Long before dawn breaks, Greg Brenneman is on the run, a habit that can be a bit disconcerting for his temporary houseguest.
Quiznos’ new chief executive officer invited Steve Provost to stay with him during his move to Denver, an invite that extended to eight-mile runs. ‘He runs on a treadmill and I try desperately to keep up next to him,’ joked Provost, the new chief marketing officer.
Brenneman, who relishes a challenge as much as he does a good run, is applying his turnaround expertise — first with Continental Airlines (NYSE:CAL) and then Burger King — to the troubled sandwich chain, whose dissatisfied franchise owners have complained about low profits, company operating requirements and the franchisee recruiting process.
Since jumping into the fray in January, Brenneman has worked to reduce food costs by as much as 4 percent, open communication channels with franchisees and test new products, like a Quiznos taco, to boost profits.
‘In these situations, the biggest challenge is always identifying what the few things you can do to really improve profitability for the franchise owners are and then doing them quickly,’ said Brenneman.
Some owners are pleased with the changes, especially the lower food costs. Others remain skeptical.
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