Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Freight Transportation Business Still in Slump in Arizona

Noone wants bad news, but for planning purposes, it’s sometimes good to keep an eye on certain industries that may be economic indicators of whether Arizona is recovering from the recession or still stalling. Because much of what we purchase in Arizona has to be delivered here, good news in freight transportation could promise an upward trend. Unfortunately, the freight business was in a recession before the recession hit the rest of the economy, according to this article, “Overall, the freight transportation business remains in a slump because consumers aren't buying, companies aren't ordering and factories aren't manufacturing as much as they were a year ago, experts say.”

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Selecting Your Franchisor

It is surprising how many franchisees look for the same thing in a franchise system. Much discontent can brew from inconsistency in dealing with different franchisees. If a franchisor tries to maintain consistent treatment of all franchisees, this can promote a sense of fairness among franchisees. Another good motivator especially in tough economic times is the introduction of new company products. New methods or products sends a message to franchisees that the franchisor is still invested in the business.