topfranchise.net » Financial

Significant news – today the BlackBerry® PlayBook gets certified.

Centrally — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 08:08:31 +0000

We have very significant news to share with our government customers – today the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet officially received FIPS 140-2 certification, the first tablet to ever have received this certification. With FIPS 140-2 certification, the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet can now be used by the U.S. federal government with confidence, knowing that it meets their policy requirements for securing and protecting sensitive data.

This absolutely underscores the commitment by Research In Motion® (RIM®) to building products that meet stringent security requirements of the US Federal Government.

There are a wide variety of smartphone and tablet products available on the market today, many of which don’t meet the highest level of security standards that government agencies demand. The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet and BlackBerry smartphones are clear exceptions.

The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet is a natural extension to the hundreds of thousands of BlackBerry® smartphones that are used in the Federal Government today. With the BlackBerry® Bridge™ application, the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet can be paired with a BlackBerry smartphone to provide secure access to information on the larger screen while keeping the data stored safely on the BlackBerry smartphone. Secure network communication is also extended to the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet in this manner, designed to allow the government to be assured that they can securely access applications and other critical data.

I’m pretty excited about the opportunities that the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet presents for government agencies. Pilot projects to use the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet are already underway across the government and the use case scenarios are impressive. Give me a shout in the comments if you would like to discuss how the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet would fit into your agency or department.

“Mr Customer I do this (you’re looking for it) and that benefits you this way (which is where you want to be)…”

Centrally — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 06:52:11 +0000

It’s important when developing your business proposition that it be clear and concise. It’s best to start by focusing on what the needs are of your target group and what they all have in common.

What do they all want that your business to do or provide?
Esoterically what is the most important to them?
What is it about the development of your proposition that will change things for them for the foreseeable future?

Once you’ve found the common denominating need you can determine what it is that they are in search of and develop your value proposition around that need. Keep in mind that your the purpose of your proposition is to identify and satisfy an unmet need that your target market possesses.

The answer to that question is easy. Your value proposition can equip you with the following benefits to your business:

Create a strong differential between you and your competitors
Increase not only the quantity but the quality of prospective leads
Gain market share in your targeted customers
Acquire enhancing tools that will help you close more business
Improve your operation efficiency

You can get started developing your proposition. Just remember that an effective proposition describes what you do in terms of tangible business results:

“Mr Customer I do this (you’re looking for it) and that benefits you this way (which is where you want to be)…”

It draws interest and shares a success story within a few words. Here is an example of one of the best value proposition that belongs to a sales consultant:

Our clients grow their business typically by a minimum of 30-50% over the previous year. They accomplish this without working 80 hour weeks and sacrificing their personal lives.

Now, that proposition has power and gets the required attention.

Franchise Consultants: the questions to ask.

Centrally — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 05:37:34 +0000

Buying a franchise is a huge decision and it’s a complicated process to go through. Finding a franchise business consultant to guide you can seem like a great idea. Here are our top 10 questions to ask a consultant before asking them to help you…

What’s the fee structure – how much do they charge? If they say it’s a free service, it means they’re effectively working for the franchisors, because they’ll make nothing unless you buy one. Since starting up in business on your own without a franchise is a very real alternative, if the consultant is commission based, they’re very biased towards you buying a franchise from the moment you start talking to them.
How much commission do they earn? Find out what commission they are paid from each franchise that you’re interested in. Also find out the commission from other franchises that they’ve decided to exclude from your search. Should a franchise have been ruled out just because the consultant makes nothing?
How do you assess the suitability of clients to franchising – do you offer personality/suitability tests? There are many psychometric and behavioural tests available on the market today for reasonable cost. You can reasonably expect a good consultant to want to make sure you’re a great fit for franchising before trying to offer you a franchise. It’s such a big commitment that you don’t want to make a mistake that you’ll regret for years to come.
How many franchisees have you helped in the past? Ask to speak to a few – make sure they’re all from different franchises and talk to people who have been unsuccessful too, if you can. The secret here is find a broad spread of customers from the consultant to find out just how valuable the advice that you’ll soon be paying for has been to them.
Are you, or have you been, a franchisor, or working for a franchisor? If the franchise consultant has been a franchisor, or still is one, then she’s from the wrong side of the tracks as far as you’re concerned! The franchisors make money by selling franchises. They do not understand the challenges facing franchisees and will have no real empathy with your position, just a desire to get you to part with your hard-earned cash.
Have you been a franchisee yourself? Somebody who’s walked a few miles in your shoes will have a lot better understanding of your needs, your worries and your concerns. They’ll also be in a much better place to ask the tough questions of the franchisors and to help you hammer out a deal that works for you.
Which franchises would he recommend you avoid? A good franchise business consultant will have found franchises that she does not like and will be happy to tell you which ones you should stay away from. That’s a key part of the relationship you’ll have with your consultant – the trust levels must be very high if you’re to enjoy a successful outcome.
Are franchise agreements ever negotiable? The right answer to this is yes! Although the bigger and more established franchisors will accept very little, if any, variation in their terms and conditions, newer and less developed franchises are looking to make sales. If they want to make a sale and you’ll only sign when certain conditions are met, that’s perfect conditions for a negotiation! A franchise business consultant who’s not aware of this, and who thinks the franchisor has all the power before the agreement is signed, should be avoided.
How will the consultant add value to your buying process? What materials, experience and advice will they bring to the table in order to earn their money? If they’re just acting as a broker and putting various franchises on the table, you can achieve the same ends yourself by going to a franchise show or browsing the franchise directories. They must have something more to offer.
What questions should I ask the franchisor? A good franchise business consultant will have a list of carefully prepared questions that help you get to the pertinent facts quickly and accurately. If they’ve just got a page with a few key points on it, the chances are that they’re just sales agents and not a lot more. For example, The Franchise Opportunity Workbook has over 20 pages of powerful questions to help you pull back the covers off your potential franchisors to make sure they really earn your investment.

Thinking of a franchise or business opportunity to solve your income challenges?

Central — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 10:00:06 +0000

There is no question that there are clear guidelines to consider when shopping for a franchise business opportunity. There are personal guidelines for you to consider at your end and there are certain elements you are looking for in the franchisor too.

Your own personal checklist might look like this:

I have enough money or can borrow enough money to meet upfront franchise fees and ongoing fees for at least 18 months
The day to day operations in this franchise are in sync with how I’d like to spend my time
The day to day management responsibilities are harmonious with my strengths and talents and skills
The person at the helm of the franchise opportunity is of strong reputation and likeability
The culture of the franchise opportunity is in sync with my own values and style
I believe that the future of the franchise opportunity combines vision and practicality
The structure of the organization, (public, non public, or soon to go public) is one I find acceptable
I know how many hours I’m willing to invest weekly in the business

Of course there is a checklist regarding the franchisor, too:

The franchise organisation is financially healthy
The litigation history is acceptable and has been explained satisfactorily
The organization has had consistent franchise growth
Management shows an openness to new ideas
Earnings claims are available and satisfactory, or if not available, franchisees are willing to help you to understand the financial picture
Franchisor requires franchisees to work the business full time or not. In either case, that meets with my criteria
Franchisor is clear on its support of multi-unit opportunities or not. In either case, that meets with my long term goals for the business

As part of your Due Diligence, you should also:

Review the franchise’s offerings
Interview a varied group of franchisees with a list of pre-designed questions
Visit a local franchise unit or two
Visit the organization’s headquarters and meet with key management

Whilst I fully acknowledge the necessity of researching carefully and asking all the right questions at some point a decision needs to be made and the decision, in my mind, comes down to feelings

Does this opportunity feel like the right “fit” for me?
Do I feel comfortable conversing with management and fellow franchisees?
Can I see myself becoming a member of this franchise family? A leader within the organisation?
Can I see myself having fun while managing this business?
Do I see a values and personality fit with the key players?
Do I see myself growing side by side with this franchise?
Are my instincts telling me this is the right business organisation for me?