Small businesses are the epitome of what has been called the American Dream. Entrepreneurship, the idea that anyone who has something to offer can set up shop and earn their living contributing to their community, is in many ways a cornerstone of the American cultural identity. It is more relevant today than ever before, with […]
How Banks Can Drive Growth for Small Businesses Read More »
Suzanne Cluckey of ATM Marketplace wrote about Jean-Pierre Lacroix’s presentation at the 2017 Bank Customer Experience Summit: Some years ago, the president of [SLD], a company that specializes in brand strategy and customer engagement, sat in a meeting with senior leadership at Kodak, a client company. He was there to present research on a promising new business segment —
Branch Transformation by Design Read More »
Shikatani Lacroix and JLL Canada congratulate the Regional Municipality of York (York Region) for winning a Silver Excellence in Economic Development Award for its York Link campaign and 2017 EDAC Marketing Canada Award: York Link Twitter – Online Community Outreach. Located in the heart of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), York Region is home to
Congratulations to the Regional Municipality of York! Read More »
The goal of any restaurant operator is to drive repeat visits. Loyal customers tend to drive better margins and greater sales (while also providing some predictability to same-store sales) and cost less to market to than new customers. When considering brand loyalty for food service operators, fostering a sense of belonging is crucial to creating
Brand Loyalty in Foodservice: How to Create a Sense of Place Read More »
Breaking Branches – Learning Lab For the unprepared, branch transformation can be a Herculean task. That’s why Jean-Pierre Lacroix, an expert in brand transformation, and Stephen Griffin, who led the transformation of Regions Bank branches, will lead a workshop on breaking (and rebuilding) branches at BAI Beacon. A select group of attendees will have the opportunity
Nobody can predict the future, but Apple and other forward-thinking companies have demonstrated that you can help create it. The banking industry is faced with numerous changes that are challenging banks to envision a future that looks quite different from the way we bank today. Before banks can seize the opportunity, embrace change and shape the future
How Banks Should Start Preparing for 2050 Read More »
In spite of nationalist movements, that are currently having a moment in western countries, the reality is that population growth is going to be driven by immigration. Generation Z will be the most racially diverse cohort the planet has ever known, many of them the children of immigrants or interracial marriages. With this demographic shift there
Marrying digital and foodservice is an ever-growing trend and is necessary to capture Millennials’ attention. That is why we sat down with Boston Pizza‘s Paulo Ferreira, Senior Director of Design, to discuss the restaurant’s new design and digital integration at their flagship Toronto location. Boston Pizza was trying to get Millennials off their phones and engaged
Behind the Scenes of Boston Pizza’s New Design Read More »
When researching the rash of stealth attrition currently unsettling the financial services industry, we collected lots of data about consumers’ banking habits, preferences, and behaviors. We’ve already broken that data down in several ways to highlight different things – for instance, we broke down the types of customers most likely to switch financial institutions to highlight their reasons for leaving
Breaking Down the Customer Loyalty Pyramid Read More »
Why aren’t customers asking banks for advice about their money problems? Once upon a time a concern like saving for retirement or financing a new small business would have been the natural dominion of a bank manager. Today, not only are bank customers more likely to ask their family and friends for advice on these
The Advice Bank Customers are Craving Read More »
The most successful brands in today’s foodservice industry have one thing in common: a focused, unique brand value, communicated simply, clearly and consistently. Think of Starbucks, Chipotle or Panera Bread. It sounds like an obvious idea, but anyone who has attempted to develop a unique restaurant concept and keep it relevant over the years knows
Designing a Right-to-Win Brand Position For Your Restaurant Read More »
If you are in the food service industry and rely on your locations to drive your business, curb appeal and visibility are key. Operators such as Dairy Queen, Boston Pizza, Second Cup and Tim Hortons all understand that exterior signing is their most effective marketing vehicle, working 24/7 to grab the attention of customers and
Creating the right first impression through signing Read More »
Disruption is the new reality for every industry and the biggest challenge retailers of all stripes share is how to remain relevant with customers. Banks are not immune to these rapidly advancing changes and can learn a lot from retailers who live in a world of too many stores, a shift to online and mobile
What Banks Can Learn from the Retail Industry Read More »
Categories in today’s market are becoming less defined, as foodservice blends with grocery and retail and cafes offer added value within banks, bookstores, and gyms. Customers are looking for choice, custom experiences, convenience, multi-functionality, and less cultural rigidity. All-day breakfast is becoming a popular restaurant offering, the demand for gender-neutral clothing is increasing, and hybrid
Keep Your Restaurant Relevant With These Hybrid Design Tips Read More »
Regardless of whether the infamous Trump wall is ever built, the American economy relies on immigration to ensure robust growth. As boomers age and birth rates drop, it is inevitable that this will continue. By 2050 it is expected that 37 percent of the U.S. population will be either first generation immigrants or second generation
Banking on Diversity Read More »
Is less really more? Or is bigger better? This is an age-old debate with strong arguments on both sides. For foodservice operators, the question is menu expansion – should we add more, and what should we add, and how far should we go outside of our core offering? Throughout the industry there are examples of
How to Avoid Menu Expansion Misfires Read More »
The food service category is in transition and many new restaurant concepts are emerging. Many established restaurants are struggling in this evolving market. Refreshing your restaurant’s brand ensures future relevance. Now is the ideal time to start the process. Business may be decreasing because of more competition or not meeting customers’ changing needs as effectively
Five Steps to Refresh Your Restaurant Experience Read More »
It seems nowadays everyone is a foodie – with the hashtag “foodie” being used over 244 million times on Instagram. It’s not a surprise that restaurants are feeling the pressure to attract more of a foodie generation to their facilities. How do you begin to legitimize your restaurant as a “foodie” establishment in the eyes
How to Better Appeal to “Foodie” Millennials Read More »
Rolling out a transformation project – even a moderate refresh – across a multi-unit network is a daunting task. Developing the new design is pure bliss in comparison, even with all the nail-biting over decisions. Given that it takes years to fully deploy a new program, it’s no wonder the thought sends CFO’s stomachs churning.
Six Cost Saving Tips For Your Next Foodservice Project Roll-out Read More »
When you are embarking on any kind of change for your foodservice brand, regardless of the degree, it is critical to get a good understanding of where your brand fits into the industry landscape. One of the most recognized tools to create this view is the SWOT analysis. However, we often get asked questions about
[Worksheet] Foodservice SWOT Analysis 101 Read More »
