Rent-to-Own

ColorTyme names new VP, COO

Fred Mattox

ColorTyme Wednesday, announced Fred Mattox as the company’s new vice president and COO.

Mattox brings over 30 years of rent-to-own experience to his new position, in which he will serve as the head of ColorTyme’s Operations Department. He will work with both franchisees and individual stores to maximize their operational efficiency.

“To have the opportunity to bring someone in like Fred who has both the experience in the industry and the knowledge of what it takes to be successful in the operations side of the business is very exciting for us,” said ColorTyme CEO Cathy Skula. “His presence will greatly benefit our growth plans for the company moving forward. The fact that we were able to recruit such talent from Rent-A-Center further demonstrates their commitment to ColorTyme’s long-term success.”

Mattox began his career as a customer account representative for the Lone Star T.V. Rental Company, and has held a number of positions as he moved up in the field. Most recently, he was divisional vice president for Rent-A-Center, a company with whom he has spent the majority of his career, starting in 1995 when he joined the company as a district manager.

He was promoted to regional director, before moving into his role as divisional vice president.

“I am excited to use my past experiences that allow me to best serve the ColorTyme franchisees,” Mattox said. “I have worked both with large corporations and for small businesses, and I understand what it takes to be successful in both.”

Mattox will work out of ColorTyme’s corporate headquarters in Plano, Texas.
 

April 26-30, O’Rourke Sales Company, Club "O", Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit Spa and Resort, Puerta Vallarta, Mexico.
For more information, contact Bill French at 972/978-9283.

Fred Mattox

ColorTyme Wednesday, announced Fred Mattox as the company’s new vice president and COO.

Mattox brings over 30 years of rent-to-own experience to his new position, in which he will serve as the head of ColorTyme’s Operations Department. He will work with both franchisees and individual stores to maximize their operational efficiency.

“To have the opportunity to bring someone in like Fred who has both the experience in the industry and the knowledge of what it takes to be successful in the operations side of the business is very exciting for us,” said ColorTyme CEO Cathy Skula. “His presence will greatly benefit our growth plans for the company moving forward. The fact that we were able to recruit such talent from Rent-A-Center further demonstrates their commitment to ColorTyme’s long-term success.”

Mattox began his career as a customer account representative for the Lone Star T.V. Rental Company, and has held a number of positions as he moved up in the field. Most recently, he was divisional vice president for Rent-A-Center, a company with whom he has spent the majority of his career, starting in 1995 when he joined the company as a district manager.

He was promoted to regional director, before moving into his role as divisional vice president.

“I am excited to use my past experiences that allow me to best serve the ColorTyme franchisees,” Mattox said. “I have worked both with large corporations and for small businesses, and I understand what it takes to be successful in both.”

Mattox will work out of ColorTyme’s corporate headquarters in Plano, Texas.
 

The trend of fashion-forward looking appliances is set to continue this spring with the release of a new spate of bold kitchen products, created to complement what many acknowledge as the heart of the home.

Among the contenders: GE Monogram’s 30-inch-wide counterdepth refrigerators, which offer features like a “convertible” refrigerator/ freezer drawer that can be set for fresh foods, frozen foods or wine storage, and new options like an integrated wine reserve and the company’s first glass door front, according to Twice.

Eleven-year-old Capital Cooking, which just launched its topof- the-line Connoisseurian series of dual fuel ranges, is also adding some color to its Precision ranges and Maestro wall ovens. A 10-color palette, limited previously to the company’s Culinarian ranges, is now being shared among stable mates. Colors include black, Cobalt Blue, Signal Blue, Flame Red, Wine Red, Ruby Red, white, Oyster White, Pale Green and yellow.

Read full story.

The Premier Companies, In-Field Training, Atlanta, Georgia. For more information, contact John Darden at 434/566-3652.

The Premier Companies, In-Field Training, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. For more information, contact John Darden at 434/566-3652.

APRO 2012 is offering two exclusive Webinars on May 3 and 10 that will improve your exhibiting skills and significantly increase your trade show results. These webinars are presented by trade show industry expert, Bob Dallmeyer and are available to both APRO Exhibitors and non-exhibitors alike.

The Webinars are packed with knowledge, ideas, inspiration, and concrete examples of exhibiting success.

SPACE IS LIMITED

Reserve your May 3 Webinar seat now at:
https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/764402951

The May 3 Webinar from 1 to 2 p.m. presents the latest exhibition industry trends and research that will help you plan your APRO 2012 participation.  It will also cover all those steps you can take prior to the show to set the stage for great success.

The May 10 Webinar presents the secrets of getting meaningful sales leads, not just business cards, and following them up to make sales.  Also, how to leverage the basics of body language in the booth and what’s needed for your brand enhancement will be covered. Registration information to follow.

Title: APRO Exhibitor Webinar-Exhibition Industry Trends
Date: Thursday, May 3, 2012
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM CDT

If you want better Return On Investment (ROI) for every exhibit dollar you spend, if you want to successfully increase sales and enhance your branding, if you plan to leverage social media in achieving customer growth and satisfaction, then YOU should sign up for these powerful APRO 2012 webinars.

APRO’s May 3 webinar presents the latest exhibition industry trends and research that will help you plan your APRO 2012 participation. It will also cover all those steps you can take prior to the show to set the stage for great success.

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server
Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS X 10.5 or newer
 

CLICK HERE FOR OUR DIGITAL RTOHQ: THE MAGAZINE

RTOHQ: The Magazine’s upgraded digital format

APRO’s new, mobile-ready magazine is now available in addition to our print edition. The digital format provides the same informative content as our printed magazine, but also offers tools to make the reading experience more enriching. Access the table of contents page with one click or tap. Get additional information from advertisers by clicking on the links in their ads. The interface is easy to navigate and requires no special app—read our magazine on your computer, digital table or smartphone. Click here to access the digital version of RTOHQ: The Magazine March-April 2012.

A New Rent-to-Own Experience

by Neil Ferguson

Here’s the lowdown on APRO’s 2012 Convention and Trade Show, July 24-26 in Memphis. The RTO industry’s big event will offer many valuable experiences, including insights on how to turn your stores into “experiences”–the good kind for consumers

Who Is Your Competition?

by Bill Keese

In order to expand your customer base, you can learn a lot by observing your competitors. But first, you need to figure out just who they are. If you think your only competition is the rent-to-own store down the street, you’re not considering the bigger picture. APRO’s executive director offers a big-picture perspective.

A Review of Online Customer Complaints

by Ed Winn III

While rent-to-own companies have not cornered the market on negative reviews posted on consumer complaint websites, it’s no surprise that there are cyberspace beefs against RTO. APRO’s general counsel reviews some of them in search of a pattern and he considers appropriate response to online complaints.

Rent-to-Own Families, Part VIII

by Kristen Card

Our series of family-run rent-to-own businesses continues with profiles of the Homeiers in Kansas and two Texas-based sets of kindred colleagues, the Spangles and the Weisblatts.

Future issues of APRO’s magazine will be available in this same new format. Click here to access past issues that are not yet archived in the new interface.

Big-screen TV’s offer profit haven

The days of new unit volume records may have faded for the flat-panel TV category, but the 40-inches and larger big-screen segment stands as perhaps the last bastion of opportunity for profit growth from the industry’s former rainmaker.

Vendors and retailers report seeing elevated consumer interest in big screens this year – particularly the 60-inch and larger classes – as customers come to the realization that bigger is better when buying a TV, according to TWICE.

What’s new is that more and more TV shoppers are looking beyond the lowest-price-point SKUs in favor of better-featured models with the best possible picture quality.

At the same time, manufacturers are opening up distribution for even the largest models to mass-merchant and warehouse club retail channels. This includes Walmart’s adoption of Sharp Aquos LCD TVs in the 60-, 70- and even 80-inch classes (the latter in select locations) within the last three weeks.

For retailers and manufacturers that have suffered from eroded profit margins on small- and midsized TVs, the heightened demand couldn’t be better.

Industry observers reported retailers are starting to reserve more floor real estate in their TV showrooms for the big-screen SKUs.

In addition to generating higher turns, the segment is also delivering significantly higher average profit margins than commodity-sized models.

Read full story.

The days of new unit volume records may have faded for the flat-panel TV category, but the 40-inches and larger big-screen segment stands as perhaps the last bastion of opportunity for profit growth from the industry’s former rainmaker.

Vendors and retailers report seeing elevated consumer interest in big screens this year – particularly the 60-inch and larger classes – as customers come to the realization that bigger is better when buying a TV, according to TWICE.

What’s new is that more and more TV shoppers are looking beyond the lowest-price-point SKUs in favor of better-featured models with the best possible picture quality.

At the same time, manufacturers are opening up distribution for even the largest models to mass-merchant and warehouse club retail channels. This includes Walmart’s adoption of Sharp Aquos LCD TVs in the 60-, 70- and even 80-inch classes (the latter in select locations) within the last three weeks.

For retailers and manufacturers that have suffered from eroded profit margins on small- and midsized TVs, the heightened demand couldn’t be better.

Industry observers reported retailers are starting to reserve more floor real estate in their TV showrooms for the big-screen SKUs.

In addition to generating higher turns, the segment is also delivering significantly higher average profit margins than commodity-sized models.

Read full story.