Assisted Living Locators partners with Southwestern Consulting

Assisted Living Locators, a leading senior care placement franchisor, announced today it is partnering with Southwestern Consulting, a global sales performance firm, to advance franchisee sales training amidst record franchise recruitment growth. 

In 2018, Assisted Living Locators exceeded its 100th franchise mark. The company broke into the triple digits after a decade of consecutive growth, including an unprecedented franchise recruitment rate over the past two years.  As the first senior placement and referral franchise business in the U.S., the company has pioneered its way to a national presence with 110 franchisees in 33 states and the District of Columbia.

Southwestern Consulting will provide feedback on Assisted Living Locators initial franchisee training and 13-week support process, as well as sales and leadership coaching for company executives and franchisees who will be designated as leaders for an ongoing peer mentorship program, according to Assisted Living Locators CEO RN Angela Olea.

“After Southwestern completes a ‘Train the Trainer’ program, our peer mentors will offer sales coaching, monthly calls, and perform field visits to help maximize our franchisees performance,” she explained.  “We will also hold monthly webinars with Southwestern providing tools and tips to help our franchisees build their network referral process.  Supplemental one-on-one coaching will also be available for our franchisees who may want additional sales training support.”

UMB partners with Bottomline Technologies

Bottomline Technologies (NASDAQ: EPAY), a leading provider of financial technology that helps make business payments simple, smart and secure, and U.S.-based financial services company UMB Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: UMBF), today announced a partnership that will allow UMB to offer Bottomline’s Paymode-X with Visa Payables Solutions to its U.S. commercial customers.

“Our partnership with Bottomline Technologies is another exciting alignment with a cutting-edge technology provider to offer best-in-class solutions to managing supplier payments such as check issuance, ACH systems and virtual cards,” said Uma Wilson, executive vice president and director of product management at UMB. “UMB is focused on providing solutions to our clients, and Paymode-X will allow us to build on existing partnerships to provide the best possible customer experience.” 

This service from Bottomline will help UMB’s commercial customers automate costly, manual payment processes by providing access to streamlined integrated payables capabilities all through the secure Paymode-X network, and vendor enablement services. Integrated payables will allow businesses to process all payment types including virtual card, ACH and check in a single payment file.

“Our collaboration with Bottomline enables us to bring our financial-institution clients best-in-class solutions to meet their commercial clients’ needs,” said Taira Hall, vice president, U.S. partnerships and new initiatives, Visa Business Solutions, Visa. “We are excited to help bring to market safe, secure and fast accounts payable functionality and grow acceptance of Visa commercial cards and virtual B2B payment capabilities.” 

Bottomline’s Paymode-X benefits to UMB’s commercial customers include reduced accounts payable (AP) costs, improved security, visibility, process efficiency, optimized payment routing, and financial returns in the form of rebates. The solution will help maximize financial returns and improve vendor relationships for UMB’s customers.

Berkshire Hathaway opens office in North Scottsdale

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Arizona Properties has opened its newest office North Scottsdale’s La Mirada Center at 8852 East Pinnacle Peak Road. The office is led by branch managers Shirley Small and Phil Mercurio and houses nearly 250 real estate sales executives while it continues to grow.

“Our new North Scottsdale office is in an ideal location for our sales executives and clients in North Scottsdale,” said Gordon Miles, president and COO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Arizona Properties. “We made a significant investment to update the facility in order to provide the very latest in communications, technology and sales platforms. We have already grown in the few weeks the office has been open with the addition of some of the most productive executives in the area.”   

The firm’s new North Scottsdale office is located in a mixed use center with upscale shopping, dining, retail and offices. The space has been fully upgraded to include integrated technological capabilities. “The design is agent-focused and equipped with charging stations, collaborative spaces and supportive tools fitted for sales executives to utilize our award-winning technology and marketing platforms. They have access to these valuable assets whether they are in the office or working remotely,” said Miles. 

“The result is a space that is warm and inviting, with the ability to inspire and foster growth and collaboration,” he said. 

In 2018, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Arizona Properties was recognized in the Inc. 5000 Hall of Fame as one of the nation’s fastest growing private companies. Additionally, the company was also selected as one of the Top Companies To Work For in Arizona in 2018.