NBN and the A/C

Does any Franchisee think there is any confusion between the NBN and A/C?

Let’s make this very clear; the NBN is not the A/C. 

However, a lot of A/C Members (past and present) have been the first Franchisees to support the NBN.

Just ask yourself why.

Why would current and former A/C Members be the first to support the National Bread Network?  Why would A/C Members contribute, even though they meet with CBCL on a quarterly basis?  Why would A/C Members be instrumental in communicating the NBN message to their depots and regions?

You would think that there has to be a pretty good reason?

Membership Dues

There is no debate on what the dues are.

They are $1000 a year for 2009 and 2010.  And yes — anyone that joins today (or in December 2010) will be paying the full $2000.  If you do not like it then do not join.  If you do not see the value in every Franchisee being equal investors in OUR Association then you should not be a Registered Member in the NBN.

Plain and simple.  This is about working together and protecting ourselves by investing in the NBN.

This is not a gym membership.  This is not a union.  This is not the Knights of Columbus.  For 2009/2010 each of us are equal investors in building the NBN and each of us contributes the full $2000.

If you feel the need to wait it out until 2011 – just remember in 2011 your contract will be signed, your franchise fees, and more than likely your services fees and truck decal charges will be increased.

In November Les and I put in over 200 hours into the NBN.  The sad thing is that over 80% of that time was in recruitment and retention effort.

You give Les and myself 3 months!!!

3 months of not trying to recruit – but 3 months of looking under CBCL rocks and you will be thinking that $2000 in dues was the best investment you’ll ever make.

Everyone has my number and email address.  Or get contact information on www.breadnet.ca and call anytime.

Breakdown of the NBN Dues

$1000.  May seem like a lot but here’s our sales pitch on how it breaks down.

That’s $20/week (how much do you pay for service fees per week?).  That’s $4/delivery day (most guys either drink coffee or smoke more than $4/day).  That’s less than the revenue made from 20 units of product.

2 trays.  “For less than 2 trays a day you can support your Association”

Or think back over the last 5 years worth of changes to your business and ask yourself this question;  

If you paid $4/day to an Association for the last 5 years – would your business, your success, your profitability, and your relationship with CBCL be better than it is today?

Truck Decal Update

Got a quote for a 26ft box install (2 sides and rear flat with rivets).

$650.00

Significant NBN Win

The last two weeks I’ve travelled to both BC and AB.  Meeting with everyone has been amazing.   We collected a number of Member Dues and are getting more mailed in to the office (almost daily).

I can’t begin to explain how similar every Franchisee is to one another.  Each depot I meet voices the same frustrations and concerns.  HHC, GAP, quality, contracts, truck decals, service fees, employee interference, franchise fees, concerns over profitability, long term security, investment protection, fear of CBCL repercussions etc.

The one significant win that the NBN has been working on over the last five months and has accelerated over the last two weeks is COMMUNICATION!!!

I hope everyone understands the power of communication.  The ability to;

• Share ideas
• Share strategy
• Share wins
• Share resources
• Share best practices
• Share plans

This gives us direction and purpose.  This focuses our attention.  Now we start spending time and resources (money) on the issues at hand.  Now our professional support is directed to a focused target.  Now we work on results.

What Do You Think?

By the time a product is launched marketing, sales, production, key accounts, franchising, etc. have all had a hand in its making.

By the time we are informed about a product so many variables have already been determined; price, packaging, location, revenue rate, etc.

Does CBCL believe that Franchisees contribute to and influence the success of a product?

Regardless of how well thought out and planned all other factors were, can a Franchisee determine the success of a product?

If we were involved in the factors leading up to launch would there be a greater chance of success?

Alberta Trip

I’m in Alberta next week.  I’ve had the flight booked for over a month now. 

You know, originally I was scared to announce it.  I was worried what consequences myself (or other Franchisees) may face.  I’ll be honest – I fell back into that worried mentality of wondering what CBCL would think.  Why?  I apologize to every Franchisee for that.  My job is to work for Franchisees and to build the NBN, not to care what CBCL thinks.

After being in BC this last week it helped me put things in perspective.  We got a good shot of reality (Franchisee reality) that everyone is appreciating what the NBN is doing.  I’m proud to be a part of building OUR association.

I’m meeting Franchisees in Red Deer this Tuesday afternoon, Calgary early morning on Wednesday and Edmonton in the afternoon.  Coincidently enough CBCL has scheduled playbook meetings for both Calgary and Edmonton this next Wednesday (I heard they have never had a playbook on the same day – difficult to get upper management to both meetings at the same time).

Let’s see what happens.  Will CBCL try to dissuade Franchisees from showing up?  Will they “reschedule” their playbook meetings to conflict with ours?  Will they subtly scare Franchisees?  Will they say we have “every right to associate” but make it as difficult as possible to do that? 

We shall see.

BTW – Thank you to all Franchisees in BC for the push (and to the one guy sitting in the corner yelling at me in Surrey!!)

I’ll be letting everyone know later this week how the NBN trip goes in Alberta.

Building the NBN

I was on holidays in Vancouver this week.  I took some time to meet with Franchisees in Kelowna, Kamloops and the Lower Mainland.

A couple of things I learned were that the message CBCL relays to the “restless natives” who voice their concerns is the same.  It’s a little more eloquent in BC and I may be paraphrasing but it goes something like this. 

“You can put your keys on the table right now and we will give you a gracious exit”

Nice way of saying “If you don’t like it, sell”.

A Franchisee from Truro Nova Scotia has the same problems as a Franchisee from Richmond British Columbia.  The CBCL employee from Truro acts the same as the employee from Richmond. 

We need every Franchisee to communicate that to others in their depot.

Communication between us will build the NBN.

How To Play A Strategic Game

CBCL has a home court and they know how to play a certain game.  They know the bounces, they know the rules, they know the officials; 

If I was CBCL and my financial situation enabled me to use the legal system and lawyers to strip the financial resources from the NBN – would I do it?

If I was CBCL and I could create a stalemate; if I could prevent any movement (positive or negative) – would I do it?

Why would CBCL change something if there was another way to end the game?  What if we walk into the trap?  What if we do not look a year (or longer) down the road and see this strategy for what it is?

The reality is that this is not a game.  This is real and there is real money invested by all.  The reality is that CBCL has more freedom with the NBN out of the picture.  If anyone thinks CBCL will not use any option at their disposal to prevent the NBN from forming — are you sure?

CBCL has freedom to act without care if there is no NBN (anyone disagree?).

Every individual Franchisee has a choice to make. 

Do you want CBCL to have that freedom?

Is It Real Change?

I’ve been speaking with and meeting a number of Franchisees within Canada and recently there is an underlying sense from everyone that CBCL is changing.  Behavioural changes within A/C meetings, playbook meetings, PFMs, rap sessions, and random phone calls from upper management are all (hopeful) indications that CBCL is changing.

Heard the saying; “Old habits die hard”

There is scientific proof to validate that saying.

Step back and think.  Think back to almost two years ago.  Remember revenue sharing?  The same people who are “changing” today were involved in the implementation of revenue sharing. 

The same people.

So is it real change?  Time may tell but old habits die hard.