(Add to Favorites | View All Articles | Resource Directory)
|
|
|
Electronic Franchise Disclosure and E-Signature Future for Investors
It has been discussed allowing Franchising companies to electronically disclose franchise documents to the public and prospective franchisees. If the Federal Trade Commission wants to make UFOC information available electronically through email to catch up with the newest technologies then it will get complaints and make up another rule saying no unsolicited UFOC maybe sent through email. This is because the documents have gotten so large they amount to what would be considered an email bomb. The franchisors will have to document who emailed them and asked for information. Yet one cannot document incoming emails, because people use free-mail accounts and disguise their identity, even the Federal Trade Commission does this when phising for information about franchisor targets they wish to entrap, usually based on a letter from an attorney or a fake complaint coming from a competitor disguised as a consumer coming into the FTC's website. The FTC is likely to look at electronic distribution through websites rather than emailing the disclosure documents. And then who is paying to keep it updated and which one do you put up if there are 12 registration states, multiple Canadian Provinces, notification states and the Federal Trade Commission version, all different. And web people last time I checked still do not work for free yet. So where as it might be theoretically cost effective and save trees (less paperwork) it will cost more in enhanced IT expenditures and web-services. Right now we see the US Government and the US military with their own needs and many of those who would work for franchisors in this regard are working elsewhere thus the supply and demand of such technological folks is dried up and the cost is through the roof. You are making a rules that will hurt the consumer and trees. All this cannot be considered "Cost-Effective," even though a recent franchise rule making report declared the over disclosure in modern franchising to be cost effective. Most workers at the Federal Trade Commission, I have heard rumors at the Starbucks across the street, are quite liberal and even consider themselves in the Tree Huggers camp. Either you are for America, trees, consumers and free enterprise or you are for continuing this crazy tact in enacting more inane rules. Whose team is the Federal Trade Commission Franchising Division on anyway, well we know that it is safe to assume they are on the lawyers side, after all many are lawyers, aspire to be lawyers or cannot wait for the day they can get out and MoveOn into a cushy job with a private law firm. Rules simply to make rules, with no real goal in mind and no end to the upcoming rules this will add in the future, provides no end game or solution. Perhaps the Federal Trade Commission wishes to fund the rule by paying every franchisor $37K or their estimated cost to print these documents for the next year or perhaps the Federal Trade Commission could contact the IRS for a tax credit on all money spent in UFOC printing as long as it was through a bonifide franchised print shop? Perhaps the Federal Trade Commission might start a "Shred It" franchise so they can recycle all the unused UFOCs, which will now have to be thrown out if this rule is enacted? Maybe they can make a paper me shay tree in the lunch room to worship as their new pagan god or make it into Christmas Tree and place under it new rules and regulations thus providing the gift of perpetual job security? The Federal Trade Commission ought to lead by example and not send mixed messages to industry or force over regulation and minutia piling in disclosure laws. Think about it. "Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs
MORE RESOURCES: News provided by Yahoo! News and Google News This Week in Small Business: Jobs! What do Google's privacy policy changes mean to your small biz? - Crain's Chicago Business (blog) Business calendar Airport restaurant... small biz corner - The Jackson Citizen Patriot - MLive.com Summit Holds Promise for Area Small Businesses 5 factors driving a surge in small-biz acquisitions - Crain's Chicago Business (blog) Oh baby! Small biz scores huge Angry Birds deal - CNN |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Mobile Car Wash Market Opportunities in California The current lack of industry leaders represents an exceptional opportunity for a large and organized mobile car wash company to achieve regional domination and eventually dominate the Southern California carwash market. The best place to start a regional assault on this market would be to concentrate North and West of Los Angeles; Chatsworth and Simi Valley to Malibu and Tarzana to Santa Barbara. Sex Up Your Business Growth A top executive called up me late in the night. He was still awake at 3 o'clock. Mattress Cleaning Business: How To Manual A Mattress Cleaning Business might be just for you if you have tried everything to contain your allergies, but feel like it is not enough. Instead of just purchasing the equipment to rid your fabric furniture and mattresses of allergens, you can also help others in your community to feel the relief and make a good income at the same time. 5 Good Reasons a Self-Employed Professional Should Take Vacation So you think you're not justified in taking time away from your business because you're self-employed? Here are five great reasons why you should definitely take a vacation:1. Physical down time You work hard to grow and maintain your business. Questions to Ask as Your Business Grows Here are some of the questions that you need to ask yourself regarding various areas of the business before you start your growth push. Are you clear on the goals of your business? Are your managers and other staff also up to date with these goals? Does your accountant or other adviser know what you are planning? Have you developed a business plan which brings into play the whole area of growth, which includes the resources that will be required of it? Have you assessed the performance of your marketing and advertising sections and if so, are these adequate? Have you put in strategies to get repeat sales? Are you clear about your competition and what you need to do to win when you start expanding your operations? Are you confident about your current advertising plan, including whether you have identified your target market and also the methods by which you will reach that market? Have you put in place policies for your employees? Do you feel you have loyal and productive staff? Have you put in place strategies for motivating your employees? This could include a system of extra remuneration or some other way of acknowledging their efforts. Small Businesses You Can Start in Automotive There are many choices when thinking about a small business involving your favorite hobby, cars. What about a Mobile detailing franchise? Yes they too are available. There has never been a better time to start a small business As a teenager I worked for my father's small business. At 18 I worked for a small video rental business owned by two partners; there were 4 employees. Seven indispensible secrets to keep the cash flowing in Looking for ways to boost your cash flow? As a small business consultant, I make these recommendations to my cash strapped small business clients:1. Shoeboxes are for shoes, not business records. 11 Things Small Business Owners Can Learn From The Supreme Court 1. Have A Strong Constitution - Justices deliver decisions by interpreting the U. The Hidden Treasure in Your Business I started working with another new client last week. He has been in business for about a year and a half. Self Serve Car Washes in the United States In the 2003 Auto Laundry News Survey it was determined that only 10% of the Coin-op Car Washes had a web site. So if you are doing lots of individual research on car washes that are self serve, do not expect to find a lot of data on the Internet. Why are Reverse Mergers Often the Victims of Short Sellers? There is a great deal of abuse going on in the OTC Bulletin Board Market and a lot of money is being made as result of it. Regulators are trying to deal with the problem but are unable to put a halt to it, unless they take drastic steps which will be detrimental to the small and micro-cap market. Look Like Sizzle, Be The Steak You've heard marketing and advertising gurus quip, "Sell the sizzle, not the steak." Advertising initiatives best reach their target audience with benefits and the "wow" effect, not the value or features of their product or service. SBIR - A Nice Add-on Business If you are a small business and qualify to participate in the SBIR program, it is a natural enhancer to your existing business. If you are small enough you may be able to start a company using SBIR funding, but you will soon come to realize that if your sources of income are not diversified (with SBIR being only one source) you might fall victim to funding cycles and no income. A Small Business Must Have a Solid Foundation We all know that a building has to have a strong foundation if it is to survive, so, too, a business.There are many planks that support a business but there are four corner-posts that bear the most weight?The four corner-posts are Marketing, Selling, Production and Financial Control. If You Want To Be Remembered... Send handwritten notes. That applies whether you're a guy or a gal. Creative Business Card Marketing Announcements can be handed out as a business cardAnnouncements can be more than just a press release that lets the world know that something special has occurred at your place of business or to you personally. You can make announcements for almost anything. 10 Cardinal Rules for Business Growth After over 30 years of participating in hundreds of businesses, competing in at least as many different industries, with companies marketing both products and services, you begin to develop and accumulate some fundamental businesses axioms or "rules of thumb" that seem to make more sense everyday and gain more value in business practice as your career continues to advance and evolve.You like to think what you have learned and the business knowledge you have retained along your long and varied career path is unique, proprietary, or even "original", but somewhere deep inside you know that most of the things you hold near and dear to your own business self identity probably were already developed, practiced, and taught way before you ever entered your first business conference room. Small Business Marketing Series - Choosing a Niche Market Many smaller businesses choose niche markets for various reasons and these niche markets can be very lucrative. This article will look at ways to identify and assess whether they are right for your business?For many smaller businesses it is important to have a focused strategy which enables them to operate in a small part of a chosen market with great success. Increase Sales in Your Home Business With These 10 Simple Ideas Every home business has the same problem of how to increase sales without a hugely expensive marketing campaign. By utilising the following simple ideas you will be able to do just that.
|
| Home | Site Map | Privacy Statement | More Articles |
| © 2006 |