Efficient managers key to successful ventures

MANILA,Philippines — What do successful businesses have in common? While a great amount is attributed to the efficiency of the business model and monetary investment, no business or company can truly prosper without a core team of talented and dedicated managers as supportive “teammates.”

For industry-leading enterprise Philippine Seven Corp. (PSC), it attributes 7- Eleven’s flourishing franchise business success to its strategic stewards – the high-level managers behind the store opening, expansion and franchise operations. Commendable for their knowledge and experience, Business Development Division (BDD)’s unit manager and section managers maintain a strong focus to deliver critical company objectives in the service of all stakeholders – from franchisees, corporate partners, to the ultimate consumers of 7-Eleven.

Shared values

According to PSC business development division head Ulysses Borral, trustworthy managers are vital to running an effective and profitable franchise or enterprise. Besides overseeing operations, a manager’s professional contribution to the business and organization helps ensure that both the franchisor’s and franchisees’ business plans, operations and growth goals are mutually aligned, implemented and achieved.

“As a forward-thinking company, PSC’s leadership, corporate culture and innovation in the industry relentlessly motivate everyone to strive for the best. This commitment to pursue excellence for our employees helps us maintain our undisputed edge over competitors, creating an organization that is focused on only doing what is best for all stakeholders and for the achievement of both near and long-term success of the company,” Borral said.

Growing together

Beyond improving branding, Lee Gonzalo Perez, franchise marketing, lease management and special projects section manager, is tasked to oversee and lead the franchise expansion team in promoting the 7-Eleven franchise brand, as well as recruitment and awarding of qualified applicants to the system.

For him, a manager’s crucial role involves making “balanced” assessments. “We represent BDD’s interest and efforts for PSC, and act as spokesperson for both sides of the divide – the shareholders and the employees. We are tasked to look after both the interests of the PSC and the people who work in them,” he said.

Perez’s leadership style is mentorship, which he said is more relationship-based rather than performance-based. “I share personal experiences, insights and knowledge with the staff to aid them in achieving their goal. I don’t zero in on a specific skill and action to improve them – it’s more about overall development,” Perez said.

Janice Castillones has been with PSC since 2005. Initially a site acquisition specialist, she eventually made her way up to managerial level after she exceeded management’s expectations on her performance and deliverables.

Together with her four supervisors, Castillones is currently handling the Metro Manila areas since the start of this year. Aware of the new challenge to transact with Metro Manila lessors, Castillones is described to be confidently up and ready for the tasks ahead.

Prior to this assignment, Castillones is credited for pioneering the North Luzon Expansion, specifically in Nueva Vizcaya province which started last year. To date, there are more than 15 stores serving Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya.

For a manager to be truly effective, he or she needs to espouse strong leadership and strategic management skills to be able to genuinely engage stakeholders from both inside and out of the organization.

By having a dependable team of managers in place, 7-Eleven has cemented its top position in the C-store category. To date, 7-Eleven’s network is spread across 52 provinces in the country, now with more than 2,500 outlets, 46 percent of which are company-operated and 54 percent franchise-owned.