How Goodcents cashes in by combining technology, old-school marketing | A View From The Top

After more than three decades as a restaurant owner, Goodcents founder and CEO Joe Bisogno knows there are just some things that all the technology in the world can’t tell you.

“Maybe in another 30 years it will get there, but right now, nothing beats getting out in the field and seeing something or someone with your own eyes,” he said. “The hands-on, in-person experience isn’t something that is easily replaced, and it definitely has its place with Goodcents.”

Joe Bisogno is CEO and founder of Goodcents. Photo: Goodcents

Even as the fast casual chain enters into its 10th state, Goodcents still does some things the same way, holding onto its charm that sometimes gets lost when companies grow too quickly. Its structure takes a hands-on approach, and Bisogno’s involvement in the process has been instrumental in growing the brand.

“Just being able to come together as a team and getting the right people in the right places is something we’ve really worked on the last three years, and getting the right seats at the table so we can get our franchisees re-engaging for support,” Jami Bond, Goodcents’ vice president of Franchise Development, recently said during an October panel at the annual Fast Casual Executive Summit in Louisville.

The engagement with its owners is one of the things that sets the sandwich chain apart from other franchises. It’s about having a personal touch with the company’s franchise owners. They aren’t just a number.

“We know these people personally by the time they are signing,” Bond said. “We know their spouses, their kids, birthdays. We send handwritten birthday cards, and well wishes on anniversaries and it isn’t some hollow acknowledgment. We are more involved in their lives than I think you find in most businesses.”

And all of them have Bisogno’s cell phone number.

“How many franchisees in other brands can say they have a direct line to the company’s founder?” Bond said. “They can call him for anything, and he picks up. It isn’t window dressing.”

Of Goodcents’ nearly 70 locations in 10 states, six of the brand’s original 10 stores are still in business today. By having a personal relationship and spending the time with franchisees, shoulder-to-shoulder, it helps us understand why they love their store, their customers and where we can improve to help them thrive, Bisogno added.

Tech holds up in new reality

Jami Bond, Goodcents’ vice president of Franchise Development, discusses strategy said during an October panel at the annual Fast Casual Executive Summit in Louisville. Also pictured are (from left) David Bloom, CDO of Capriotti’s & Wing Zone; Bill DiPaola, president and COO of Swamp Dawg and Sam Gerace, CEO of Lineup.ai. Photo: NMG

We understand, however, that technology is also an integral component for the future of the restaurant business. Delivery apps, CRM systems, automated ordering, rewards systems and site selection tools are all tech-based solutions used throughout the industry, and we’ve added them.

We use SiteZeus to assist in site selection and earlier this year partnered with Punchh to launch an app and a refreshed rewards program. Even with those conveniences, Bisogno still takes the old-school approach and travels to any new site location to see it in person.

“There is something different about seeing the locations in person,” he said. “It’s a visceral experience that you can’t get from a computer program, no matter how hard they try. We count cars, we drive the area. We look inside to see what the buildout would be. There’s a lot you can tell from all of that, and it can make the difference in whether you are successful.”

It was eye-opening for Bond when she first joined the company. Now, it’s just part of the process.

“There’s nothing that really compares to walking or driving around in that area,” she said. “I’ve been out there with Joe and when I first went, it was amazing to me how much more you can learn by being there in person. “

From a marketing standpoint, you can get an idea of the type of signage allowed at a shopping center. You can also see traffic patterns, determine if there are times when congested traffic patterns could deter hungry customers, what additional buildout would be needed for a store, if a building is rightly suited for drive-through service, along with the ingress and egress of parking lots.

“You can’t always tell that about a site when you see it online,” Bisogno said.

The Goodcents team also encourages its owners to give back to their communities — becoming the “Mr. or Mrs. Goodcents” of a particular area. So, they look for neighboring schools, hospitals, first responders and others with whom they can share their appreciation.

“Counting cars and all those things I started doing 30 years ago are still important today,” Bisogno said. “From what I’ve found, there’s just nothing that can replace that.”