RentDirect is extending its Panamint Group services to include free financial and operational consultation. These new services are exclusively for Nationwide Marketing Group members.

Click image for RentDirect Nationwide Agenda.

RentDirect Nationwide's PrimeTime Buying Show show begins Sunday and is shaping up to be the most well-attended rent-to-own industry gathering ever held. Well over 100 different rental companies are registered to attend the event scheduled for March 2 to 5 at the Hilton Anatole Dallas.

RTO Online will cover the show from Dallas, publishing daily updates, photo galleries, interviews and for the first time, LIVE streaming video of events. RTO Online will stream presentations, including the much anticipated RentDirect keynote presentation by former Rent-A-Center CEO Bud Gates, live on the company's homepage - www.rtoonline.com.

Email notifications will be sent to all subscribers announcing the time and content of live events (Subscribe here). RTO Online is the leading rent-to-own trade publication both online and in print - serving 30,000 RTO professionals every month - and the only independent source of news for the sector.

Nationwide Southwest members will kick off PrimeTime! Saturday with a golf tournament. 130 rental and retail dealers along with vendors will participate in the four-man scramble.

Nationwide Southwest alone has over 630 members including 100 rent-to-own companies. 450 Southwest members will attend this PrimeTime.

CEO Dennis Willich sees this show in particular as an opportunity for RTO and Retail dealers to take advantage of Nationwide's program.

"PrimeTime! offers all Nationwide members the opportunity to see the strongest deals and strongest programs ever," said Willich. "We have a wider array of vendors and more opportunities for advanced training than ever before."

One of the most exiting new programs RentDirect members will hear about in Dallas is the MBA Turnaround Team that can assist RTO dealers in improving their business.

RentDirect is extending its Panamint Group services to include free financial and operational consultation. These new services are exclusively for Nationwide Marketing Group members only and include help with the following:

--Buying and selling of stores
--Valuing stores
--Succession planning
--Obtaining funds for growth
--Dealing with unexpected situations

RentDirect Executive Director James MacAlpine explained, "Larger companies usually staff consultants who provide this level of advisement on a regular basis. This service will offer members with smaller businesses the same level of consultation free of charge; saving members thousands of dollars in fees." Since each member of the MBA Turnaround Team work exclusively with Nationwide Marketing Group, they understand the industry and unique needs of its members.

Although many store owners become very good at sales and are able to grow their businesses, those same owners often begin to accumulate assets which effect their profit margin negatively. Many do not really understand how to calculate hurdle and turnover rates, factor in the current state of the economy or other risks to determine the actual return on their investment. Without a clear picture, it is hard to accurately gauge costs and regulate inventory. "The Turnaround Team can help put a business back on track by implementing a comprehensive financial strategy," MacAlpine said.

The Turnaround Team is always available to give general advisement, working as a sounding board for members on any of their financial or operational questions. Consultation is also provided, to assist a member with specific concerns get a better handle on the current state of their business. If a member determines a more hands-on approach is needed, the Turnaround Team will visit their rent to own location, walking each member through the process, often providing detailed reports and summaries along with visual aids. This detailed overview of the business is a critical first step towards putting together an appropriate plan of action.

The mentality in the rent to own industry has always been to sell when you are in trouble and when you are in real trouble, sell more. However, there are many viable options to selling a store including finding non-traditional forms of revenue. In addition, many companies go out of business their first year, seventh year and during the third generation of management. "This new service will provide confidential, practical and useful information that will help our members through these crucial periods."

To schedule a visit or conference call, please contact Dave Moore at (336) 722-4681 (davemoore1@bellsouth.net) or James MacAlpine (jamesm@nationwidegroup.org) at Nationwide Marketing Group.