Accomplishments and History

OUR MISSION

NAASF:  The independent representative voice of SUBWAY® Franchisees, focusing on:

  • Providing solutions
  • Enhancing communications
  • Maximizing profits and value of your investment in Team Subway

 What has NAASF done for you? Why should you become a Member? Why should you stay a Member? Because our focus is on finding ways to maximize franchisee profitability.

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This is not a complete list of items that NAASF has done, but it’s a start. Here are some of the initiatives that your NAASF Board and Staff have worked on in the past, and what we’re working on now:

  • NAASF Knows – An Educational Webinar Series
    • NAASF has hosted a variety of educational webinars in the past and plans to continue them in the future.
      • Leadership = Higher Profits was very well attended and featured information on how to provide the most solid leadership to your crew members with the goal of obtaining the highest profits possible from your restaurant(s).
      • From Open to Close: Mastering Daily Fundamentals – the Guide for Efficiency and Accountability was another extremely well attended webinar held by NAASF.
      • As always, support materials are available to NAASF contributing members as a benefit of their membership.

         

  • New Products, Services for Franchisees

    One valuable area that NAASF helps Franchisees is by sourcing out new products and services that could benefit the system. NAASF was in the forefront of the Tell Subway initiative as well as the in store surveillance. Once NAASF conducts due diligence research on a company and the Board agrees that it would be a good fit for the system, we work with IPC and FWH to get the product and/or service introduced to the system for you.

     

  • Compliance and Evaluation Process

    NAASF worked with members of the FWH Operations team on a survey that was sent to all Subway Franchisees in North American regarding their current impression of the evaluation process and ways that it can be improved. We received replies from over 3,100 stores! As a result of this survey, a new and improved Evaluation Form is due to be implemented later this year.

     

  • Meetings/Education

    At least once each year, NAASF holds a meeting for Franchisees. This meeting’s purpose is to provide a forum in which Franchisees can meet peers and share information, network, share business practices, and, from time to time, even have fun! The main goal of these meetings is for Franchisees to be able to take away meaningful, and proven business information and practices to help them run a successful business.

     

    In 2014 and 2015, NAASF held its annual meeting in the U.S. Capitol Building. Senator John McCain addressed the attendees and took questions from the audience, and other legislators were in attendance as well. This very unique event was lauded after its conclusion for its ability to have a direct impact on the issues that affect small businesses such as Subway Restaurants.

     

  • Customer Experience / Tell Subway

    Some years ago, NAASF developed a relationship with a small customer experience company. This company provided the ability to Franchisees to conduct quick and easy online surveys by their customers, using an incentive. The data gathered was then pushed to the Franchisee so that they could have real-time input from their Customers. This information enabled the Franchisee to react if necessary, making the in-store experience the best possible one for their Customers. In the beginning, just a few Franchisees signed on for this tool.

     

     

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    Eventually, this concept was shared with others within the Subway system, which recognized it as a valuable tool to improving the overall customer experience. Eventually, the process and method of gathering information was developed into the Tell Subway tool that exists today, which is used by many, many Franchisees in the system.

     

  • NAASF Profitability Study

    In the past, NAASF partnered with IPC and gathered data from a variety of Franchisees (anonymously) in order to gauge true Franchisee profit margins. The data from this study was then shared with the FAF and IPC teams so that decisions on promotions, advertising, and product could be made with Franchisees’ profit parameters in mind. NAASF undertook the effort itself, in 2011, gathering 2010 data to update the information so that once again, decisions that affect you as a Franchisee can be made by those at the company using this as a guideline. NAASF is managed by a Board of Directors made up of Franchisees. This study is designed to demonstrate—using data—that decisions on promotions, advertising and the like have to reflect real-world bottom line information.

     

  • Video Surveillance / Security

    Back in 2007, NAASF formed a relationship with a company known as ezUniverse. They offered a product called ezConnect, which allowed Franchisees to have in-store video surveillance as well as other security tools. NAASF worked with this company for many years, offering reduced pricing to its Members. Recently, the system has become part of the Subway surveillance tool, utilized by many Franchisees.

     

  • Audits and Loss Prevention: Guidance on the Process

    It’s a fact of life, death and taxes: sooner or later, you may be audited. In recent years, the audits being conducted have resulted in many folks turning to NAASF for guidance. They ask for help in completing the questionnaire, and in some cases, advice on how to respond to various queries made by the Audit Team.

     

    To date, NAASF has been able to save Franchisees money by providing advice on how to respond to the audit process. NAASF Members know that this help is invaluable when it’s needed, and in some cases, the association helped Franchisees to hold onto their businesses.

     

  • Smart Development

    Over the years, NAASF has recognized the issue of market saturation and has responded in a variety of ways. We provided site analysis tools that Franchisees could use when they found themselves with another Subway® Restaurant opening less than 1 mile away. NAASF Board Members are selected to serve on a Smart Development Committee, providing input to the company on development situations from a Franchisee’s perspective.

     

    Franchisees reach out to NAASF regularly for advice and assistance on site issues and we provide that guidance still today – helping to resolve these situations as equitably as possible. We offer Sites USA, a tool that can assist Franchisees in making smart development decisions.

     

     

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  • Legislative Information

    As an association, one of our key initiatives is to maintain a role in small business legislation, keep you appraised of issues that may affect you as a small business owner, and provide the voice to your elected officials when necessary, on behalf of the Franchisee community. NAASF is currently a member of the CFA (Coalition of Franchisee Associations) and at times works with the IFA (International Franchise Association) so that we are on the forefront of this news and information.

     

    NAASF regularly provides news and information to Franchisees in the US on a variety of legislative issues affecting small business owners. (Note: A Canadian representative is needed; please info us at iberecz@naasf.org if interested).

     

  • Operational Excellence / Small Business “Best Practices”

    It might seem basic, but there are many tools and “best practices” that are out there that can help you to decrease your overall cost of doing business. As the Franchisee association of the Subway system, we have access to folks who have developed these tools within their own markets, put them to the test, and are willing to share the ones that work. It’s our goal to share these practices on a regular basis to make Subway the very best system it can be, for all of us.

     

  • Participation on Equipment Advisory Committee

    NAASF has had representation on the Equipment Advisory Committee (consisting of reps from IPC, FWH and the DAAC as well), for the past year. We have spoken to our Ambassador team about concerns relative to some equipment pieces and brought those concerns (e.g., touchless faucets, issues with toaster ovens) to the committee to be addressed.

     

  • Standard Chart of Accounts and P&L Package

    As a result of NAASF’s participation in the fall System Advisory Council/Strategic Planning meeting, we were asked to assist FWH with development of a standardized Chart of Accounts, with an ultimate goal of having a standardized QuickBooks package for use by all Franchisees. NAASF is currently working on providing this information and is a part of this project that should help Franchisees manage their finances more uniformly.

     

  • Surveying Franchisee Community

    As a regular course of business, your Franchisee Association surveys the Subway Franchisee community. Before we send a liaison to a FAF or IPC board meeting, we conduct a survey and bring the results to these groups so that your voice, your opinion, and your issues are made public and addressed.

     

    NAASF also surveys the Franchisee community on other topics such as the Profitability Study, Insurance, Technology and on various other issues as they arise. We post the results to www.naasf.org and bring the results to the appropriate party(ies) so that the information is put to use.

     

  • Information Sharing with other Subway Entities

    As with our survey results, NAASF regularly shares information on issues with other entities within the system. If we hear from our Ambassador Team that there is an issue with a particular vendor, or with a piece of equipment, or perhaps with a piece of legislation that is pending that could affect the system, it is our job to bring it to others within the system so that we can all work together to respond and address the situation.

     

    From time to time, the association will reach out to you to get your opinion on an issue; you, as the Franchisee and business owner, are the resource and you’re on the front lines each and every day with our customers. You know best what works and what doesn’t, and we need to hear that from you. NAASF, as your advocacy group, will take your input and develop a course of action on your behalf.

     

     

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  • Dispute Resolutions

    Occasionally, Franchisees find themselves in a situation and call NAASF for assistance. There are myriad situations that Franchisees call NAASF to assist them with. Sometimes NAASF will offer to walk the Franchisee through the process as their “guide”; other times we will provide resources to assist the Franchisee or simply point them in the right direction. Whatever level of aid a Franchisee needs is identified by them and provided by the association, to the best of our ability.

     

  • Reorganization of Partners Website

    The Communications Committee at NAASF assisted the folks at FWH in 2012 on the reorganization of the Partners web site in order to make it more user friendly for Franchisees. We worked closely with them to ensure that information that Franchisees need at their fingertips is easy to find so that you can spend more time running your business.

     

  • Member Resources on         www.naasf.org, including…
    • Legislative information, webinars, and advice on how to reach out to your elected officials
    • Best practice sharing via NAASF Webinars
    • NAASF Health+ : a health insurance program for qualifying Franchisees and their crew members
    • A NAASF Ambassador in each market (note some markets become open depending on Ambassador status)
    • Loss prevention advice
    • Compliance/Evaluation information and recommendations
    • An Emergency Relief Fund to provide assistance to Franchisees in time of need
    • Representation to other entities within the Subway system
    • Advocacy on your behalf – we are your voice!

 

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