Published September 15, 2020

3 Reasons You Should Attend the 2020 MOD Conference

Block your calendar October 6-9 to join the conversation on the health and future success of franchising

How will franchising reinvent itself as we head into 2021? With the enormous challenges and changes we’ve all faced in 2020, the International Franchise Association (IFA) created the Marketing, Operations & Development (MOD) Virtual Conference, an all-new event to help franchisors connect and find creative and innovative solutions. There is no playbook for the succession of world-changing events that we’ve experienced this year – a global pandemic, economic recession, protest against social injustice, and now, wildfires ravaging the west Coast – but this event is an opportunity to come together and share our collective knowledge so that we can emerge intact and hopefully stronger. 

Michelle Rowan, president & COO of Franchise Business Review, is part of this year’s planning task force and the emcee for the Operations program at MOD. She talked recently about the highlights of the event and what franchisors will take away. 

Why Attend MOD?

1. Content relevant to the state of your business. Whether your company is fully operational or still trying to find ways to reopen or modify your business to get through the next few months, there will be opportunities to share best practices and learn some of the strategies other brands are using to survive or even thrive through effects of Covid-19, social justice protests, and the West Coast wildfires.

2. Opportunities for operations teams directly supporting franchisees to connect. There’s generally not many opportunities for operations folks working directly with franchisees to get together, so this is your chance to meet others who are facing the same challenges. This event will bring ops teams together to meet and talk at the event, but also to form connections and continue networking after the event.  

3. Conversations around diversity and inclusion. We are in a crucial time of protest against discrimination and systemic racism that has affected our teams, franchisees and their employees in ways none of us were prepared for. MOD will explore what operations professionals can do to support and communicate with franchisees who are trying to manage their business in the face of discrimination – learning how you can better support franchisees with the challenges they have within their businesses, your role from a corporate standpoint, and how other brands are putting greater focus on diversity and inclusion.

The One Session You Shouldn’t Miss

Some franchisees are completely shut down, some are working in some kind of modified/limited capacity, and still others are seeing normal or increased revenues, so operations teams have to find new and better ways to support them where they are. Peer groups are one of the most important tools in your arsenal to help franchisees get through 2020 and prepare for 2021.

 MOD will feature a special three-part session, Making Peer Groups More Effective: How to Support Franchisees Now—And Add Long-Term Value, to help operations professionals understand how to facilitate or implement peer groups. Each session will look at how to effectively guide peer groups, based on the status — fully open, modified/limited capacity, closed — to: 

  • Re-forecast goals
  • Reduce expenses
  • Identify additional revenue opportunities 
  • Keep franchisees motivated and networked

You’ll have the opportunity to learn from franchisees from Homewatch Caregivers and Smoothie King who are running the most effective peer groups at their respective brands, as well as franchisors who are using peer groups to support franchisees, create accountability, and strengthen their brands now and in the long-term.

 

MOD Sneak Peek

Here’s a sneak peek from Michelle of what you can expect:

 

Join Us for MOD Week

Most of us won’t be back together in-person until 2021, so we hope you’ll register so we can all network with others supporting franchisees, share best practices and navigate the challenges of 2020 together. There are four full days of programming for everyone in your organization; each day will focus on both universal topics of interest within each discipline while also addressing the impact of COVID-19 on franchise development, operations and marketing functions.

Register now to be part of this exciting event as we figure out how to move franchising forward together. 


Marketing, Operations, and Development Virtual Conference logoThe IFA’s Marketing, Operations & Development (MOD) Virtual Conference, October 6-9,  offers everything you need to know about the future of franchising  — all in one week! 

 

About the Author: Ali Forman

As the Marketing Director, Ali’s role is to educate franchise companies about and inspire them to participate in FBR’s research in order to grow and improve their brands. Ali's previous experience includes senior marketing communications roles in the employee benefits, data privacy, and publishing sectors. She lives in Maine with her husband and two sons.
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