Brand Enforcement Redux

This week I was planning to write about Financial Performance Representations (the subject of FDD Item 19) when a funny thing happened on the way home from bocce last night (that's right I play in a bocce league!)

I asked my friend Nick (the driver) to stop at a Burger King so I could pick up a Whopper with cheese. Yes I know they are not particularly healthy but I like them. And, look at them, they are irresistible ...

So we pull up to the electronic menu board and after about 2 minute wait (literally) I shout my order from the passenger's side. This is about 8 PM, the parking lot is empty. With one car ahead of us at the service window, my mouth is watering and I figure we are well positioned for a quick grab and go!

Nick pulls up behind the waiting customer and we wait ... and wait and wait. We wait for at least 5 minutes with no human appearing, no service to the guy in front of us. Completely frustrated as I can easily become, I exit the car, look in the service-window and chat with the waiting car-customer. The single visible employee is at the main customer counter taking a new in-person order. I turn to the waiting car-customer (who must have been waiting at least 10 minutes), and he says. "I think he's the only guy in there, making all the food and taking orders!"

Returning to the car, I tell Nick to forget about it. Being far more patient than me, Nick waits another 2 minutes and with no action for the waiting car-customer, I finally persuade him to leave.

No Whopper with cheese, no service, no more Burger King.

I do not know if this was a corporate location (I doubt it in the middle of Ohio) or a franchise location but does it matter? No. As I wrote a few weeks back (see the post here):

Every location is an animated billboard for your brand, your business. And, I am not talking just to franchisors here. Franchisees, it is your brand as well! Think of it. Every time a customer visits ANY franchise location, it is a reflection of EVERY location in the system. To keep the system-wide impression sterling (not Donald), you must do your part.

Franchisors and franchisees UNITE and enforce your standards, your brand image and your system - it is your most important asset!

It is Big Macs for me from here on out.