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ORLANDO, FLA. - The day before co-sponsoring a recent 5-kilometer charity run, Planet Smoothie franchise operator Jason Mann learned that he needed to bring 300 coupons to the event.
Oh, and make sure the addresses of three Planet Smoothie stores were printed on the coupons. They would be included in packets for the runners as they registered, and extras would be passed out to spectators. The race started at 8 a.m.
Usually, getting a customized print order could take a week or more, but not for Mann. He simply booted up his PC, logged onto the Internet and then entered the Planet Smoothie Intranet site. There he found a camera-ready layout for a "buy one, get one free" coupon. He typed in the addresses, added his logo, printed a copy, took it to a print shop and had 300 coupons in a couple of hours.
Easy access to marketing materials and print ads is just one of many ways Mann has been using the Intranet site since Atlanta-based Planet Smoothie rolled it out to its franchise operators in the fourth quarter last year.
The biggest benefit is the ability to communicate with people in the corporate office, other franchisees and vendors,...