Market Synchronicity

 
 
 
 
 
When you have more than 200 franchisees operating more than 350 restaurants around the globe, making sure that marketing and promotional materials are used consistently and effectively in all locations can be challenging. And responding in a timely manner to franchisees’ needs for customized promotional materials can strain the resources of even the most dedicated in-house marketing team.

These were the issues facing Schlotzsky’s, a fast-casual purveyor of sandwiches and salads that is part of FOCUS Brands, an Atlanta-based franchisor whose other brands include Cinnabon and Moe’s Southwest Grill. It was difficult to ensure that all franchisees received the types of promotional materials that worked best for their specific locations, says vice president of marketing Michelle Bythewood.

In addition, the eight-person marketing team was challenged trying to respond to the weekly requests from franchisees needing marketing materials for promotions they were developing on their own.

Early last year, Schlotzsky’s began working with Synq Solutions, a provider of merchandising and promotional programs geared to retailers and quick-serve restaurants. Also headquartered in Atlanta, Synq’s expertise lies in managing the ordering, printing and fulfillment of in-store marketing materials for chains like Hot Topic and AT&T Wireless.

“We’re focused there because we can bring added value that we don’t see the demand for in other areas,” says executive vice president of sales and marketing Glenn Haertel.

Synq’s team has gained experience managing the challenges inherent in the structure of franchise operations. While the franchisor wants to protect its corporate brand, most locations are independently owned and operated, and franchise operators usually want to run the promotions that best fit their target market. “Local operators are trying to drive revenue, while corporate is driving the brand,” Haertel says. “Similar goals, but slightly different tactics.”

Synq has developed a system that enables corporate marketing departments to efficiently distribute marketing and promotional materials to franchisees, while simultaneously tailoring the materials so they work within the constraints of each franchisee’s location. If one franchisee has 15 tables while another has 20, each receives just enough table-top cards to fit the individual location. Franchisees that are restricted from posting sale banners outside restaurants might receive window posters instead. “If you know all these things, you can produce to a demand that’s realistic,” Haertel says.

Managing campaign complexities
Bythewood and her colleagues evaluated a number of companies, but several factors tipped the scale in Synq’s favor. One was the company’s experience managing promotional campaigns that take place in hundreds of locations simultaneously. “One customer has 20,000 locations, and we send out 20,000 unique packages,” Haertel says.

This was critical due to the complexity of Schlotszky’s menu, which includes a range of items for in-store and catering customers. In addition, some locations include other brands within the FOCUS family. “They had worked with other clients in this manner and knew just what we were looking for,” Bythewood says.

At the same time, Synq is able to handle franchisees’ orders for local store marketing materials via the Internet. Schlotszky’s marketing team supplied Synq with templates that franchisees can download and use to create their own promotions. Say a restaurant operator wants to do a promotion tied to the local high school football team. She can sign into a Synq-hosted portal, enter the relevant information, download a template and create the coupons and other materials “in such a way that it’s within the brand guidelines,” Haertel says.