Free toilet paper, exponential employment, and at-home trampoline classes populate today’s biggest headlines.
With the coronavirus crisis ongoing, many brands are enacting policies and changes to protect the wellbeing of staff and consumers. We’ve collated all of the biggest news and information below, for today’s franchise daily digest:
Ike’s Love & Sandwiches providing toilet paper with every purchase
The act of bulk buying has been widely condemned across the world, and certain products have been seemingly impossible to find. Toilet paper is one such commodity, and Ike’s Love & Sandwiches is poking fun at this by offering a free roll with any sandwich order.
The franchise brand, located primarily on the east coast of the U.S. but with developments all across the States, is running the promotion while stocks last. The offer only applies to in-store pick up orders, though the brand is also offering free delivery through its proprietary app.
International Franchise Association hosts three comprehensive webinars for franchisors and entrepreneurs alike
The International Franchise Association (IFA) has hosted three exclusive webinars which are now available to watch in their entirety for free. For investors who may be unsure of how the current situation impacts their options, or franchisors who need clarification on the impact to finances and labor, these are essential viewing.
The three topics covered are:
“What coronavirus means for franchise brands – what is the impact? A multibrand approach”
“Labor implications of the coronavirus pandemic”
“Cash flow management and credit access during the pandemic”
American pizza franchises plan to hire more than 60,000 workers
Yesterday we covered Papa John’s announcement that it was hiring 20,000 new employees immediately, and it seems like the ubiquitous pizza franchise isn’t alone. Pizza Hut has announced it is looking to fill 30,000 open positions, while Domino’s Pizza aims to hire a further 10,000 staff to fulfill the increasing demand for pizza delivery during this period of pandemic.
“Domino’s is committed to serving local communities and providing hot pizza to everyone who is looking for a meal,” the brand said in a recent statement. “Because of that, staffing is critical and stores across the nation are looking to hire. We want to make sure we’re not only feeding people, but also providing opportunity to those who are looking for work at this time.”
British Franchise Association providing key advice through daily franchise surgery
As part of a support package for franchises and entrepreneurs seeking guidance, the British Franchise Association (bfa) is providing daily franchise surgeries to bfa members; each hosted by a franchise professional and covering numerous aspects of how to maintain and thrive in trying times.
This week’s sessions have already included Roz Goldstein from Goldstein Legal, Andy Brattesani from HSBC, as well as Fiona Boswell from Knights PLC. The rest of the week’s sessions are as follows:
- Wednesday 25 March, 14:00 – John Pratt, Hamilton Pratt
- Friday 27 March, 11:00 – Dug Aylen, The Franchising Center
MaidPro launches emergency COVID-19 disinfecting program
MaidPro, a home cleaning franchise with over 285 locations in 38 states, as well as franchisees in the District of Columbia and Canada, has released an emergency COVID-19 disinfecting program for cleaning homes and businesses. All of the brand’s cleaning ‘PROs’ has completed a course that details exactly how to clean and eliminate traces of the virus, which they can now utilize when cleaning client locations.
“We are in a unique position to help battle the coronavirus. We want to be completely transparent in how we are handling this situation,” said Melissa Homer, MaidPro’s chief cleaning officer. “Our locations are locally owned and operated, which means we are staying up-to-date on the area’s latest legal requirements and safety recommendations. The health and safety of our PROs and your family are of the utmost importance to us. All of our staff have taken a coronavirus cleaning course which details, down to the science, how to best protect and disinfect themselves and your homes from the virus.”
Luby’s closes 35 units and furloughs most of its corporate office
Luby’s, the cafeteria-style restaurant franchise that also operates under the name Fuddruckers, Koo Koo Roo, and Cheeseburger in Paradise, will be temporarily closing 35 of its restaurants and furloughing more than half of its corporate office to limit the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the corporate staff not furloughed, salaries will be temporarily cut by 50 per cent. This cut is indefinite and will be evaluated periodically.
“The number of operating restaurants is subject to change as we adjust operations in response to the pandemic and governmental requirements,” the company said in a statement. “At this time, neither the duration nor scope of the disruption can be predicted, therefore, the negative financial impact to our results cannot be reasonably estimated.”
((BOUNCE)) offering at-home classes so guests can maintain fitness routines
((BOUNCE)), the boutique fitness franchise that incorporates low impact, high intensity trampoline classes to keep exercise fun and community-focused, will be offering its first-ever online concept, ((B)) @ HOME, from Friday March 27.
The ((B)) @ HOME classes are set to be 45 minutes long, and can burn around 700 calories. They’ll be available three times a day, seven days a week, across four international time zones. Clients can pay £4.95 for a single class, or purchase a six-class pack for £25, that can be used any time within a month.
“((BOUNCE)) was built on togetherness, bringing all ages and abilities together, including parents and their children, to enjoy one, fun workout,” said Kimberlee Perry, founder and CEO. “For many, the classes are an important part of their social interaction. So when the COVID-19 crisis hit and we were forced to temporality close our 320 franchisees across the U.K., I knew that I wanted to continue to provide customers with the classes they love. I’m happy to be able to announce the launch of our first ever online class offering.
“All the classes will be available at set times every day of the week so even if people are working out by themselves at home, they will know that other people all over the country – and the world – will be joining in, fuelling them with the motivation they need.”
We got the chance to speak with Kimberlee Perry for a recent episode of the Global Franchise Podcast, in which she spoke about how she turned £200 into a successful international franchise. For this conversation, and more, make sure to check out all episodes here.
bluefrog Plumbing + Drain to offer virtual consultancies
bluefrog Plumbing + Drain, a plumbing repair and installation franchise, now offers virtual options for customers who may not want a member of staff directly entering their home. This new service will connect a customer with a plumbing professional via FaceTime, to troubleshoot any issues.
“In response to the growing numbers of citizens asked to stay in their home, plumbing issues will arise, and we are doing everything we can to serve our customers while keeping them and our team’s safe,” said Thomas Dougherty, president of bluefrog Plumbing + Drain.
“In those instances that require a licensed plumber to properly fix issues, we are taking heightened precautions such as employees being required to wear gloves and masks when entering a home, and requiring every service truck to have hand sanitizer.”
