Comments on: Can the Lacey Pizza Time be Saved from Itself? What do you Think?

By: FRANWORST FRIDAY: Richard Quick, Esq. Launches Cold Stone Pizza

FRANWORST FRIDAY: Richard Quick, Esq. Launches Cold Stone Pizza — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:00:57 +0000

[...] “I was reading the moronic website Franchise Pick. There was a big uproar about some franchisee who makes his pizza shop employees work in sub-freezing temperatures without heat. I [...]

By: PIZZA TIME: Whistleblower Gets Fired

PIZZA TIME: Whistleblower Gets Fired — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:28:39 +0000

[...] Pick: Franchisee From Hell! Awards: Luke Benjamin, Pizza Time, Franchise Pick: Can the Lacey Pizza Time be Saved from Itself? What do you Think?, BizLevity: Dirty Franchising, The Sequel, They Had The (Pizza) Time Of Their Lives , [...]

By: PIZZA TIME: BrandCurve Offers Crisis Management Tips

PIZZA TIME: BrandCurve Offers Crisis Management Tips — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:25:17 +0000

[...] Franchise Pick: Can the Lacey Pizza Time be Saved from Itself? What do you Think? [...]

By: Sean Kelly

Sean Kelly — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:07:53 +0000

Nate wrote: OK i may be the only one that has this opinion but Luke owes some major gratitude to Dan for this whole publicity fiasco! I think you're right, Nate. About being the only one with that opinion, that is. I doubt the phone at Cold Stone Pizza is ringing off the hook. Becky, who blogs at My Organized Biz, wrote: ...the fact that the franchise headquarters is silent is a bit troubling as well. I agree... very troubling. That's why people buy franchises - to have professional support. Even at only 25 units they should have a marketing or PR resource that could have been on this immediately. This could have been defused with quick action, statement, press release, etc. lela wrote: They invited one of the fired guys back only to tell him again that he was fired when he showed up... More excellent press! Thanks for the tip, lela. I'm going to post on that shortly. Though the story said that he assumed he was being invited back to work, not that they actually said it. I think King 5 put the emphasis on this supposed injustice... probably to fuel the outrage and keep the story burning. I think these franchisees are making a mistake in letting King 5 control this story. The franchisees should issue a statement and try to get their story told through another media outlet. Thanks for commenting.

By: phillip, Melbourne Australia

phillip, Melbourne Australia — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:41:23 +0000

This sort of bad press could harm every branch of the franchise. The other franchisees should consider some kind of action to distance themselves from this mess.

As for the heat – why dont they just get a more efficient heater?

By: lela

lela — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:13:13 +0000

FYI – I happen to be in the Seattle area tonight and they are I’m the news again. Theybinvitrd one of the fired guys back only to tell him again that he was fired when he showed up.
More excellent press! I can see the case study write up now!

By: Becky

Becky — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:57:28 +0000

Really, this is just ridiculous. Have these 2 even owned a business before? You don’t treat your employees like that, even if you think they should be taught a lesson. And smearing the whistleblowers? Unacceptable. I would definitely not patronize that business if I lived there. Additionally, the fact that the franchise headquarters is silent is a bit troubling as well. Glad we don’t have them in my area, I must say.

By: Nate

Nate — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:40:23 +0000

OK i may be the only one that has this opinion but Luke owes some major gratitude to Dan for this whole publicity fiasco!

If i recall the old mantra of free advertising!!! I mean i live in missouri and i am hearing about a little hole in the wall pizza place in Lacey, Wa.

I am pretty sure people need to grasp the whole idea of Bad press is still free Advertising, he needs to take part in this whole fiasco and ride the cash train on in to the furnace maker and cash Dan’s little money maker of a bad idea!!

GO LUKE GO!!!! keep it cold in the pizza joint!!!

By: Sean Kelly

Sean Kelly — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:43:29 +0000

Lela, who blogs at Accounting Solver, makes some great points. The first mistake was not paying for heat, the second for not getting hiring some PR help. I'm almost willing to offer my services pro bono Almost.

By: Lela

Lela — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:45:26 +0000

So many issues….

This case is destined to become – literally – a textbook example of what NOT to do.

1. The fact that the Pizza Time franchise is not all over this is evidence that there’s a larger organization problem beyond this individual franchise.

2. Yes, Brillo is correct. Program the thermostat. It’s not rocket science. Also, the fact that the Pacific Northwest is having the coldest winter in decades creates an unfortunate cost of doing business. It’s cold, deal with it.

3. This shows and extreme lack of emotional intelligence. http://www.businesspundit.com/emotional-intelligence-not-total-bs/

4. Bottom line: Employees are assets. How much revenue has been lost, and how much costs incurred because of this ridiculous behavior.

Good luck, pizza people!