Brand Security Program
September 28, 2017
Egan Sign’s Brand Security Program provides franchisors a source of experienced team members to efficiently guide the process of having their franchisees complete their obligation as it relates to their signage. It also ensures that all signage components are brand compliant.
Franchisees are often unsure of how to complete the process of updating on-premises signage due to having little to no experience with the process. Placing the responsibility of sign management entirely on the franchisee can result in inconsistent branding, additional labor expenses, and increased costs. When working with Egan Sign, your franchisees will be supported by a project management team consisting of experienced graphic designers, permitting experts, and project managers, all focused on the goal of meeting your unique needs. Our staff educates each franchisee on the company’s requirements and process. Egan Sign also acts as a liaison between franchisees, local sign vendors, and corporate contacts.
Medicine Shoppe International, Inc. (MSI) has engaged Egan Sign to facilitate their Medicine Shoppe and Medicap Pharmacy brand security program. We recently sat down with Director of Franchise Operations, Jolene Miller, to discuss how Egan Sign has made their brand security process a success.
Question
What was the signage process like for MSI before you began using Egan Sign as your national Sign Management vendor?
Answer
We have not had a formal sign program in place since about 2009. So, the last few years were managed on an as-needed basis and were often times confusing for both our store owners, field sales staff, and local sign companies. There was a lot of extra work and emails going back and forth as we tried to ensure everyone understood our brand guidelines.
Question
What caused you to look for a National Sign Management vendor?
Answer
We added a co-branding option to our offering, allowing stores to keep their local pharmacy name, such as Elsberry Pharmacy, while adding, “A Member of The Medicine Shoppe Family”. This new option has drawn a number of existing independent retail pharmacies to the franchise system. Since there is a bigger opportunity to misinterpret brand guidelines, and with additional new stores coming on board, we wanted to have someone manage the process for us.
Note
As part of Egan Sign’s relationship with MSI, we developed a Design Control Document which guides the franchisee to signage options that are within the company’s brand standards. Included in that file are corporate signage specifications along with primary and secondary color selections available to co-branded franchisees. To further clarify the franchise criteria, we provided several renderings of the co-branded options as examples of approved signage, a few of which are shown here.
Question
How has the signage process improved for MSI now that Egan Sign manages the signage process for you?
Answer
The process is much smoother. Egan Sign is able to talk to the local sign companies to make sure that they understand the brand standards, rather than someone at our corporate office relaying the standards to store personnel who then relays them to the sign company. We are saving time, money, and the signs are much more professional and compliant.
Question
What do you like most about working with Egan Sign?
Answer
They know the sign business and are able to run interference with the sign companies, thus keeping the emotion out of it for our franchisees. There is also some comfort knowing they are looking out for the best interests of our brand and can make suggestions that perhaps we would not have thought of in the past.
Question
Why would you recommend Egan Sign to another brand?
Answer
The sign compliance program with Egan Sign allows us to take care of other parts of running a franchise system. Unless you have a sign expert on your staff, this is the way to go. It’s efficient, and cuts out a lot of additional time explaining brand standards and trying to communicate with an industry in which we are not the experts. This year, we are putting even more importance on the consistency of the brand, so Egan Sign as a business partner is more important to us than ever.
Question
If someone called you and said “Why should I do business with Egan Sign,” what would you tell them?
Answer
We wouldn’t want to do it without them. Three reasons: brand consistency, efficiency, and customer service.
The ultimate objective of our Brand Security Program is to reduce the time and labor required to get a brand compliant sign designed, manufactured, and installed at each franchise location. This process may include consultation with the franchisee, zoning code check, reviewing material samples, obtaining landlord approval, providing photo verification of installation and/or completing independent audits of installed signage, depending on your business needs. Your project management team will keep you up to speed on where we’re at with each new franchise install by providing weekly status reports to all key stakeholders. If you think your company could benefit from a brand security program, reach out to us. Egan Sign takes care of all the details, so you don’t have to!
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