Corporate mid-managers seeking a taste of freedom are finding a perfect match for their talents at Appliance Tagging Services, the national test and tag franchise.

General manager Sarah Allen says it is an ideal way for someone with a middle-management background to step out of the corporate world.

“Our business typically attracts 45-55-year-olds, mostly men, in mid-management roles, dealing with upper management and reports underneath. They want something they can run and manage themselves.

“ATS is an opportunity for them to get their sanity back and to control their own destiny,” Sarah says.

ATS ideal franchisee

“Our ideal franchisee has good communication skills, great customer service, and is confident in asking for business and asking for referrals,” Sarah says.

Excellent customer service is at the heart of the business. It is the fundamental that underpins first-class franchise performance.

“In tough times our top franchisees make sure they go back to basics with great customer service to ensure repeat business and referrals,” she says.

ATS franchisees start their business with a brilliant advantage. It tenders for national accounts, so newbie franchisees have immediate access to clients sourced by head office.

ATS has clients from logistics to retail, enabling franchisees to service the local office of a national business.

“We allocate work to franchisees from our national contracts on an ongoing basis. And our royalties are not fixed, they are percentage-based – based on the work a franchisee does,” Sarah points out.

Franchisees are required to have some basic knowledge about computers, software, and apps, but ATS provides full training in all business elements.

And lack of technical qualifications is no barrier to owning an ATS franchise, Sarah says.

No qualifications required

“You don’t need to be a qualified electrician; the Australian standard for test and tag requires professionals to be competent. Franchisees can achieve competence with a one-day test and tag course.”

Former public servant Ken Black opted to buy his own business rather than take redundancy in his mid-50s.

“I had absolutely no experience in test and tag! Because ATS has very good training programs that wasn’t a problem. The onsite learning was extensive, and we also trained out on the field with expert technicians.”

It’s a business model that works well for people from all backgrounds, and all ages. Franchisees come from careers as diverse as public service, trades, hospitality, and corporate.

Franchisees like Yishi and Ranny, who buy an ATS franchise to enjoy the freedom of being their own boss, while benefiting from the expertise and advantages of an established franchise.

As a full service franchise, ATS provides extensive support and leads-driven marketing.

Full service support

“We do a lot of advertising with Google Ad Words, and we encourage people to self-educate on our website. All our franchisees are active on LinkedIn, sharing their expertise, our blogs, and the latest state legislative requirements,” she says.

Sarah says potential business customers are increasingly aware of their requirements to comply with safety regulations.

Critically for franchisees, the franchisor also provides invoicing and debt collection services, taking much of the admin strain away from franchisees.

“ATS manages invoice and debt collection for every franchisee and we have software that pushes all the accounting into their Xero accounting package, so there is no need for franchisees to do data entry or to hire a bookkeeper,” Sarah explains.

Another attraction is the affordability of the franchise, typically $57,500 plus GST.

“People are looking for the stability of a franchise, with an investment of less than $100,000,” Sarah says.

However, funding a franchise purchase can present a challenge for potential franchisees, particularly in tough economic times. ATS has a possible solution: it can offer franchisor-funded finance to help a cash-strapped, aspiring franchisee set up their business.

“Funding is always based on an individual’s case; we can tailor a start-up package to the successful applicant,” Sarah adds.

ATS has opportunities for new franchisees

“We’re gearing up for expansion and have lots of exciting opportunities around the country. In Queensland and New South Wales in particular we are keen to bring more franchisees on board to cope with the client demand,” Sarah says.

Well-served in suburban areas, ATS is looking to fill inner city territories, and regional areas.

“ATS franchisees work within a designated marketing area or territory. We base territories on employee numbers, so inner city areas are smaller, but of course housing costs are greater. Regional areas can be quite vast, so franchisees need to be driving a lot to cover their territory.

“They each have their challenges, but there’s lots of potential there for business-building,” she says.

The franchisor kick-start package includes finance to approved purchasers. Some of the areas available for this package include Bathurst, Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Gosford and Dee Why in New South Wales; in Queensland, Sunnybank, Strathpine, Bundaberg, Rockhampton and Mackay.

ATS is an obvious choice for individuals looking for a simple-to-operate franchise, with minimal administrative tasks, and the freedom to focus on building their business.