’s perspective, whose convenience are they concerned with?

• The doctor’s office waiting room where you sit waiting well beyond your appointment time, with no one providing updates of when you’ll be seen. (Keep in mind they knew you were coming — you had an appointment!) Whose time do they really value?

• The company phone tree with a mind-boggling number of options, making it nearly impossible to get to a live human to help. How much value do they really place on taking care of their customers?

Keep in mind that most of the organizations guilty of causing these frustrations know that they exist. They just don’t do anything about them.

And while it’s maddening for the customer, it’s likely even more maddening for the company’s front-line employees. They’re the ones who deal with these frustrated customers every day.

And human nature being what it is, employees learn quickly to put an emotional barrier between themselves and the frustrated customer because they know they can’t win. They just want to

end the interaction as quickly as possible.

A wonderful way to delight your customers AND your employees is to do something about those frustrations. When you do that, you become a beacon of light in a frustrating customer service world. Consider the following examples:

Good Customer Service Examples

• The doctor’s office that has an electronic board on the wall that shows where you are in the queue of people waiting to be seen, thus managing your expectations.

• FastPass at Walt Disney World (pre-COVID-19) allowed guests to make reservations for popular attractions, dramatically reducing wait times. I also think it was a stroke of genius that for the newer attractions, the queue is designed to be a part of the attraction’s story.

• The electric utility that texts customers with regular updates during a power outage.

Each of these organizations has identified a customer frustration and done something about it. Customers appreciate the organization’s efforts, and employees do too. It’s a great way to build customer and employee loyalty.

What are some of the things that frustrate your customers, and what can you do about them?

The Payoff – What Is Customer Service to You?

Building a culture of customer service excellence takes commitment from everyone on the team. It’s not something that happens overnight or can be put on automatic pilot. It takes constant focus and nurturing.

The hard work does pay off, however. Consider the following statistics:

• Sixty-nine percent of customers say they’ll spend more with a company that has good customer service. (American Express)

• Customers are 64% more likely to try a company’s new offering if they think the company has very good customer service. (Qualtrics)

• Increasing customer retention rates by 5% increases profits anywhere from 25% to 95%. (Bain and Company)

Take Action Now

Excellent customer service is not about policy manuals. Excellent service is about excellent behaviors.

When employees focus on excellent service, the results can be magical. Customers are happy, employees are happy and share holders are happy. Everyone wins.

The key is to make service excellence a habit. Encourage every employee to internalize the principles described in this article, so they become habits. When employees focus on these principles, your company will achieve the most powerful result of all — intense customer loyalty. 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.

True Performance Five Ways to Avoid Fake Productivity

by Laura Stack

“

Better productivity means less human sweat, not more,” said Henry Ford, 20th-century automobile manufacturer. We all know the classic definition of increased productivity: producing more goods or services per given amount of time; or, as the online Oxford Dictionary puts it, the effectiveness of productive effort, especially in industry, as measured in terms of the rate of output per unit of input. That’s foundational knowledge, right? The problem is, while these defi nitions may have applied when our economy was based almost entirely on agriculture and manufacturing, they don’t necessarily apply to our modern service-based economy or knowledge jobs.

Here’s what I mean. Consider the editor who cuts 10,000 unnecessary words out of a novel. Using the old definitions (rate of output per unit of input), his productivity is negative, suggesting ineptitude. So, the definition obviously doesn’t apply in that case. But in truth, his reductive work has increased the novel’s clarity, making it easier to read and more likely to find a publisher. Some things simply require more time and input to refine; here’s where effectiveness outshines efficiency, though productivity typically requires both. On the other hand, just because someone finishes 15 tasks in one day doesn’t mean they were productive. They might have been procrastinating on an important task or performing low-value work only.

Differentiating fake productivity from true productivity isn’t hard, but it does involve a sincere review of your daily activities. Most of the tips I’ll outline here are just as foundational as our standard definitions of productivity. But sometimes we need to return to these core principles to ensure our goals remain properly aligned with reality and corporate need.

Don’t confuse output (or quantity) with productivity. So, what if you write 1,000 lines of code a day, but the code is inefficient or requires lots of revision? If you write 500 lines of code that does the same thing and isn’t buggy, it will ultimately prove more beneficial, even if it takes you longer. As I’ve pointed out, sometimes doing one or two high-value tasks is more profit able and productive than doing 15 low-value tasks.

1

2

Realize that low-value tasks aren’t always non-productive.

You’ll always have lower-value housekeeping tasks to take care of. Meeting daily requirements, maintaining a database, editing and even clearing your email in-box are all essential tasks, because they save you time later. However, they may seem like net performance losses in the short term and probably won’t directly profit your organization. However, they will likely pay for themselves in the long run. Necessary, boring, hidden work can still be meaningful if it doesn’t keep you from other highvalue work.

3

Fear perfectionism. The devil may be in the details, but when you’re trying to produce, you can only go so far in correcting yourself before you kill your productivity. Fix things on the fly. Personally, I tend to write overly long sentences per my train of thought and then go back and edit. This keeps me from being painfully slow by trying to type a sentence correctly the first time. That’s what editing is for. If you try to get everything exactly right before you start, you may never start.

Don’t just play it by ear. Proactive always trumps reactive. Guesstimating or only bothering to learn something when needed is a sure way to hobble yourself. Practice lifelong learning instead. While on-the-job learning remains crucial, start with self-training. Read about and learn your field the best you can before you step into a role, from the technology you use to how to hit deadlines and on through to human psychology. You’ll hit more home runs that way.

4

Keep sight of your goals. As an old saying goes, “When you’re up to your neck in alligators, it’s hard to remember that your original goal was to drain the swamp.” Your best bet? Find a way to bypass the gators and get busy with draining the swamp, no matter your obstacles. Here’s the thing: Even if they attack you, once the swamp is drained, most (or all) of the gators will go away. This is usually the case with whatever allegorical swamp and symbolic gators you’re working with. Go around people if they are in your way and figure out how to get it done.

5

Making Life Better

You can spend years fighting alligators, putting out brush fires, stalling, revising and letting the petty bury you if you don’t look at the list above and take these tips to heart. Don’t fake productivity! Most people know exactly what they should be doing.

© 2022 Laura Stack. LAURA STACK, MBA, CSP, CPAE, is an award-winning keynote speaker, bestselling author and noted authority on employee and team productivity. She is the president of The Productivity Pro Inc., a company dedicated to helping leaders increase workplace performance in high-stress environments. Stack has authored eight books, including “FASTER TOGETHER: Accelerating Your Team’s Productivity” (Berrett-Koehler 2018). She is a past president of the National Speakers Association and a member of its exclusive Speaker Hall of Fame (with fewer than 175 members worldwide). Stack’s clients include Cisco Systems, Walmart and Bank of America, and she has been featured on the CBS “Early Show” and CNN and in The New York Times. To have Laura Stack speak at an upcoming meeting or event, call 303-471-7401.

Buffalo Wild Wings Foundation 9 cstranberg@inspirebrands.com foundation.buffalowildwings.com

Campari America 25 240-367-6137 www.campariamerica.com

Comcast Business 23 267-319-4335 Brian_Klinger@comcast.com

Ecolab 25 800-321-3687 bit.ly/bwwflex

Elevanta Health 3 678-797-5160 elevantahealth.com/fbs

Heineken 21 770-377-6959 www.heinekenusa.com

Lockton Affinity IB 844-403-4947 Elevanta.LocktonAffinity.com

McLane Foodservice Inc. IF 972-364-2050 lynn.modisette@mclanefs.com

Netspend 11 1-800-421-5613 businesspartnerships@netspend.com

New Belgium Brewing/Bell’s Brewery 23 910-638-3634 www.bellsbeer.com

Paulaner USA 27 845-702-8355 paulanerhpusa.com

PepsiCo BC 732-618-8578 www.pepsico.com

Retail Tech Inc. 17 952-224-4327 sjohnson@retailtechinc.com

Sazerac 19 415-302-0202 cbanti@sazerac.com

The Wasserstrom Co. 21 800-888-9963 wasserstrom.com

WyreStorm Technologies 27 631-901-9709 WyreStorm.com

* IF=Inside Front, IB=Inside Back, BC=Back Cover

2022

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