![QuickBooks Point of Sale](http://www.bluemaumau.org/ads/www/delivery/ck.php?oaparams=2__bannerid=50__zoneid=5__cb=1c46602931__maxdest=http://quickbooks.intuit.com/product/training/pos_basic_training.jhtml?priorityCode=3969702399&kbid=8136&img=quickbooks/13132-f1_qb_GetStartPOS_07_.jpg⊂=" "QuickBooks Point of Sale")
Criticisms of Citizen Journalism
Blue MauMau is approaching its third anniversary on November 4. As editor, that puts me in a reflective mood of what this news site can do to become a better news journal and community.
The site is free. But for it to properly work, each reader needs to participate and share their experiences. We will do the rest to make sure that you get a lot more information and a higher quality news than you put in.
In the spirit of transparency, let me list four major criticisms Blue MauMau receives regarding our site's information and news content.
Criticism #1. Blue MauMau allows anonymous guest postings, and those guests are critical. - Franchisor
Nope. Not entirely. Anonymous posters cannot report news stories and they cannot contribute blogs. Anonymous guests can only post in the forum discussions and comments under the articles.
Such public comments, if they are critical, are something that drives some franchisors crazy.
Allowing anonymous postings is typical for the Internet. My local paper has allowed its readers to post anonymously for years. BusinessWeek recently moved to allow public comments under its articles. One notable exception to this rule is The Wall Street Journal, which still insists on subscribers using their real names to post.
One wonders how long the Journal's practice will hold on the Internet.
Some franchisors may deal very harshly with a known franchise owner, who posts an unflattering remark about their franchise system.That is why being anonymous is important to an honest dialog on the investment worthiness of a franchise concept.
Criticism #2: Content is posted freely by anyone so Blue MauMau's news can be unreliable. - Industry Leader
Blue MauMau's news is only published by reporters and deputized members. Each article goes through an editing process.
Stories are written with the thought that our target audience are franchise owners and investors.
Our reporters strive to provide more than one side of a story. It should be noted that sometimes the other side does not want to respond.
In addition, Blue MauMau strives to provide supporting documents. That way the reader can click on the same word document that went out to an employee or franchisee. This is something that the Internet easily can offer but that other trade publications do not provide.
Criticism #3. Blue MauMau is tough to write for. Its members and guests are quickly able to find weaknesses in my article. I'm not used to that. - Trade Journalist
Some reporters who write for well-known journals have told me how difficult it is to write an article for Blue MauMau because they aren’t used to the level of scrutiny that Blue MauMau members deliver to its articles. Flaws or inconsistencies are found out by some brilliant readers. What that means is if an article declares a bubble of beliefs without hard evidence and credibility, the flaw, and sometimes the author, will quickly be called out.
Some authors and leaders can become angry when their statements and franchise beliefs are challenged in public comments.
Criticism #4: Blue MauMau does not cover the franchise issues of my industry and franchise system well. - Franchise Owner
Ah, this is a big concern for me as well. We are a news and information model based on citizen journalism, people who write for free on what they know and see. Without citizen participation, the site becomes blind to that franchise system and specific sector.
What I am saying is just as you get the government you deserve so do you get the investment news you deserve.
For example, Blue MauMau has connections with a number of world-class experts and leaders in the quick print industry who could provide insights into questions like -- Where is the quick print industry going? What systems have the most profitable franchisees? Are the reported numbers real? Who has some of the worst franchise agreements? What models are working best?
Quick print franchisees initiate the news process by first showing interest and contributing. That allows the editor to use publishing tools to leverage their comments. And where franchisees post, Blue MauMau's reporters and members can help bring in world-class experts and franchisor leaders to follow. A dialog begins to take shape. New investment information and important news stories that are not covered elsewhere can be more fully developed.
As a result, quick print franchise investors will be much more informed than when they started, all because they contributed a small drop of information or a question that begat a river of answers.
franchise jobs
I have been looking for a franchise sales position. Can anyone on this site maybe guide me towards a franchise headhunter? I have been hearing that franchise sales people are not in demand right now, is this true? Just looking for some assistance from people familiar with the industry.
Thanks.
Franchisor Jobs
You may want to place a free advertisement in Blue MauMau's classified ad section to try to get the attention of franchisor recruiters. However, this is a site that focuses on the needs of franchise owners and not franchisor needs. Those of us here do not care so much about information on selling a franchise as much as how to spot a good investment, run a successful franchise unit(s) and the elements of a con that lead to a bad investment.
With the credit crunch upon us, franchisors have been letting go of staff because would-be buyers cannot get access to credit (loans). Some of the hardest hit are franchise development staff (sales) and marketers. Since fewer people are buying franchises, senior managers are focusing more on improving franchise operations for franchisor revenues via royalties. However, that isn't to say that operation managers aren't being laid off as well.
I'll link to a few articles that show this so you don't have to take my word.
In regards to your question about recruiters, here is my list of franchisor headhunters for senior-level managers by order of service reputation:
Good luck.
Not to worry
Mike,
Funny comment, but since the guest poster apprears to have the intellect of an empty box, he probably won't catch on.
Intellect of an empty box
I suppose if I had your intellect I could write some side splitting witicims like, "intellect of an empty box." Which such mental horsepower such as yours it is astounding that you are "ex zee." I am sorry your investment didn't work out for you. Given your gigantic intellect, I am sure it was the franchisor's fault of course. Perhaps some can franchise a squeegee business and you and your supreme intellect can participate. Then at night you can sleep in the empty box that is mine.
In case you don't know, I just wiped the mat with you.
Guest, Regarding mental
Guest,
Regarding mental horsepower, after reading your posts, it's obvious you came here unarmed. Your lack of intellect shines again in assuming any investment of mine didn’t work out.
Regarding the mat, you didn't even get close. It takes little skill to belittle others, and as you have proven, that is all the skill you have.
Criticism 5 Blues Mau Mau is an unbalanced anti-franchising rag
As a 25-year franchise veteran I find Blue Mau Mau to be the most unreliable, unfair, anti-franchising, character assassins. The so called experts are by large morons, "never was" consultants and attorneys, and hacks. Anyone who gives this site any journalistic credibilty is daffy. Blue Mau Mau has about as much journalistic credibilty as any supermarket tabloid. Thank god this is electronic versus print. No good trees had to die to create bad journalism and irresponsible comments.
25 year franchise vet
I challenge you to name the franchise your with. If you have indeed been a 25 year franchise vet name the franchises you consider are great investments and why. I am sure many would love to hear the wisdom you have accumulated with all those years in franchising.
I am not anti-franchising. I am against using unethical business practices to get people into franchising. There is a difference. A good zor uses their money to develop a system that has worked for years. Then they sell the system with their zee's best interest at hand. There are too many who are after quick money on the backs of the hard working people of our country. Those are the one's people need to read about and stay away from.
25 year franchise vet
I forgot to say I think you hate people telling their true life experiences in franchising because it is a threat to your business. You must be from a Franwack franchise.
"25-year veteran" is correct
Assuming arguendo, that "25-year franchise veteran" is in fact an accurate self description, and further assuming that everyone else on BMM is "morons, 'never was' consultants and attorneys and hacks"....
....how does this show factual, logical, or jurisprudential flaws in the comments which so trouble our "franchise veteran"?
And even assuming arguendo that there are such flaws: The reality is that this site alone draws more than twice as many unique viewers as the leading franchise industry print publication.
Moreover, the demographic of this and similar sites is one which impacts franchisors in the pocketbook; it is prospective purchasers and current zees rather than zors and zor-side attorneys discussing who is the best-dressed or which attorneys own what breed of dog.
You can curse the darkness or bring a flashlight.
If this self-proclaimed "veteran" finds inaccuracy or imbalance, then specify what is inaccurate and/or contribute an article to provide balance.
This site is much more than comments, it has articles on current developments, and some of the Franchipedia entries on topics such as Pretextual Termination and Franchise Regulation and Summary Judgment are introductory definitions which, IMHO, strive to be not simply be objective statements of the current legal and political climate, but to present the competing views of zor and zee.
Taking those 3 BMM postings as an example, I would ask our "veteran" to tell us what is "unreliable, unfair, [or] anti-franchising" in those posts.
Paul Steinberg
Franchisee Attorney, New York City, Ph: 212-529-5400
Imbalance
You write "You can curse the darkness or bring a flashlight"
Your flashlight has no batteries. The simple fact is that most franchisees win and some don't. Not my data, but the data compiled by PRICEWATERHOUSE COOPERS.
You can get the data here. http://www.buildingopportunity.com/impact/index.aspx
But who cares about hard, cold facts when you can create irrational hysteria.
My emperical evidence that Blue Mau Mau is a supermarket rag is simple.
Count the number of posts on this site which discuss franchisees or franchisors who win and compare it to the number of posts on this site which discuss franchisees and franchisors who lose. Then you will see the darkness you are in.
But you won't do the math.
You can't handle the results.
Franchisees Winning
Guest writes: "The simple fact is that most franchisees win and some don't. Not my data, but the data compiled by PRICEWATERHOUSE COOPERS."
There is nothing in either the 2001 nor 2008 Pricewatehouse Coopers report that talks about franchisee compensation.
The reports, commissioned by the IFA, are designed to show the economic reach of franchising as a whole - an odd choice for an organization determined to resist regulation and who proclaims that franchising is not an industry.
But you are not alone in asserting that the IFA report revealed something about franchise failure rates.
It is clear from this post at Linked In, in which a person asks, "I am looking for data on the percentage of franchised businesses that fail versus the percentage of non franchised businesses that fail" that there is considerable confusion still out there. An authority on franchising, Lee Plave, gave the same wrong answer.
Chapter 2 of Blair and LaFontaine's book on the Economics of Franchising is a good place to start when trying to answer the question about finanical fitness of franchising.
Michael Webster, a franchisee attorney in Toronto, Ontario, who publishes a website on business opportunities and franchises, called "The BizOp News"
Re:Imbalance
Guest--
The link you provide talks about the size of franchising in terms of dollars produced, jobs, etc. On first glance, it says absoutely NOTHING about profitability for the franchisee. The data presented in no way supports your claim that "The simple fact is that most franchisees win and some don't," an argument that could very well be true. Just because a franchise system shows growth in units or in sales revenue doesn't mean that the franchisees are making any money.
So, why don't you create greater balance by enlightening us with some posts about franchisees who win and franchisors who win (but not at the expense of their franchisees).
BTW, it's empirical.....
dear stupid, irrational people
How do these jobs, dollars, output, and everything discussed in this OBJECTIVE DETAILED REPORT BY A REPUTABLE CONSULTING FIRM get produced if franchisees aren't making money. Franchisee profitability is the sustainable factor. Why is it the life long ambition of BMM posters to be blind and dumb?
Dear stupid, irrational guest....
You ask,
"How do these jobs, dollars, output, and everything discussed in this OBJECTIVE DETAILED REPORT BY A REPUTABLE CONSULTING FIRM get produced if franchisees aren't making money".(?)
Just because a business is extremely large and generates a great deal of gross revenue from a vast array of products and services while employing a great number of people does not make it profitable or reputable.... Ask Ford, General Motors, AIG, Wachovia, Enron, Lehman Brothers, etc.
As for your final comment, "Why is it the life long ambition of BMM posters to be blind and dumb"?
Two answers---1. Because it bothers us that you got there first.
2. Because if we achieve blindness, we would be spared your posts.
Seriously, all franchise opportunities are not created equal. Many provide the framework within which individuals make a more than comfortable living. Others are gimmicks or frauds disguised as business models hiding behind the shelter of misinterpreted statistics and false self-promotion, churning locations and leaving the human and economic costs in their wake. To rail against those who attempt to expose scoundrels is dumb. To simply deny that those scoundrels exist in the franchising industry is selective blindness.
Franchisees Making Money
Guest writes: "How do these jobs, dollars, output, and everything discussed in this OBJECTIVE DETAILED REPORT BY A REPUTABLE CONSULTING FIRM get produced if franchisees aren't making money. Franchisee profitability is the sustainable factor."
Uh, well as we have consistently point out here and other places, the most important empirical question is whether franchisees are being rewarded on a risk adjusted basis.
A franchisee's margin of profit can be opportunistically reduced by the franchisor to the point where it makes economic sense to continue to recover the large sunk costs, but the return is not commensurate with the risk.
Without industry wide, consistent, and comparable Item 19 disclosure, we have no way of judging "franchisee profitability". (All of this doesn't depend on your view of the harm of churning.)
Michael Webster, a franchisee attorney in Toronto, Ontario, who publishes a website on business opportunities and franchises, called "The BizOp News"
Without License Agreements, There Would Still Be Restaurants
A couple great comments and insights by Webster in response to some bad reasoning from the guest.
Professor Lafontaine of the University of Michigan explains a basic flaw of the PricewaterhouseCoopers study that concludes franchised enterprises are creating so much economic output. She explains why that is not so, saying:
"Franchises are an organizational form. You cannot say that there is this much business because of franchising anymore than licensing. In other words, there would still be restaurants out there if there was not franchising. It is not that franchising is creating all of this [economic activity]." - IFA Study Shows Franchising Is Strong
You don't post so good.....
It would be very easy to make fun of the grammar (or lack thereof) in Guest's Criticism 5 post.
"The so called experts are by large morons..." for example.
The point that Guest attempts to make is incorrect, however, grammar notwithstanding. No one can "give this site journalistic credibility", that has to be earned. The contributors to this site range from the incredibly intelligent and erudite to those that cannot complete an intelligible sentence. That is part of the attraction, as is the fact that any disenchanted individual with a keyboard can vent frustration and anger anonymously, bloviating with only the inevitable reaction of the other readers to fear.
If you as a "25-year franchise veteran" have such a distaste for BlueMauMau, you needn't feel compelled to log on. (You're only supporting the site by doing so, incidentally). Those of us who do visit regularly will gladly sift through the delightfully nonsensical babblings in order to cull the information and opinion that we find valuable.
Mufflerman & obesity
I think that the "large morons" might have been referring to Webster & Sniegowski.
I told them they needed to cut back on the Krispy Kremes and get to the gym more often.
Paul Steinberg
Franchisee Attorney, New York City, Ph: 212-529-5400
You kill me Paul
Your humor is never ending.
Re: Criticism 5 Blues Mau Mau is an unbalanced anti-franchising
Maybe it's Jim Amos!
Grumpy in CT
Amos is in Tenn. The Crit5 Ranter is probably from West Hartford.
Though they are buddies.
Re: grumpy in CT
This makes sense for many reasons. But this string is a switch from the norm because the attack is on the group and the site instead of personal attacks coming out of the ooze.
my case in point. let's trash Jim Amos
Thanks for making my point.
I iz widt u
I iz being widt u 25 year veteran. I iz creator of francise conzept. Big money earn by my buyer franchisees someday. I werked hard to make business werk. It iz good business maybe someday for sum who dare. Many on this place do no service to hard werk franchiser. I many year sackriface to make conzept gooder than other conzept like mine be. Good for you. As you say all hear moron. Sum day me be big 25 year veteren like be you. Then my dropping not have flies like youse no do.
Yur pal,
Regis
Re: Criticism 5 Blues Mau Mau is Anti-franchising
It's probably one of the Dicks, David Dino, Greg Brennenman, Dick Emmett or one of the other Qtards from Quiznos.
25 year "veteran"
Dale, don't you have zees to call or more bs to blog in the franchisee portal?
Case in point #2. Let's trash Dale
thanks guest for making my point. you morons are so predictable.
Obama bester than McCane
I fel I muz tell youse al this thing be here. I now talk to my counting person. Counting person say bokz not so good this year. I think becasue Sarah Palin. Since Sarach Palin, my bizness no so good any mohr this time. So I vote Obama. When Obama say run last year my bizness still good then. Now Sarah Palin so buziness no good for me - all be her faulzt. So everyone should vote Obama. I am sher 25 year veteran vote Obama becauz he smart bizness like me.
Criticism 5 Blues Mau Mau is an unbalanced anti-franchising rag
that b Borian
Unfair?
What's unfair Mr. 25 year franchise veteran? Is it that bluemaumau posters, experts and attorneys expose many of the heinous tricks of the franchise trade to potential sheep?
I suspect Mr. 25 year franchise veteran is a loan/franchise broker who's feeling the pinch now that franchising and SBA lending is undergoing increased scrutiny. Fleecing is harder to do these days.
case in point #3
you think of potential franchisees as innocent sheep and franchisors as preditors. Potential franchisees are smart, intelligent, capable people and most franchisors are honest reputable businesspeople. Your beliefs are showing.
Case in point #3
"Potential franchisees are smart, intelligent, capable people..."
Of course they are. However, most don't have the $$$, time and/or necessary lack of trust for franchise sales/marketing types, to spend on professional assistant in making their franchise selections, performing due diligence and interpreting the regulatory and legal parameters of the UFOC and other documents. Many franchise systems count on that in pushing their schemes. Every year, many otherwise intelligent people fall for the old franchise bait and switch.
"Most franchisors are honest reputable businesspeople"
I would correct that to "SOME franchisors are honest reputable business people". If "MOST" were such honest and reputable folks, then, there would be no need for disclosure laws, UFOCs, franchise lawyers, etc. Moreover, potential franchisees should be able to evaluate franchises using up to date reliable financial and other information, but that info is usually not very transparent.
re: case in point #3
Guest,
With all do respect, your comment is not all true.
Potential franchisees are smart intelligent capable people?
Based on what? Yes there are smart, intelligent, capable franchisees, but to lump them all into one category is unrealistic.
Most franchisors are honest? Again, based on what? I do believe there are a bunch of good franchise investments out there. Whether or not they are honest is another issue.
There is a lot of puffery in your statement and as we all know, puffery is difficult to prove.
good lord are you stupid
1. Based on 25 years exp working with over 10,000 franchise candidates.
2. The use of the word "most" means I DID NOT lump them in all one category.
3. You obviously fall into the second category. I feel sorry for you.
re: good Lord are you stupid
Based on your comment, Guest, you are an outright liar. No one, no one works with 400+ franchisee candidates in a year, but according to you, that would be your average over 25 years.
But, then again, you are consistent because you obviously do believe that people are stupid. What a gem of a consultant/salesman/broker/BS'r you must be.
showing your stupidity
Anyone can work with 400 candidates in a year.
but you wouldn't know it, because you are stupid.
I may be a liar, but I can always tell the truth.
But you can't cure stupid.
re: showing stupidity
Imagine what kind of an evil, conflicted, and irrational he/she this lightweight has turned out to be.
So, thanks for proving conclusively that BMM does showcase the dark side of franchising. And, in this particular case, it's you.
By the way, would you care to share any of the concepts that you've graced by your total lack of charm and wit?
Ouch
That is pretty brutal
BMM Problems
There are a number of problems with BBM being a resource for prospective franchisees.
But, when guest writes, As a 25-year franchise veteran I find Blue Mau Mau to be the most unreliable, unfair, anti-franchising, character assassins, he or she confirms the value of BMM.
The major value of BMM, and I might add the AAFD, is the devotion to transparency.
Guest is so afraid of writing at BMM, being a 25 year veteran, he or she cannot even sign in and post under a real name!
BMM has issued in an era of transparency in franchising. Serious criticism of franchise systems and their economic basis is to be welcomed.
Most franchise systems will embrace this challenge. Some will fail to make the grade.
Good brands have nothing to fear - crappy brands have everything to fear. Which is at it should be.
But it is no longer possible to hide behind press releases and puff news stories.
Even the very best franchise brands are going to have to learn to navigate this new era of transparency.
And as one of the experts on this site, I look forward to when Guest feels secure enough to sign in and join the debate in full.
Michael Webster, a franchisee attorney in Toronto, Ontario, who publishes a website on business opportunities and franchises, called "The BizOp News", at www.bizop.ca
the value of transparency
BMM is very transparent. How else can I draw the conclusion that posters are a bunch of unreliable, hysterical, anti-franchising morons? Congratulations on achieving amazing transparency.
Tranparency and Logic
Guest writes: "BMM is transparent. How else can I draw the conclusion that posters are a bunch of unreliable, hysterical, anti-franchising morons?"
Because trolls don't read posts, they can "draw" any conclusion that they want, be it ever so devoid of facts or logic.
The point was that BMM has made franchising more transparent, which annoys a great deal of people who had pecuniary interests in maintaining the illusions.
But, please keep up your ranting - it is an excellent demonstration of your skills.
Don, guest poster's IP number please ....
Michael Webster, a franchisee attorney in Toronto, Ontario, who publishes a website on business opportunities and franchises, called "The BizOp News", at www.bizop.ca
What Little Personal Info We Have Stays Secret
Knowing our privacy policy, Mr. Webster has set this up nicely. Thank you.
What Webster is talking about is that IP addresses (e.g. 291.92.92.XX), an address that identifies a computer or TCP/IP network device, are recorded on server logs. Blue MauMau has a dedicated server. Only we access our logs. We usually would only look at malicious IP addresses that look like they may be hammering our server many times a second in order to overload the hardware and bring the site down. Such cyber-attacks are illegal. Such abuse is far removed from the patterns of a normal user.
Our introduction page says, "Your information stays with us and will never be given to others." And we mean it. For anonymous guests, whether franchisor CEO, industry leader, or franchisee, your information is safe. For registered members, the email address that you used during registration will not be shared.
One word of caution: If you want to stay anonymous, writers should be careful on what they reveal about themselves in comments.
Mr. Blue MauMau
Editor
Webster's toque too tight
You know that Mr. MauMau never reveals IP and does not even store them.
I say good for him. We may have a third-world socialist economy, but we still have the First Amendment and a healthy respect for speech.
(Except for Canucks; when they get to be a nuisance, we ship 'em off to Gitmo)
Paul Steinberg
Franchisee Attorney, New York City, Ph: 212-529-5400
IP Protection
Paul writes: "You know that Mr. MauMau never reveals IP and does not even store them."
I know that, you know that, you know I know that, but our troll poster doesn't know that -- until now, blabber mouth. LOL.
Michael Webster, a franchisee attorney in Toronto, Ontario, who publishes a website on business opportunities and franchises, called "The BizOp News", at www.bizop.ca
if you are as good as an attorney as you are a wit....
You are half way there.
Half-wit that is.
A true with wouldn't need me to spell it out.
but you are a half wit.
Hence the detailed step-by-step idiot proof instructions.
Trolls and Logic
Troll, the chances of you "spelling" out a detailed plan are small.
But, please keep posting to demonstrate just how small you are.
Michael Webster, a franchisee attorney in Toronto, Ontario, who publishes a website on business opportunities and franchises, called "The BizOp News"
Thanks for proving my point, Guest...
At some point this morning, I opined--
"The contributors to this site range from the incredibly intelligent and erudite to those that cannot complete an intelligible sentence".
You then wrote--
"A true with wouldn't need me to spell it out".
I hope not, because spelling doesn't seem to be your strong suit.....
Homage to Pushkin
Half imbecile, half ignoramus
What's more, half scoundrel, don't forget.
But on that score the man gives promise
That he will make a whole one yet.--
Richard Solomon, FranchiseRemedies.com, has over 45 years experience with franchise litigation and crisis management. He is a graduate of The Citadel and The University of Michigan Law School
Fight mis-directed
I feel the effects of this blogger is to get everyone to fight amongst themselves. It appears to be working. We just need to ignore and continue to get the word out regarding dishonest franchisors.
BMM transparency
Guest,
You got that right! BMM is transparent. And in my opinion that is the objective.
Since most news columns I read elsewhere are mostly biased articles, BMM becomes a refreshing change towards the underlying truth (good or bad). To some, that truth is hard to swallow.
OTOH, your comment about us all being unreliable, hysterical, anti-franchising morons is way off base. This of course helps me to understand who you are, which is very transparent.