New Pack & Send franchisees Nishat Mitu and Muhammed Rahman opened their new business in Chermside, Queensland right in the middle of the pandemic shutdown. And far from struggling the pair have outperformed expectations.

“We started trading on 11 May 2020. Initially we were thinking to delay the opening but decided to take the challenge as sending parcels nationally and internationally is vital due to the restrictions on travel,” Nishat says. 

With new franchisees joining the network in the midst of Covid-19 the franchisor had to switch up its training processes. In the first week of opening franchisees would normally be accompanied by their field support manager for a week of onsite training.

But not this time. All the practical, onsite training had to be done virtually. 

“From our first day of trading, we received virtual training from our field support manager, Ricky Vrahnos, since he was unable to travel interstate. It was challenging but he supported us in every possible way via video call, phone call and email,” Nishat says. 

Nishat and Muhammed had started the research phase of their business quite a while before the pandemic had started.

“We were always looking to join a business supported by a proven business model. We chose Pack & Send for the brand reputation, solid structure, multi-channel business model and numerous lead sources to bring customers to the business, ” explains Nishat.

Pack & Send pair hit record sales in first month

The pair had been involved in the retail fuel sector for 12 years and were searching for a similarly customer-focused business.

“From a business perspective Pack & Send’s business model stood out most for us,” Nishat reveals.

“The business is not only customer focused but also designed to service the fastest growing market in today’s world of online shopping,” she says.

And as a result of great training, strong retail experience, and a booming marketplace, Nishat and Muhammed have proved you can set up business in a pandemic.

The pair have outperformed all expectations, setting a first month sales record for any Pack & Send franchisee in the brand’s 26 year history.

Nishat says “I believe customer satisfaction is the most important aspect of our business. Being the first point of contact for the customer and being able to service them with their delivery needs on time during the current situation with COVID-19 helped us to achieve the record.” 

The most rewarding part of the business so far has been receiving 5- star reviews and happy calls from their customers, the pair reveal. As Nishat sas,“It’s the best part of the day!” 

After a fantastic start to running their own Pack & Send business, and in very uncertain circumstances, they have some wisdom to pass on to other prospective franchisees.

“When investing in a franchise business you should look for a proven brand and solid business model that gives an advantage to compete and grow.” 

Potential franchisees are continuing to sign up to the Pack & Send business model and existing franchisees are expanding – a current multi-unit franchisee is acquiring its third franchise in July .

Pack & Send CEO and founder Michal Paul reports not only are franchise territories in high demand, the business is experiencing record sales growth as businesses need freight services to deliver an increasing volume of product sold online.

“Our customer leads are at an all-time high, and parcel delivery sales through our ecommerce shipping technology platforms have increased by as much as 147 per cent in some months” says Paul.