Retail Management, Franchise, Software POS, Pos Equipment

Trend of changes in consumer shopping behavior

2011-06-06T14:17:00.003+07:00

Changes in consumer shopping patterns lately is changing dramatically with increasing development of Internet technology. You as a retail business should be able to anticipate changes in consumer behavior that tends to take advance shopping online.
Bursa88.com is a portal of interactive sales, advertising free, instant and free online store.
You can post your products here as much as your online store.
Feature which is served very very complete bursa88.com among others:
1. Your products quickly into the top google / fast entry page 1 search engine Google, Yahoo, Bing because it comes with SEO technology.
2. Interactive features of communication media such as send-send offers via message, comment comments, chat with all visitors.
3. Connected with Google maps which facilitate prospective buyers contact the advertiser.
4. A more attractive appearance
5. Advertisers can design their own forms of advertising like making web design.
6. Can upload product images as much with high-resolution images.
7. Ads that you post WITHOUT Expired
8. You can install many products andasebanyak
9. 100% FREE (only for user from Indonesia)
10. Can be accessed via the touch screen mobile phones such as Blackberry (Torch, Storm), Android, iPhone, iPad
11. Equipped with news articles that are popular today.
12. You can communicate with fellow users bursa88.com as a social network and expand your business partners.
13. Products that you attach directly also automatically posted to your Twitter user @ posretail. If you have a twitter user user @ POSRETAIL follow soon.

Burger Franchises

2008-10-20T20:36:00.002+07:00

If there's one kind of fast food everyone loves to much on it's a burger. Despite the recent move towards healthy foods it seems burgers still have an undeniable appeal to people of all ages, which is why they don't just provide a tasty meal, but also a lucrative business opportunity.

Indeed burger businesses across America are making millions serving up these fast food treats every year, so why not jump on the bandwagon and invest in a burger franchise.

One of the most important things to consider when setting up a fast food franchise is the fast food competition. There is plenty of consumer demand for fast food, but this means there are also plenty of rivals trying to capitalize on the burger's popularity.

That's why looking carefully at different areas, indeed different fast food franchises, is essential to choose the right burger franchise in the right location. While a huge McDonald's franchise may prove a success one town, it may flop in another. It is important therefore to look at what customers want before diving in.

Often smaller franchises can be more successful than the big players on a regional level. Finding a niche market is vital, and this can often be done in smaller towns where franchisees can build up a local cult following. Whether it is healthy vegetarian burgers or gourmet ranch grill burgers, offering what local consumers want is the key to building a successful burger empire.

So who would be suited to running a burger franchise? It is important that franchisees are motivated, hardworking and intent on being successful.

Investing in a franchise means budding entrepreneurs don't have to have managed their own burger restaurant before. Most franchisers will offer help and support, as well as extensive training, to get their franchisees off the ground. Of course, it's in their interests to make sure the business is a success.

But while burger flipping skills are non-essential, business skills such as account management and organization are. Basic food hygiene certifications and some form of catering experience would also be a great advantage among those seeking a burger franchise.

Above all potential franchisees should ask themselves whether they are prepared to make it work. Franchising is not an easy option and it can fail without strong commitment on the part of the franchisee.

Investors should therefore be prepared to put in a lot of hard work and effort if they wish to make healthy profits and not just sit back and expect the brand name to attract customers.

Having a well-established brand name however is one advantage of going down the franchising route. Marketing and advertising support is given to most franchisees, alleviating the pressure for those who are less experienced in this area.

Franchisees will also benefit from the company's input terms of sales advice, day to day management, employee relations and customer service.

Fast food franchising can offer a world of opportunity, and the burger is one dish that can be adapted to suit every taste. Franchisees dedicated to supplying this timeless foodstuff to the masses can therefore find themselves chomping on some very appetizing profits.

Place advertising,online business,shopping mall http://www.bursa88.com

Trends and Facts About Food Franchises

2008-10-20T20:33:00.002+07:00

There are as many varieties of food franchises as there are types of foods! Investments can range from the very high end of hundreds of thousands of dollars for full-service restaurants, to a moderate capital outlay for vending machines.

There are franchises that specialize in sandwiches, barbeque, burgers, pizza, ethnic foods, candy, ice cream, smoothies and many other food types.

Food franchising is most often associated with restaurants, even though the industry also includes coffee, candy, smoothies, pretzels and other specialized commodities.

The whole concept of franchising has traditionally been attributed to McDonalds, and restaurant operations are especially adaptable to the franchise concept of consistency and uniformity.

1. The restaurant industry has earned a reputation for high risk and high rewards. Some industry analysts claim a dubious 90 percent failure in the first year. Franchise restaurants based on proven systems have a higher success rate -- about 62 percent over four years – than independent operators.

2. The National Restaurant Association forecasts restaurant revenues of $558 billion in 2008, at 945,000 restaurants nationwide. Restaurant revenue is expected to grow 4.4% in 2008 and make up 4% of the U.S. gross domestic product.

3. The average full-service restaurant in 2005 grossed $833,000. The restaurant industry is the nation’s largest employer after the government.

There are strong trends affecting traditional restaurant franchising businesses in this decade. With the economy slowing, and gas prices rising, people have less disposable income to spend on restaurants.

Construction costs are up, so new building is down. Rather than building new units, many well-known franchises that previously occupied niche markets, such as Taco Bell and Wendy’s, are expanding their offerings with “all-day” menus with breakfast, lunch and dinner specialties as well as free Wi-Fi and high-definition television to attract customers.

4. Research indicates that consumers have strong preferences about choosing where to eat -- with 62 percent saying they look for “environmentally friendly” establishments; 70 percent want offerings not easily duplicated in their home kitchens; and 83 percent express approval of healthier eating options at quick service eateries.

5. The sale of organic foods grew by percent in 2006 and generated $13.8 billion in revenue.

Place advertising,online business,shopping mall http://www.bursa88.com

KFC Franchise

2008-10-20T20:31:00.002+07:00

KFC Franchise

The Colonel and His Chicken: The Recipe for Franchise Success

The world’ most popular chicken restaurant chain, Kentucky Fried Chicken, more widely known as KFC, had humble origins. What started out as a small cooking operation in a gas station in Corbin, Kentucky, is now part of the Yum! Corporation (the world’s largest restaurant system) with more than 11,000 KFCs in over 80 countries around the world.

Kentucky Fried Chicken was invented by Harland Sanders, who was born in 1890 near Henryville, Indiana. Raised by a single mother, he left home at the age of 12 to work on a farm, and held a series of jobs including painter, streetcar conductor, insurance salesman and service station operator. In 1929, he opened his own gas station in Corbin, Kentucky, where he sometimes cooked meals for his family and an occasional lucky customer. His specialties were southern style dishes his mother had taught him – country ham, homemade biscuits, and of course, pan-fried chicken. He claimed to have a secret recipe for his chicken, and that formula proved to be the key to the future success of his restaurant enterprise.

Word got out about Sanders’ delicious chicken, and in response to demand, he opened a 142-seat restaurant across the street from his original station location. He also added a motel – the first in the state. To accommodate large volume, he invented a way to pressure cook his fried chicken, and claimed this contributed to the meat’s taste and texture.

Named “Sanders Court and Café” the café growing wildly popular in the region – so much so, that in 1936, the state Governor granted Sanders the honorary title of “Kentucky Colonel.” In 1939, Sanders Court and Café won a designation by Duncan Hine’s Adventures in Good Eating – putting Sanders on the map for travelers.

World War II and its impact on gas rationing and tourism forced Sanders to close his motel. He intended to re-open after the war, but then got the bad news that a new interstate planned for the area would bypass Corbin, and divert tourist traffic away from his motel and café. Being burdened by debt, he had no choice but to sell the facility.

But the Colonel was convinced his chicken recipe was a winner, so he took to the road to sell his chicken to restaurant owners. His plan was to sign up franchisees who would pay him five cents for each piece of chicken sold that was prepared with his secret recipe. The first Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise was opened by Sanders and Pete Harman in South Salt Lake, Utah in 1952.

By the early 60s, the Colonel’s chicken was sold in over 600 restaurants throughout the US and Canada. The first international Kentucky Fried Chicken opened in 1964 in England. In this same year, having accomplished his goal to get out of debt and start a successful restaurant chain, Sanders sold his company to a group of investors for $2 million (about $10 million in today’s currency). The sale brought Sanders additional riches too – he signed on for an annual salary of $40,000 to act as the company spokesman.

The company went public in 1966 and was listed on the NYSE in 1969.

The Secret to Success

Through the years, the recipe for KFC’s unique tasty chicken has been a closely guarded secret. The original handwritten version is kept in a vault and the company supposedly works with two different spice suppliers for various ingredients so that no one person knows the exact final formula. The Colonel himself promoted the secret recipe as the basis for the crowd-pleasing chicken. He appeared in television commercials, extolling the chicken’s finger-licking taste and the value of families eating dinner together as a way promote KFC’s “bucket” concept along with side dishes to make a complete meal. At one point, he was referred to as “greatest PR man ever” in Business Week article.

No longer a “one-man operation” KFC grew to 3,400 fast food outlets by 1970. In 1971, it merged with Heublein, Inc., a specialty food and alcohol beverage company. And though the chain had grown so much in a span of less than twenty years, it now faced some stiff competition from other fast food franchises. Heublein made substantial investments to upgrade and modernize the standard red-and-white buildings. Experimentation with other offerings, such as ribs, came up short; so KFC went back to its roots of preparing crispy chicken according to the Colonel’s original recipe.

Harland Sanders died of leukemia in 1980. After the Colonel’s death, the company underwent several mergers and acquisitions. In 1982, Heublein was acquired by R.J. Reynolds; and in 1986, PepsiCo, the operator of Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, acquired Kentucky Fried Chicken.

One interesting and unique development in KFC’s history was the drive to establish successful relations with franchisees. In 1972, the corporation organized the National Franchise Advisory Council to improve the franchising contract. The National Purchasing Co-Op was formed in 1979 to ensure franchisees a better deal on company equipment and supplies. These advisory councils made KFC a more democratic organization that valued input from its franchisees and helped to maintain consistent operations as the company went through various mergers and acquisitions.

Recognized Around the World

When the competition for fast-food customers grew especially fierce in the 80s and 90s, KFC executed a series of creative and successful marketing strategies in response to consumer trends. 1981 saw the launch of a memorable marketing campaign, based on a new catchy motto, “We Do Chicken Right.” Eventually, the packaging was updated with contemporary graphics, and the Colonel’s image made more stylized. The restaurant name was shortened to the familiar KFC as a way to de-emphasize frying in response to public health concerns. And in 2007, the company introduced a new recipe that has zero transfats per serving in response to the health warnings about the harmful effects of transfats.

KFC claims (though this is disputed by Readymix) to have the first logo visible from space – built from 65,000 square foot tiles, which were placed in the Mojave Desert in Nevada. At one time, Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s, operated several KFC franchises, and is credited with designing the revolving bucket of chicken that once decorated almost all stores.

Though competition in the US was challenging, international growth was explosive for KFC in the late 80s and early 90s. Asia, where chicken is widely consumed, proved especially profitable with sales growing at about 30 percent a year. 1987 marked a real milestone -- KFC was the first American fast-food chain to open in the Peoples’ Republic of China. In 2007, there were more than 1,800 KFCs operating in over 400 cities throughout China.

In 1997, PepsicCo spun off its fast-food holdings – KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell – to form Tricon Global Restaurants, Inc. That company was acquired by Yum! Brands in 2002, and KFC maintains its status as the dominant fast-food chicken restaurant in the world.

The Colonel was right about his winning recipe, but it wasn’t taste alone that led to success. Shrewd marketing, smart international expansion, and sound business practices underlie the phenomenal global growth of KFC.

Place advertising,online business,shopping mall http://www.bursa88.com

Retail Management System, Software, Hardware Pos, Franchise: How become to Store Manager ?

2008-10-19T08:31:00.000+07:00

Retail Management System, Software, Hardware Pos, Franchise: How become to Store Manager ?

Occupations in the Industry

2008-10-19T07:56:00.001+07:00

Fifty percent of all grocery store employees are cashiers or stock clerks and order fillers. Others in the industry prepare food, assist customers, dispense medications, and provide management and support services to the establishment.

Sales and related workers. Cashiers make up the largest occupation in grocery stores, accounting for 33 percent of all workers (table 2). They scan the items being purchased by customers into the cash register or read hand-stamped prices and total the amount due. They accept payment consisting of cash, credit cards, and checks and make change or fill out charge forms. They then produce a cash register receipt that shows the quantity and price of the items purchased. Cashiers usually place items in bags or give them to “baggers” to load. When cashiers are not needed to check out customers, they sometimes assist other workers. In grocery stores with separate self-checkout lanes, cashiers verify that the items have been paid for before the customer leaves the store, and if needed, assist the customer in completing the transaction.

First-line managers of retail sales workers supervise the employees in the different specialty departments, such as produce, meat, and bakery. These managers train employees and schedule their hours; oversee ordering, inspection, pricing, and inventory of goods; monitor sales activity; and make reports to store managers. Demonstrators and product promoters offer samples of various products to entice customers to purchase them.

Office and administrative support occupations. Stock clerks and order fillers are the second largest occupation in grocery stores, comprising 17 percent of workers. They fill the shelves with merchandise and arrange displays to attract customers. In stores without computer-scanning equipment, stock clerks and order fillers may have to manually mark prices on individual items and count stock for inventory control.

Many office clerical workers—such as general office clerks and bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks—prepare and maintain the records necessary to keep grocery stores running smoothly.

Food preparation and production occupations. Butchers and other meat-, poultry-, and fish-processing workers prepare meat, poultry, and fish for purchase by cutting up and trimming carcasses and large sections into smaller pieces, which they package, weigh, price, and place on display. They also prepare ground meat from other cuts and fill customers’ special orders. These workers also may prepare ready-to-heat and ready-to-cook foods by filleting or cutting meat, poultry, or fish into bite-sized pieces, preparing and adding vegetables, and applying sauces, marinades, or breading. While most butchers and other meat-, poultry-, and fish-processing workers work in the meat or seafood sections of grocery stores, many others are employed at central processing facilities, from which smaller packages are sent to area stores.

Some specialty workers prepare food for sale in grocery stores but others work in kitchens located in other facilities. Many newer stores, however, are incorporating kitchens into store designs and devoting more floor space to display prepared foods and employing a bigger variety of workers. Bakers produce breads, rolls, cakes, cookies, and other baked goods. Cooks and food preparation workers make salads and entrees. They also may prepare ready-to-heat foods for sale in the delicatessen, gourmet food or prepared food departments. Other food preparation workers arrange party platters or prepare various vegetables and fruits that are sold at the salad bar.

In supermarkets that serve food and beverages for consumption on the premises, food and beverage serving workers, including fast food and counter workers, take orders and serve customers. They may prepare short-order items, such as salads or sandwiches, to be taken out and consumed elsewhere or eaten on the premises in a designated seating area.

Transportation and material moving occupations. In the warehouses and stockrooms of large supermarkets, hand laborers and freight, stock, and material movers move stock and goods in storage and deliver them to the sales floor; they also help load and unload delivery trucks. Hand packers and packagers, also known as courtesy clerks or baggers, perform a variety of simple tasks, such as bagging groceries, loading parcels in customers’ cars, and returning merchandise to shelves.

Management occupations. General and operations managers are responsible for the efficient and profitable operation of grocery stores. Often called store managers or department managers, they set store policy, hire and train employees, develop merchandising plans, maintain good customer and community relations, address customer complaints, and monitor the store’s profits or losses. A new type of manager in grocery stores is the “category manager.” Similar to a purchasing manager, they specialize in a particular category of goods, such as snack food. These managers must thoroughly understand consumer preferences for the specific category of items, package sizes, and marketing strategies, and are responsible for ordering the correct amount in the correct package. Category managers evaluate their store’s sales and inventory reports to determine product demand, sales trends, and profitability. They also consider comments from department managers and customers to adjust future orders, change product displays, and plan budgets. Marketing and sales managers forecast sales and develop a marketing plan based on demographic trends, sales data, community needs, and consumer feedback.

Other occupations. Grocery stores employ a number of workers in other occupations to help meet customer service needs. For example, pharmacists fill customers’ drug prescriptions and advise them on over-the-counter medicines. Pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists in filling orders. Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists recruit and screen prospective employees and are responsible for making sure that employees maintain and, if necessary, improve their skill levels. Building cleaning workers keep the stores clean and orderly.

Table 2. Employment of wage and salary workers in grocery stores by occupation, 2006 and projected change, 2006-2016.
(Employment in thousands)
Occupation	Employment, 2006		Percent change, 2006-16
Occupation	Number	Percent	Percent change, 2006-16
All occupations	2,463	100.0	0.7

Management, business, and financial occupations	53	2.1	1.9
General and operations managers	28	1.1	-1.8

Professional and related occupations	51	2.1	21.5
Floral designers	8	0.3	9.1
Pharmacists	20	0.8	20.0
Pharmacy technicians	19	0.8	30.9

Service occupations	313	12.7	13.9
First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers	21	0.9	20.9
Cooks	16	0.7	12.9
Food preparation workers	119	4.8	20.1
Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food	91	3.7	9.1
Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop	24	1.0	9.1
Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners	16	0.7	11.5

Sales and related occupations	1,013	41.1	0.0
First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers	121	4.9	6.0
Cashiers, except gaming	823	33.4	-1.8
Retail salespersons	48	1.9	9.1

Office and administrative support occupations	574	23.3	-3.8
First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers	26	1.1	1.6
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks	21	0.9	9.1
Customer service representatives	57	2.3	20.0
Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks	15	0.6	5.0
Stock clerks and order fillers	406	16.5	-8.7
Office clerks, general	19	0.8	7.5

Production occupations	194	7.9	3.2
First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers	17	0.7	9.1
Bakers	41	1.6	8.6
Butchers and meat cutters	89	3.6	-1.8
Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers	22	0.9	9.1
Food cooking machine operators and tenders	9	0.4	-1.8

Transportation and material moving occupations	256	10.4	-9.5
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand	44	1.8	-1.8
Packers and packagers, hand	195	7.9	-12.7

Note: Columns may not add to totals due to omission of occupations with small employment By : http://www.bls.gov/

Place advertising,online business,shopping mall http://www.e-affilliatemall.com

Working Conditions

2008-10-19T07:55:00.001+07:00

Hours. Grocery stores are open more hours and days than most work establishments, so employees are needed for early morning, late night, weekend, and holiday shifts. With the average workweek for nonsupervisory workers being 29.8 hours and nearly 32 percent of employees working a part-time schedule, these jobs are particularly attractive to those looking for work with flexible hours. Part-time schedules predominate for most cashiers and counter service workers, but most managers work full-time schedules and often work longer hours. Typically managers are needed to oversee and train staff on all shifts and may be needed at additional times to fill in during unanticipated busy periods.

Work environment. Most grocery store employees work in a clean, well-lighted, and climate-controlled environment. However, work at times can become hectic, and dealing with some customers can be stressful.

Most grocery store workers wear some sort of uniform, such as a jacket, shirt, or apron that identifies them as store employees and keeps their personal clothing clean. Health and safety regulations require employees who handle fresh food items—such as those who work in the prepared foods, delicatessen, or meat departments—to wear head coverings, safety glasses, or gloves. Some States require health certification for employees who handle food.

In 2006, cases of work-related injury and illness averaged 6.2 per 100 full-time workers in grocery stores, compared with 4.4 per 100 full-time workers in the entire private sector. Some injuries occur while workers transport or stock goods. Persons in food-processing occupations, such as butchers and meatcutters, may sustain cuts and cashiers and others working with computer scanners or traditional cash registers may be vulnerable to cumulative trauma and other repetitive motion injuries.

By : http://www.bls.gov

Place advertising,online business,shopping mall http://www.e-affilliatemall.com

Nature of the Industry

2008-10-19T07:47:00.001+07:00

Grocery stores are familiar to most people and located throughout the country, although their size and range of goods and services they sell varies. The grocery store industry is made up of supermarkets and convenience stores that do not sell gas. Stores in the grocery store industry sell primarily food items, including perishable foods, and may sell some nonfood items, but they do not specialize in selling certain types of foods, such as just meat, seafood, or health food. Stores that sell a mixture of food and more general merchandise, such as supercenters or warehouse club stores, are not in this industry.

Goods and services. Traditional supermarkets sold mostly fresh meats and produce, canned or packaged goods, and dry goods such as flour and sugar to people who lived in the neighborhood. They also usually stocked a few nonfood items used in preparing home-cooked meals, such as aluminum foil and paper napkins. These days supermarkets sell a wide range of traditional grocery items, general merchandise, and health and beauty products, plus a wide assortment of prepared foods, such as hot entrees, salads, and deli sandwiches for takeout. Most supermarkets have several specialty departments that may include seafood, meat, bakery, deli, produce, and floral. Nonfood items that can be found at larger supermarkets include household goods, health and beauty care items, pet products, and greeting cards. Some of the largest supermarkets may have concession counters, hot food and beverage bars or food courts, plus seating areas where patrons can eat while on the premises. In addition, many grocery stores offer catering services, automated teller machines, a pharmacy, postal services, and drop-off locations for film processing, drycleaning, and video rentals. Some grocery stores may lease space to banks, coffee shops, and other service providers, but these services are usually not performed by the grocery store.

Convenience stores typically sell a limited line of high-convenience items and food basics, such as milk, bread, beverages, and snacks. Some also offer readymade sandwiches and other prepared foods for immediate consumption along with an assortment of nonfood items, such as magazines. Most are also open longer hours than a typical supermarket.

Industry organization. In 2006, there were approximately 34,000 traditional supermarkets, each with sales of over $2 million, offering a full line of groceries, meat, and produce. Of these, 75 percent were operated by a chain of supermarkets that owned 11 or more grocery stores. The rest were operated by independent owners that operate fewer than 11 grocery stores. In addition, there were approximately 13,000 small grocery stores with limited selections that generated sales of under $2 million each. There are many more convenience stores than grocery stores, but they employ only a few workers per store. Many convenience stores are independently owned and are often franchises of convenience store chains.

Traditionally, grocery store chains have been based in a particular region of the country. Recently, however, many of these regional chains have been bought out by other chains, and although the names of the chains often remain the same, their administrative offices have been consolidated, resulting in fewer workers in management jobs.

Recent developments. Over the last couple decades, grocery store supermarkets have been facing growing competition for the food dollar. More and more time-pressed people are eating out on a regular basis or buying takeout meals. Also, a greater variety of stores are selling groceries, with warehouse club stores and supercenters becoming some of the biggest food sellers. To compete with restaurants, fast food outlets, and club and supercenter stores, grocery stores have been selling more general merchandise items and providing a greater variety of services to cater to the one-stop shopper. They are also selling more prepared foods, deli items, and food to go. Some provide tables for eating in the store.

While some supermarkets have grown and added more floor space and more nonfood items, others have opened that sell more limited lines of groceries and often cater to particular groups of people. Ethnic grocery stores are some of the fastest-growing stores in the country. Also, there is an increase in the number of grocery stores that cater to upscale clientele and those that sell mostly organic foods. Providing specialized services and products unique to a particular neighborhood and its shoppers helps these grocers build loyalty and contribute to a sense of community among local residents.

Specialization is also occurring within the stores. Grocery store inventory tracking systems can now quickly let managers know what is selling in their store and what is not. This allows them to adjust their merchandise regularly and focus on the big sellers. They also do not need to keep as large an inventory of items in the store because cash registers linked to the inventory systems can automatically tell managers when something needs to be reordered. New scanning technology is also making it easier for stores to provide self-service checkout, although cashiers will always remain. Some stores have begun providing customers with hand-held bar code readers that they use to scan items when they place them in their cart and which automatically tallies their total spending as they add each item. As they compete for food sales, grocery stores are attempting to get better at offering items for sale that people want and become more efficient at providing them.

By : http://www.bls.gov/

Place advertising,online business,shopping mall http://www.e-affilliatemall.com

McDonald’s Announces Industry Leading Customer Initiative

2008-10-17T08:08:00.001+07:00

September 9th, 2007 . by All Franchise Blog

As part of a global commitment to promote balanced, active lifestyles, McDonald’s Corporation today announced an innovative approach to further communicate nutrition information to its customers around the world. Nutrition information will now be displayed on the majority of McDonald’s product packaging using an easy-to-understand icon and bar chart format. This step, a first for the quick-service restaurant industry, is the latest transparency initiative in the company’s 30-year record of providing nutrition information to help customers make informed choices. The new packaging will be rolled out beginning in the first half of 2006 in restaurants in North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America. McDonald’s is currently working with its packaging suppliers to ramp up production to meet the demands of this new worldwide packaging program. By the end of 2006, McDonald’s plans to have nutrition information featured on packaging in more than 20,000 of its restaurants. The remaining restaurants will implement nutrition information on packaging as it becomes locally relevant and commercially feasible. The new packaging will debut at McDonald’s restaurants at the Olympic Winter Games in

Torino, Italy in February.“Customers are coming to McDonald’s in record numbers, and we take their trust in our Brand very seriously. That’s why we want them to have easy-to-understand nutrition information about our great-tasting food and wide range of menu options. We are putting the information customers need literally into their hands,” said Jim Skinner, McDonald’s Chief Executive Officer. “This initiative makes it easier than ever to understand the quality that goes into our food. We’re very confident that the more information people have, the more they will like what they see at McDonald’s.

“The New Format”The new format converts scientific information into a customer-friendly snapshot of a product’s nutrition value and how it relates to daily nutrient recommendations using bar charts and icons. The icons represent the five elements that experts agree are most relevant to consumer understanding of nutrition – calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates and sodium. Additional background will be added to McDonald’s websites and restaurant materials to familiarize customers with this new format and how they can apply it to their daily lives.“There is nothing more important to McDonald’s than building customer trust and loyalty around the world. We listen closely to our customers so we know how important transparency is, which is what this initiative is all about,” said Mike Roberts, McDonald’s President and Chief Operating Officer. “Adding nutrition information to our packaging will help our customers meet their individual taste preferences and nutrition requirements, as well as choose from our menu of quality food and portion sizes.”

Customer Input
Customer input led the decision to implement this program on a broad scale. Based on research, concepts were developed and tested in several hundred McDonald’s restaurants around the world. Test results in Colombia, Hong Kong, Scotland, Shanghai, Spain and the

U.S. indicated that customers liked the approach. They confirmed that McDonald’s icons and bar charts communicated the nutrition information quickly and simply.

Third-Party Guidance
Beyond consumer tests, this initiative was guided by input from outside experts from around the world, including government officials, academic researchers, and health and nutrition authorities. Additionally, McDonald’s consulted with the European Nutritionists Steering Group, consisting of nutrition professionals from McDonald’s largest European markets, and the McDonald’s Global Advisory Council on Balanced, Active Lifestyles (GAC), a group of independent advisors in the areas of nutrition, public health and fitness.

Third-Party Comments
Dr. Louis Sullivan, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, President Emeritus, Morehouse School of Medicine and a member of McDonald’s GAC, said, “McDonald’s has long played a leadership role in providing nutrition information. In the early 1990’s, when our government introduced new nutrition labeling for packaged goods in the U.S., I was impressed by the way McDonald’s helped familiarize consumers with this new information. Using their restaurant trayliners, they reached millions of people to help educate them about the labels. Now McDonald’s has done it again. Their creative approach is scientifically sound and communicates complex information in a clear and accessible way.”Dr. Paul Gately, Professor of Exercise and Obesity at Leeds Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom and also a member of McDonald’s GAC, stated, “As a health professional, I welcome this useful tool and will use it in our work with families. Our goal is to assist them with often confusing information and help empower them to lead balanced and active lifestyles. This new format is clear and understandable and I can see its potential beyond McDonald’s. I hope others in the restaurant and food industries follow their lead.”

Implementation Note
McDonald’s will continue to work closely with scientists, key government officials, and outside experts to ensure the new nutrition information meets local guidelines and is appropriately adapted for local relevance. For example, in the U.S. and Canada, the official Nutrition Facts panel that has appeared on packaged foods for years also will be featured on McDonald’s packaging along with the icons and bar chart. Additionally, McDonald’s

Europe will be the first in the restaurant industry to include pan-European nutrition reference values, called Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs), as part of its nutrition information outreach to adults and children.When implemented, the majority of McDonald’s packaging will include nutrition information, with a few exceptions. For example, packaging used in short-term promotions, and wrappers and containers used for multiple products cannot feature product specific nutrition information. In these instances, customers will be directed to McDonald’s website or to in-restaurant materials for the nutrition information they need.Restaurants in Australia and Brazil already provide a form of nutrition information on their product packaging. McDonald’s 13,000 U.S. restaurants also feature nutrition information on Happy Meal® boxes and bags.

Place advertising,online business,shopping mall http://www.e-affilliatemall.com

More Retail Analytics

2008-10-16T07:48:00.000+07:00

What is it about the Kalman filter that makes it attractive from a retailer’s point of view ?

As mentioned in passing two weeks ago the original idea of the Kalman filter when applied to missiles and spacecraft was that as new information became available on the position, velocity and acceleration of the vehicle, the Kalman filter only needed to process the latest data. It was no longer necessary to have to reprocess all of the flight telemetry data recorded since launch to work out the position of the vehicle.

The application of this approach to retail point-of-sale data means that rather than having to process 52 weeks of sales data each week, only the most recent data needs to be processed. A single initial pass through 52 weeks of data is enough to calculate the filter’s coefficients. The filter can then be updated by addition of only the most recent week’s sales data. If you are having to estimate millions of SKU locations this is going to be pretty important. As new data becomes available, updating of the filter can occur at a greater speed than calculating a moving average model. All the more so with the advent of 64-bit servers.

This all well and good, but why go to all this extra trouble to calculate a stock model using a relatively complex method? The main driver of retail inventory levels is forecast accuracy. The stock you order today is the stock you have to live with tomorrow! From real-life retail experience, a Kalman filter estimate is often more accurate three weeks out than a moving average from only one week out. This translates to a 35% improvement in stock turns over a moving average model. If you get 3.5 turns from a moving average, you will get 4.7 turns from a Kalman filter.

There are probably better things to spend money on than unnecessary inventory.

Source : http://www.calumo.com/

The Business of People

2008-10-15T18:32:00.007+07:00

By Evan Wise

Howard Behar, executive of Starbucks, says, “We are not in the coffee business serving people, but rather in the people business serving coffee!” This is a lesson for every small business owner, especially retailers. You too are in the people business.

Behar doesn’t say they are in the customer business but rather the people business. That is because success revolves around many more people than just customers. In order to deliver dresses, shoes or suits, many people are involved. Those people must be dedicated, trained, motivated and empowered to do their job effectively so the customer can be not only satisfied, but delighted! That includes sales, marketing, buyers and others within the organization.

Take at look at where most of your business efforts and focus fall. Is it on buying inventory or effective merchandising? Do you spend a lot of time on marketing? How much time is spent on finances and looking at cash flow? Are you selling on the floor, opening and closing the store and working on receiving goods? Compare the time spent on all those activities to the time you spend on training, communicating and growing your employees. Employees are your most important asset. Employees make your store unique compared to the competition. Too often I hear retailers lament that the internet is cutting into their sales. That means the staff is not specialized enough to compete effectively. If you, as the owner or key manager in the business, are not spending at least half your time and a good part of your budget on improving and nurturing employees rather than nursing them, competitors and the internet can pose a threat.

Winning@Business™ is about growing people in order to grow your business. Dedicated employees create loyal customers. When your staff is trained to think like an owner; when they own their job instead of renting it from nine to five; they will be more productive and effective at creating buzz (word of mouth) and keeping customers coming back for more.

A management process that is coordinated and implemented properly can change a culture and a business. There are reasons that some businesses do well while others fizzle. Often it can be traced back to people and how well they work together to accomplish goals that are meaningful to the success and longevity of the business.

Source : http://www.specialty-retail-blog.com/blog/

Place advertising,online business,shopping mall http://www.e-affilliatemall.com

The Business of People

2008-10-15T18:32:00.006+07:00

By Evan Wise

The World of Retail has turned Upside Down

2008-10-15T18:29:00.000+07:00

Our Winning@Marketing team has been operating for 4 months now and working with these marketing experts has given me some real insights into many changes occurring all around us. I remember 45 years ago as a kid in my dad’s men’s store, most marketing was word of mouth and a weekly ad in the local paper. The strategy was to open a store, have merchandise available, put an ad in the local paper and wait on customers when they came in the shop. The world has turned upside down since then. Let’s look at a few of the changes that have affected or soon will affect your business future.

Advertising - THEN: Advertising used to be lofty claims and expensive fluff – jingles, sound bites or tag lines. NOW: Today information speaks to individuals. Successful businesses have a presence on the web. They engage in more cost effective marketing targeted to buyer personas and customized for their benefit. Blogs, article marketing, SEO, SEM and e-mail campaigns are replacing or at least augmenting traditional media advertising.

Promotion/Message Delivery - THEN: Retailers broadcasted their message by either advertisements in the newspaper or on radio or TV. Potential customers would see it, some of them would react and come into the store. NOW: With customers searching for everything on the internet, the broadcast has changed. It’s now the customers who broadcast what they want by searching the web, and it’s up to the retailers to “be there” when they are searching.

Wait on customers - THEN: People had limited choices and you knew your market and the competition. You got to know customers and you did not need a great effort to get them to come in; they came in anyway. Competition increased and businesses turned to direct mail and phone calls. NOW: Marketing is more about getting to know your customers than ever before. Getting to know them means what they do, what they like and who they really are. When they like you, they like your merchandise and like the buying process, they are loyal. People still buy from people who they like!

Hype - THEN: Marketing was about creating an external perception that was nirvana. “Drink our beer and the girls will flock to you!” “We offer the best service at the best price!” People have either become a lot smarter or are receiving a lot more choices. These ads don’t work. NOW: Reality matters. Teamwork and excellence are fundamental to your reputation and growing a business. Leadership needs to inspire staff and give direction. It’s all about what happens at the EAI (Employee Action Interface). When your marketing is about the truth, it creates buzz, word of mouth, loyalty and passion. The truth needs to be about creating partners of your customers and providing support as well as product.

Markdowns - THEN: Inventory that didn’t sell went on sale. What still remained was stored for next year. After three years if it didn’t sell, it went to the sidewalk sale. The bottom of the funnel was a charitable donation. NOW: Rising prices, expenses, competition and the internet have all put pressure on cash flow. Cash flow relies on not only buying the right goods but also the right amount. Measures and control of margins, maintained markup and sell through are critical. Budgeting, classification structure, inventory management and merchandise planning are fundamental to success today. Information, analysis and the right actions are no longer hallmarks of the best retailers, they are hallmarks of the survivors.

There are many other changes happening with the economy getting tougher every week. Winners will be the ones who move the market from people who shop with you to people who are passionate about your store. Winning@Business™ gets your team focused and effective, Winning@Retail™ increases cash flow and profits and Winning@Marketing™ drives new prospects to your door. Call Management One® to find out which processes work best for your business.

Source : http://www.specialty-retail-blog.com/blog/

Human Resource Management In Retail

2008-10-14T21:17:00.002+07:00

Written by: Nithin Narayanan

A retail firm would want to structure and assign task, policies and resources in order to meet the ever-changing needs of the firms target market, employees and management. Now retail organizations have prioritized retention and growth of employees within the organization due to high attrition and demand for skilled work force. There are a few steps that form the core of HR Practice in retail.

Outline the specific tasks among channel members and customers.

Grouping the tasks into jobs.

Classifying the jobs.

Finally integrating the position in the organizational charts.

The Specific tasks mentioned above deals with a number of activities which a retail firm undertakes such as setting prices shipping merchandise, logistics, research, marketing, customer interaction, sales, follow up services .according to the needs these tasks may be outsourced or divided among the retailer, manufacturer middle men and so on.

After the retailer determines the tasks which it would perform, they are grouped into jobs such as sales persons, cashier, merchandisers, display personnel, store managers and marketing executives. Each organization has a different structure and culture hence the certain jobs could be clubbed as on. For example the merchandise department would deal with display as well as procurement.

Retail jobs can be categorized by function, product, geographic or a combination classification.

Human Resource Management in retailing is composed of several integrated factors such as recruitment, selection, training, compensation, and supervision

In the retail sector there could be some difference in HR practices due to long hours of work, pool of inexperienced workers, variation in customer demand, and location of the store.

One striking feature of personnel management in India is that the personnel are not given importance as this very sector is at the developing stage. Hence retailers give less importance to In-Store Executives and also their training which is imparted by the experienced staff is inadequate.

One must understand along with a good décor and environment, services are also important to make a mark in the customers mind. Hence Quality of the services and how these services are provided to the customer becomes significant in our present times.

Source : http://www.bizopedia.biz/

Place advertising,online business,shopping mall http://www.e-affilliatemall.com

5 Reasons Retailers Replace their Retail Management System

2008-10-14T21:04:00.003+07:00

When speaking with retailers, the software selection advisors at Software Advice have found thousands of retailers considering a major new software purchase. The vast majority are replacing an existing system - one they’ve used for years. Why?

Why replace what’s familiar? Why pay up for something entirely new when an upgrade is - on paper - less expensive? Why move away from a long-term vendor relationship?

There are plenty of reasons. Here are the top five responses we hear when we ask, “What’s driving you to replace your existing system?”

Improve usability and adoption. For many businesses, the system that best matched their functional requirements turned out to be too difficult to use. In an environment where employee turnover is high, poor usability can make it very difficult to get new employees up-to-speed. By far the biggest challenge we hear from buyers is that their existing system is non-intuitive; they are looking for a new system and their primary requirement is ease-of-use.
New store growth. It’s a big leap to go from managing one store to managing two, five ten, one hundred or more… This challenge is especially difficult if a retailer plans to manage their inventory and accounting for multiple stores in one single POS software or inventory management system. Often the simple, single-store system that was easy to get going is grossly insufficient for rapid new store growth.
Poor tech support. Frequently, buyers come to us when they’ve gotten too frustrated with the poor support they are getting from their existing vendor. Either the vendor was a “one-man shop” that couldn’t keep up, or the vendor “lost its personal touch” as it grew too big, too fast. This impetus for change is even more powerful when poor service is combined with increases in support fees.
Integrating multiple channels. Many retailers are moving to support multiple channels - retail stores, e-commerce websites, mail-order catalogs… As they roll out new channels they often implement separate, redundant software systems - one for each channel. We talk to a lot of buyers that are now looking for a new, all-in-one system for multi-channel retailing.
Hardware failure. Many retailers have been on the same system for a decade or more. They may have remained patient with an old, DOS-based system, but their hardware eventually gave out. An upgrade to new hardware presents a logical opportunity to bring their software up to current standards as well. Much of the time, they can’t even install a dated system on new hardware and are forced to move to new-generation software.

We’ve heard many other reasons for replacing existing systems, but these are the most common. They also present a good lesson for new retail organizations that want to invest ahead of rapid growth. Consider these challenges and invest in a retail management system that will support your expansion plans.

Source : http://www.retailmarketingblog.com/websites/2008/09/04/

Place advertising,online business,shopping mall http://www.e-affilliatemall.com

How become to Store Manager ?

2008-10-11T15:19:00.003+07:00

How to becoming store manager …. super effective …??
Store Manager represent one who very vital in the field on business ritel, because
representing one who direct lead “ its team” [in] shop give battle by kompetitor to win .
From origin of Store Manager come from word “ Store” meaning and shop
“ Manage” meaning to manage, thereby simply Store Manager
can be interpreted as a managing resource exist in shop
effectively and efficient to reach the goals which have been specified by
company.
What the resource to managed by Store Manager ?
Human resource, asset, marketing, operational, good finance and relationship
and also internal represent the especial things which must be managed better
by a Store Manager.
In the following any tips to become the super store manager, that is store manager best which always longed and hungered for by top managemen and owner
effort.

1. Sales Oriented
Store Manager always sales oriented . Sales represent the especial priority and
always pay attention to all aspect related to accelerateing improvement sales
Like : Shop Appearance, goods equipment, service standard, amenity check out, promotion activity , etc.
Frequently goals specified by company not reached, because team its job not know the goals sales clearly. Become the team work only assuming working is coming on schedule afterwards work better. Store Manager think that the goals for their self
To create the team motivated to reach for the high sales, hence goals better the sales shop divided again become the goals sales per departmental / individualness or pershift and competition among the shift

2. Turn Over of Inventory
Turn Over of inventory / mount the rotation of goods or stock day laboured always under TOP ( Term Of Payment / payment duration) to supplier so cash flow becoming healthy.
Behave the proaktif especially [at] goods of slow moving and dead stock in order not to
becoming burden cash flow by lessening / discontinuing order and promotion activity “ sales” for the goods of the to lessen the its stock storey level.

3.Organize Store Team
Good Organization will show the good managemen. Ascertaining no exist work by 2 people or more, whereas exist other work no touched by employees.
Real correct division Schedule job, coherent and clear and also discipline applying representing especial matter to forming of team which solid. division of and Duty
clear responsibility hit who undertake to lead each every shift representing matter which is good to lessening not available head especially
at shift meet (14.00 – 16.00)

4. Receiving Spot checking
The importance checking spontaneously at consignment of goods to giving good shock therapy to shares consignment of goods and supplier, to avoid the game among employees part of acceptance by supplier which can harm company.

Place advertising,online business,shopping mall http://www.e-affilliatemall.com

Lose Prevention with "DOT SYSTEM"

2008-10-11T15:15:00.004+07:00

We often meet in a shop incomplete food tidiness again its contents scatter the, can of Coca Cola blankly, waste of slipper , bottle kratingdaeng blankly and many more . Not to mention some goods which is a set of sometimes lose its some part so that cannot be sold complete
In case above things long draw out too long big possibility its shop also will lose …. or minimize as " museum" ex- tidiness blankly. Shall your shop turn into the " museum
To overcome the above things hence require to recognize the hand in glove two term its bearing with the world " curi-mencuri" that is Factor of Intention and Opportunity. Intention is a factor from within individual to xself pushing somebody to do something, while Opportunity is conducive brief time of somebody an action, usually careless time and observation minim to a[n certain area
When somebody have intended to steal hence all kinds of barrier will try to be overcome, but that way that matter very base on existing opportunity and created. If its opportunity no exist , big hence its intention possibility will be bracketed
One of way of alternative for the minimization loss number is by lessening somebody opportunity to act the theft by using method " DOT SYSTEM", that is way of division of observation pursuant area at storey;level of area crisis in shop by giving certain sign ( in form of circle = DOT) with the certain colour
Marginally area in shop will be divided to become the area which its goods [is] gristle lose and place area finding of ex- tidiness blankly. For the area of which its goods gristle lose to earn.
In the shop will be divided to become the area which its gristle lose goods and place area finding of ex- tidiness blankly. For the area of which its gristle lose goods can be given the sticker in form of circle ruddledly , while area which often found its secondhand tidiness just can be given the sticker with the blue colour at rack.
Area of Place Of Exile Tidiness which its goods stolen, marked by dot with blue chromatic
Area which its goods gristle wich stolen, marked by dot with rose colored. With the existence of the marking hence will easyly by security staff or employees to observe its area with the priority, so that expected a loss storey;level can be depressed effective with interest efficient and and shop managed [shall] no longger become the social institution or " museum" ex- tidiness blankly…

Place advertising,online business,shopping mall http://www.e-affilliatemall.com

Some question before buy franchise

2008-10-11T15:01:00.001+07:00

John Naisbit in its book entitling Megatrends, expressing that franchise represent the most successful marketing concept during mankind history. In United States every eight minute already once opened one franchise outlet. Almost 40% from effort retail run with the its franchise concept. In more young state franchise growth , for example Malaysia, conception the franchise only 5% from totalizeing retail industry.
In Indonesia in this time franchise have started to show the trend improvement and frequent become the this topic of business conference either in media and also in practice all day long. As a result more and more one who interested to buy the rights franchise. But unhappily existing data indicate that the successful business opportunity in Indonesia only reach about 60%. Comparing with United States which can reach above 90.
This article aim to to give the guidance to candidate of buyer of rights franchise ( candidate franchisee), in the form of question to dig whether waralaba suited for x’self or not. There are 10 question which must be evaluated, that is

1. What we ready to risk to become a wirausaha?
For which accustomed become the employees, later;then lambaste the stir become the owner pattern work the, attitude and risk to shoulder of changing 180 degree. Office hours non again 40-60 clock one week but will increase to become 60-70 clock per week even more. Have our ready face all this?

2. What us will take a fancy to the way of have business with the franchise format ?
A lot of franchisee fail in to try because at buying rights waralaba, he only conceive to become rich and get mint of money. But after its business walk, he com under pressure and frown upon its. Finally the effort fail the.
Paradigm expressing that owning business xself mean to we own the freedom in berkreasi and calcutalting x’self, have to be thrown far. If we like to buy the rights waralaba, we, although owner, have to like to be arranged by franchisor. If type us one who not like arranged a others, hence franhise is not correct business

3. Whether we owning successful experience in constructing link and have interaction with the people?
effort Waralaba a lot of relevant with the people link to people. Relation with the employees, lenders, franchisor, suplier and also customer. Whether we owning successful experience in constructing link with the people a lot of? If yes, hence the effort waralaba possible suited for us

4. Whether/What we owning capital which is last for buying rights franshise ?
A lot of effort franchisee fail for want of working capital midway. Become to increase successful opportunity, better if we owning capital more than required by franchisor. For that at least us musti reckon the working capital to 6 month;moon until one year forwards.

5. Whether us have learned all document related to aspect punish from franchisor?
Generally before we set mind on to buy the rights franchise, Franchisor will give the offer document named Franchise Offering Circular. In PP No 16 Year 1997 explained section 3 article 1, in this document have to be contained at least matter concerning
a. Giver Waralaba, following boldness concerning its business activity
b. Rights for intellectual properties or invention or effort individuality becoming object Waralaba
c. Conditions which must be fulfilled the Receiver Waralaba
d. Aid Or facility which on the market Giver Waralaba to Receiver Waralaba
e. Rights and obligations of Giver and Receiver Franchise
f. Terminating, cancellation, and lengthening of agreement Waralaba and also miscellaneous which it is important to know Receiver Franchise in order to execution of agreement Franchise
Others in same PP Section 3 article 2, mentioned also that Giver Franchise ( Franchisor) obliged to give the time which enough to Receiver Franchise ( Franchisee) to check the things as referred to in sentence ( 1). In United States, this grace period minimum duration 10 workday

6. Whether Franchisor which we enthuse to represent the company which solid, liquid and successful?
Franchisor is obliged to give the financial statement which have been made an audit of by public accountant to candidate of buyer of rights wralabanya. This report at least membrikan of finance information for the period of 3 year. Besides finance side, we also must assess whether/what brand we to buy enough recognized and own the positive image market

7. Whether existing Franchisee now happy in general successful and for effort they?
Asking existing franchise in this time whether/what happy them and satisfy for their decision buy the the rights waralaba? Whether/What the invesment profit the them? If second answer the question Yes, possible the brand franchise competent to be bought.

7. Do existing Franchisee now happy in general successful and for effort they?
Asking [at] existing franchise in this time whether/what happy them and satisfy for their decision buy the the rights waralaba? Whether/What the invesment profit the them? If second answer [of] the question Yes, possible the brand waralaba competent to be bought

8. Do you take a fancy to the staff franchisor which your mensupport?
One of successful key from franchise is the existence of continuous support aid and from franchisor through their staff franchise support. To create the sinergi, hence we have to fitt in with the the staff. Otherwise try expostulated by franchisor what can be looked for alternative of staff

9. Does we get the support from family?
Become the franchisee is not part-time work, but full time peklerjaan confiscating personal time and family time. What our family support in this case
If answers to 9 the question positive, hence don’t wast in the opportunity provided by waralaba. Congratulation become the new capitalist!

Place advertising,online business,shopping mall http://www.e-affilliatemall.com