We at Wray Executive Search are happy to announce the return of Ray Kelly to our team
Those of you who have had the pleasure of working with Ray are familiar with his recruiting prowess and professional excellence
Viewpoint
A Creative Human Capital Strategy - The Competitive Advantage
by Bob Gershberg, CEO/Managing Partner, Wray Executive Search
The complex challenges we face in the business arena today require innovative human capital strategies and frankly a major realignment of focus on the part of our human resource professionals. HR functions, capabilities and competencies need to be tightly correlative to the critical business priorities of the company. Traditionally, the methodologies and metrics used to measure success in other disciplines escape the norms of the profession. The accepted model mired in compliance needs to morph into a function in which business results are pivotal and cross-functional forces are convergent.
The top challenges of human resource management include change management, leadership development, and HR effectiveness. Additional challenges of human resource management include recruiting qualified talent, retaining and rewarding top employees, and creating a corporate environment that attracts employees.
by John Gordon, Principal & Founder of Pacific Management Consulting Group
For years, the common perception of restaurant franchising in the United States is that it is a “goldmine”, that it is a way to supercharge brand unit growth and the sure pathway to wealth and value generation for restaurant franchisor investors, the restaurant franchisor itself and franchisees. Nothing is easy anymore, everything takes effort.
For example, franchise investments are not the endless “annuity” that deliver year after year returns with no care or attention required as some investors might hope; franchisors have found that they have to inject funds to move the brand forward; and franchisees know that they deal with operating losses and capital spending (CAPEX) to develop and maintain their units.
What underpins the restaurant franchise world is care and attention to brand stewardship and maintaining proper store economics.
A useful illustration is the journey that YUM /Pizza Hut has undergone the last several quarters, particularly with regards to their US Pizza Hut brand. Pizza Hut US has lost market share for decades. Since 2013, Pizza Hut system sales fell about $500 million, while Dominos rose almost $3 billion. [1] Pizza Hut concentrated on price point marketing. In addition, about 40% of its US stores remained to be the dated “dine in” stores, some also known as “Red Roofs”. These are lower volume stores—analysts estimate the dine in stores had only 10% of US sales but had 40% of US unit locations, implying lower AUVs.
"True leadership lies in guiding others to success--in ensuring that everyone is performing at their best, doing the work they are pledged to do and doing it well."
The Three Most Important Questions to Ask Your Interviewer
by Rebecca Patt, Senior Vice President of Development, Wray Executive Search
Candidates: don’t let the person interviewing you for your next job opportunity ask all the questions. Keep these three Q’s in your pocket for your next interview:
1.What are a few of the biggest priorities that need to be accomplished the first six to twelve months on the job? This question gets the expectations out on the table so you and your interviewer can look at them and dissect them. You want to make sure you and your interviewer are clear and on the same page with the expectations for success in the role.
Bonus follow-up question: If after a year, you pat me on the back and tell me I did an outstanding job I’ve done, what would I have accomplished?
The Food Delivery Business - From an Operator's Point of View
Special Report by Steve Crichlow, President, Compass Restaurant Consulting & Research
SUMMARY
• Delivery is here to stay – it fits consumers quest for convenience.
• Consumers’ and Technology’s influences – consumers’ demands; technology’s conveyance.
• Operators’ responses – a way to build sales.
• What happens in the last mile – first-hand experiences.
• Financial model for Delivery business.
Delivery business is here to stay. The majority of restaurants will adapt in some form or fashion. The 3rd Party model is evolving and will improve its operations. The Restaurant Delivery Model will change and become more profitable.
Several restaurant chains that will excel and lead the industry in the Delivery arena: Panera Bread, Domino’s, Chipotle, and Jimmy Johns. Others that will get it right over time: McDonald’s and Starbucks.
OVERVIEW
The Food Delivery business began in earnest a few years ago and lately it is generating a significant amount of fixation; almost to the point of obsession. The advancement of the Delivery/Off-Premise business model is no different than when Drive-Thru came on the national scene in the 1970’s with the launch of Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers.* Burger King and McDonald’s panicked – how could they compete? Wendy’s had a designated cookline for their Drive Thru and the others could not accommodate; but they did, and today Drive Thru business represents approximately 60% of total sales in the industry. In fact, many experts in the industry call Delivery the Drive-Thru of the Future. **Drive-Thru has offered and will continue to offer the consumer the primary source for Off-Premise dining convenience.
