Papa John’s Customer Complaint Reflects Common Issue Faced By Franchise Businesses
Yelp, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin - dissatisfied customers have plenty of options when it comes to venting about poor customer service. Papa John’s is...
How Domino’s Plans to Stay Ahead
While other pizza chains struggle, Domino’s is thriving (Over 1300% stock price increase since IPO in 2004). That’s the subhed of this story on...
There's a Better Way for Global Franchises to Communicate
Arby’s is planning an expansion into Canada. Grimaldi’s pizza expands to United Arab Emirates. Carl’s Jr. opens its first location in Chile. Papa John...
Effective vs. Ineffective Franchise Operators. Where do you fall?
I think this is one of the most inspirational quotes for franchisees. Not just because it’s food related, but because it’s the truth of the business...
How McDonald’s Can Make New Menu Item Execution More Manageable
Has McDonald’s finally hit its stride with its newly announced menu items? Analyst Andrew Strelzik of BMO Capital Markets thinks so. From a stock...
For That Person Who Needs to See the Value of Mobile Tech in Retail Operations
I’ve said this in the past, but it’s worth repeating: at Zenput, we are practitioners of reality. We are the real-time operational insights provider...
What McDonald’s Needs to Learn from Starbucks’ Mobile App
One of my least favorite phrases is “victim of its own success.” For instance, I remember that was the reason why a popular fireworks show on a...
How to Stay on the Winning Side of Digital Disruption
If your high school was anything like mine, you were required to read the “7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens Workbook”. I feel like this is very much...
How to Spot a POS Vulnerability Before It Becomes a Security Breach
If you’re a restaurant operator and you haven’t heard of the blog Krebs On Security, definitely check it out. Former Washington Post journalist and...
How to Get Your Store’s Litter Problem Under Control
I’ve always had great respect for people in custodial services. A family friend emigrated from Europe to start cleaning offices, and another high...
How Employees Can Help Prevent Costly Restaurant Repairs
We recently learned about a Manhattan-based startup that aspires to be the Uber of restaurant repairs. SendaGuy Now targets independent restaurants in...
How to Stand Out in a Gas Station Cluster
I always thought it was strange that there were three gas stations on a single corner down the street from my college—until I started learning more...
Where Yelp Doesn't Help: How to Stop Restaurants from Failing Health Inspections
Once you hear a story (good or bad) about a restaurant, you never quite forget it. For instance, I still remember how my friend walked past a deli she...
How C-stores Can Turn Social Media Interaction into Employee Action
Chances are that your convenience store chain has an active social media presence. Considering that the “big guys” like Wawa, Sheetz and Speedway have...
The 3-Part Call-to-Action Against Rising Convenience Store Operating Costs
We’re living in politically uncertain times. While the new Presidential administration has promised to be pro-small business, there’s no guarantee...
Operating in ‘The Now’ with Mobile Technology
In a previous blog post about Omnichannel retail, I suggested that retailers have to “start thinking mobile” because that’s where their customers are...
Can an Organic Fast-Food Restaurant Play the Value Game?
Did you notice that QSR magazine upped their 9 fast-food trends for 2016 to 12 trends for 2017? They kept the descriptions more succinct and business...
Omnichannel is Here to Stay: 3 Ways Conventional Retailers Can Adapt
Here’s a fact: Not all retailers Zenput works with are equipped to offer the online shopping experience... yet—but they also don’t have to right now...
Here are 5 Things You Should Cover on a Restaurant Inspection
When a city’s health department decides to inspect restaurants, they can cover a tremendous amount of ground in what seems like a relatively short...
Contactless Payments: A Passing Fad or Slow Adoption?
Just a couple of years ago, it seemed like contactless payments—Apple Pay, Android Pay and Google Wallet—were the way of the future. These mobile...
Using Technology to Preempt the C-store Customer’s Path to Purchase
It’s the age-old proposition in the convenience store industry: How do you move customers from the forecourt/gas pump area inside to the store? There...
It’s Time for Mobile Technology in Store Operations - here's why
If you’re not using mobile technology in your store, you’re being beaten not just by your competitors… but by your own customers! The results of a...
5 Standards to Uphold for a Clean Restaurant
What do you do when you haven’t been at a company very long and your CEO wants to go to a favorite restaurant that was recently flagged for unsanitary...
Healthy Food in C-Stores: The Transformative New Trend
From 1952 to 1972, Sheetz Inc. did not sell gasoline- the pumps were only added in 1973. There’s a similar story behind Oklahoma-based QuikTrip, which...