Airborne Intelligence
Know who keeps up with the goings-on of a franchise? The advisory council.
What's one of the best things you can do if you join a
relatively small system? Sign up for the franchise advisory
council. When Arnie Klingenberg joined Worldwide Express in 1996,
he was one of the company's first franchisees, so joining the
franchisee advisory council was pretty easy. "At that point,
you could pretty much ask; now it takes a nomination and a
vote," the Edgemont, Pennsylvania, franchisee explains.
"The first year, there were only 10 [franchisees], and five of
us were on [the advisory council]."
Joining the council was important to Klingenberg, 36, because it
gave him the ability to have a say in decisions that affect the
entire franchise, which sells Airborne Express overnight shipping
services. "It keeps me much more in the loop," he says.
"Considering we only sell Airborne Express, the way we deal
with them, the rates, service and level of communication with the
local stations and personnel are huge issues, and I want to be
involved." In January, Klingenberg became even more involved when he was
elected president of the council, a move he feels will further
benefit his franchise. "I've stayed very close to the
people handling the training and the negotiations with Airborne, so
I have a much better grasp of what's going on within our
system," Klingenberg says. "That helps when you're
making decisions on a local level. You know what's coming down
the pipe, in areas where other franchisees might not be paying
attention." Content Continues Below
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