INTERNAL COMMUNICATION - DISTRIBUTED TO: Franchise Partners

COMMUNICATION PURPOSE: To inform the system of process changes

FP ACTION NEEDED: Review and inform teams 

Dear Franchise Partners,

The purpose of this communication is to inform you about the upcoming changes in our Customs Program. As we stated in a system communication on Friday, March 7th, the Customs Program has been under review. Our goal was to evaluate opportunities to reduce friction and elevate Franchise Partner profitability. Throughout this process, we worked closely with our internal teams, the Franchise Advisory Council (FAC), and the Activewear Committee to ensure we fully understood the needs and impact of any potential changes.

After careful consideration, we have made the decision to eliminate the Location-Specific design creation process from the Customs Program, effective May 1st, 2025. While the FAC and Activewear Committee did not approve of this adjustment, they provided valuable insights into how it would affect the system. Their feedback has helped us develop a transition plan that minimizes disruption.

Please make note of the following dates:

We understand this change may be met with mixed feelings, particularly given the appreciation many of you have for this part of the program. However, to provide a more consistent and efficient service and manage costs, we need to streamline our customs offering. This adjustment will allow the Activewear team to create more robust templates and our vendor to provide a better customer experience. (See below Strengthening Vendor Relationships and Processes and Support Strategies).

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

Our HQ Activewear and Marketing teams along with our Customs vendor conducted a thorough review of the program. Key issues identified include:

WHAT IS A LOCATION SPECIFIC DESIGN?

Location-specific designs are created by HQ as requested from location provided inspiration through print-ready design.  These designs are unique to individual locations.

WHAT WILL BE IN MY LOCATION SPECIFIC FOLDER?

HQ will build location folders and place them in the DAM with designs that have been previously created and are still approved based on current brand standards.

TIMELINE:

UPDATED SERVICE TIMELINES

To accommodate this transition, we are adjusting design request timelines:

Proof Delivery:

Design Team SLAs:

STRENGTHENING VENDOR RELATIONSHIPS & PROCESSES

Implementation of a Continuous Service Improvement Plan:

Enhanced Reporting and KPI Metrics:

Quarterly Planning:

SUPPORT STRATEGIES

To enhance the value of the Customs Program, we are making additional improvements:

LOOKING AHEAD

We want to emphasize that this change is not permanent. We are continuously evaluating our processes and service levels provided by our internal teams and vendor partners. We are committed to creating a more resilient and efficient operational framework that addresses our current challenges and positions us for future success.  We appreciate your understanding and support as we navigate this step towards improving our Customs Program’s efficiency.

Sincerely, 

 

Shayla Morrow

Director of Retail

Amber Burke

COO

 

 

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