Franchising is a way of doing business. Unlike setting up your own business, in a franchise, the Franchisor owns the name, brand and system, and you as a franchisee are given the right to use them. As a franchisee you pay fees for these rights and for ongoing support services.

Franchising can deliver great benefits. You can learn core business skills and have access to a business model that has proven successful in other locations or areas. Franchisees can have access to a respected brand, obtain initial and ongoing training, have access to product and technical assistance, benefit from group purchasing and collaborative marketing, acquire unique or distinctive products and services, save on set up and other costs, gain lease arrangements on premises not normally available to small business, obtain finance more easily and have the capacity to obtain business support from the franchisor and other franchisees.

There may be other benefits such as administrative assistance, access to advanced technology, franchisor services, research and development and benchmarking.

In short, franchising provides small business (the franchisee) with the tools of big business (provided by the franchisor). That's why owning a franchise business makes a lot of sense - and why Franchising in Australia is amongst the most dynamic and progressive business sectors in the economy.

Why should you own a PACK & SEND franchise?

We can give you lots of reasons.

We've been operating a proven business model that has been continually developed and honed for 20 years - and we are always looking for entrepreneurial minded people to join our growing team.

If you have a passion for delivering great service and want to build a business that has no limits to growth - then this may be the opportunity to fulfil your business ambitions.

A PACK & SEND Service Centre is essentially a 'travel agent' for the freight and packaging industry - and our business has continued to grow every year because we provide great value for our customers - using advanced technology to find the best 'asset based' freight supply partner (courier, cargo, shipping, postal, and removalist companies) that suits their delivery needs. This, together with our expertise in packaging services, means you can offer a solution for any person or business.

Here are just a few of the benefits of owning a PACK & SEND Franchise:

1. Dynamic growing market

You can have the confidence of knowing a simple but compelling market reality: growing trade via the internet is significantly increasing the demand for sending packed and unpacked goods. In today's world of online shopping, there continues to be more and more goods being shipped than ever before.

2. World class business systems

You are fully equipped with the systems, resources, network, technology, expertise and buying power to exploit the explosive growth in the movement of goods.

3. No Limits to your sales growth

Your potential customers are everyone; including Blue-chip corporations, small to medium size businesses, tourists, backpackers, eBay buyer and sellers, householders and government departments.

You have the systems to handle everything - big, large, small, awkward and valuable - from one item to hundreds of items.

You can arrange collection of customers' packed goods located virtually anywhere on the planet - and then have them delivered to any destination in the world.

Not only are you able to provide packaging services to customers locally, but also at a national and international scale - using PACK & SEND's Store Connect(TM) system.

4. Brand strength

With an international footprint of more than 130 Service Centre locations, the PACK & SEND brand opens doors, confirms credibility, motivates the buyer and instills customer loyalty. Our website, call centre and referral networks deliver you consistent enquiries from day one, giving you a great platform from which to build your business. PACK & SEND is one of Australasia's leading franchise businesses.

5. Great work-life balance

A key benefit of owning a PACK & SEND Service Centre is that you are essentially operating from retail premises at business to business trading hours.

6. Earn online income, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day

At PACK & SEND you get the best of both worlds - Online & Retail. PACK & SEND offers our customers a combination of 'bricks and mortar' Service Centre sales and ecommerce parcel delivery sales (Online Self-Service). You literally will earn money while you sleep.

7. High profit margin products and services

PACK & SEND Service Centres operate with high gross profit margins, where individual sales can gross anything from a few dollars to $80,000 and above.

8. Low cost retail business model

You get to operate a retail business model that is based on a low staff requirement and low non-perishable inventory - with the advantage of having access to the systems, strategic planning capability, buying power and marketing muscle of a big network.

9. Award winning training & support

We provide professional and comprehensive initial training that covers every aspect of owning and operating a PACK & SEND Service Centre. There is ongoing training, a comprehensive intranet site, benchmarking and marketing support. You also receive one-on-one support from a dedicated business development consultant.

PACK & SEND has been internationally recognised for embracing world class franchising business practices. The company was the winner of the 2007 PricewaterhouseCoopers Australian Franchisor of the Year Award and in 2008 earned second place in the prestigious International Franchisor of the Year Award.

10. Work satisfaction and fulfilment

It's our franchisees who tell us how personally and professionally satisfying working in a PACK & SEND Service Centre can be. When you are in the business of sending anything anywhere, no two days are the same; and there is nothing more rewarding than being recognised by your customers and peers for going the extra mile with a 'no limits' service.

11. A team that embraces innovation

Innovation is an integral part of the PACK & SEND culture and business strategy. You will be joining a team committed to implementing new business and technology initiatives - so that you benefit from the brand continuing to evolve and expand its range of one-stop-solutions.

12. Low Initial Investment

A PACK & SEND franchise is a very affordable investment with a low entry price compared to other retail franchise systems. We also have a Gateway Franchise Program - that assists people to get into business who we believe are outstanding candidates but have insufficient equity. This includes access to major lending institutions that know and trust our brand. For qualified candidates, these lending institutions may finance a portion of the initial investment against the assets of a new PACK & SEND Service Centre location.

The wise selection of prospective franchisees underpins the success of all franchise systems. In order to arrive at a successful "commercial marriage", we go through a systematic and thoughtful approach to franchisee selection to reduce the likelihood of an "imperfect match".

At PACK & SEND, we are looking for special people to join the team. Here are some of the key qualities we look for in potential franchisees:

• A passion for consistently providing great customer service
• People who are dedicated, committed and energetic, with a drive to create success through their own efforts
• An ability to communicate clearly and build relationships
• Excellent selling skills and a natural drive towards the relentless execution of local marketing initiatives
• Good time management skills
• People who are comfortable working with computers and have a willingness to keep abreast of the latest technology trends for small businesses
• Positive team players

Our most successful franchisees share our core values and philosophies. They're motivated, inspired and driven to succeed. If this sounds like you, we encourage you to learn more about joining the PACK & SEND team in order to fulfil your business ambitions. You'll be supported by a network of industry professionals whose responsibility is helping you realise success in business. And you'll be joining a brand highly respected within our industry.

The PACK & SEND Franchise System is unique. It is a Retail Service Centre operation providing convenient freight and packaging services to businesses and consumers - plus it offers online freight solutions. There is no other franchise system like it in the world and best of all, PACK & SEND Franchisees receive assistance and support along the way.

A System Recognised by the Experts

The experts agree. The PACK & SEND Franchise System is among the best. PACK & SEND has been a driving force in the history of Australian franchise development and has received a number of accolades for its business performance and best practice franchising methods. These include:

• 2007 PricewaterhouseCoopers Australian Franchisor of the Year Award.
• 2007 PricewaterhouseCoopers Best Australian Franchisor - Retail Category.
• Second place in the prestigious International Franchisor of the Year Award 2008.

How the System Works

• PACK & SEND licenses franchises for a retail business (known as Service Centres) which provide a full range of packing and freight solutions to businesses and consumers. Service Centres utilise our proprietary freight management technology (GlobalMaster™) to find the best 'asset based' freight supply partner (courier, cargo, shipping, postal, and removalist companies) to perform the delivery solution for their customer.
• Service Centres also use an approved PACK & SEND branded Light Commercial Vehicle Van to facilitate any local pick-ups or local deliveries that may be required by customers.
• A key value-added service of the PACK & SEND Service Centre includes professional custom packaging of items of any size, fragility or weight. PACK & SEND Service Centres also sell a wide range of packaging supplies.
• The Service Centre business system is set up for low staffing levels but with a 'no limits' approach to sales growth. A Service Centre can service customers in any geographic area. You can arrange collection of customers' packed goods across the globe and not only are you able to provide packaging services to customers locally, but also at a national and international scale - using PACK & SEND's Store Connect system.
• The Service Centre is provided with an exclusive marketing territory for the active marketing and promotion of PACK & SEND products and services. The Service Centre may solicit business in any geographic area (and is encouraged to do so) as long as it is not in another existing Service Centre territory.
• PACK & SEND centrally operates and manages the organisations e-commerce operations. We handle and process customer income receipts, freight supplier payments and develop and maintain the technology to support our online operations. Each Service Centre acts as our online agent, providing the fulfilment of all operational and customer service functions using our proprietary Online Fulfilment Management software. In performing these services PACK & SEND pays the Service Centre a service fee equal to 100% of the revenue booked online by customers located closest to their outlet - less their share of the expenses incurred by PACK & SEND in operating the e-commerce operation.

Ongoing Fees

• The Franchisee pays initial licence fees for the rights to use the brand, business system and licensed software.
• Ongoing fees include royalty, advertising levy and ongoing technology/software fees.

What the Franchisee Receives from PACK & SEND

Every successful business is built on a solid foundation. And that is precisely what we give our franchisees.

What we bring to the table is comprehensive initial and ongoing training, national head office support, advanced proprietary technology, marketing resources, customer referral networks, powerful internet marketing strategies, preferred supplier buying rates, a global network to assist in providing services, online operations manual, assigned Field Support Manager, regular franchisee meetings, national conference, financial benchmarking reports and standardised systems, tools and processes on all aspects of the business.

Our franchisees lead their business to success by bringing a passion for great customer service, relentless execution of sales and marketing activities to develop local brand awareness and lead generation, skills in converting enquiries to income and a commitment to efficient business management.

Initial Investment Information

The Initial Investment in any retail franchise is typically composed of three elements - Initial license fees, establishment costs and working capital.

1. Initial License Fees

Initial License Fees are one-off fees required to gain access to use PACK & SEND's intellectual property - including the trademarks, the complete business operating system and proprietary technology. It also includes initial training for you and/or key staff. PACK & SEND's initial training includes:

• Two weeks initial training at corporate office that covers all areas of running the franchise business.
• One week practical training in one of our corporate-owned Service Centres.
• One week on-site assistance and training at your location during the opening period.

2. Establishment Costs

Establishment costs include such things as fit-out, equipment, packaging supplies and other items (stationery/office supplies, legal costs, uniforms, rent deposit, aviation security regulatory training and accounting software).

Establishment costs can vary. For example, fit-out costs can vary depending on the size and condition of the premises to be leased.

3. Working Capital

Like every new business that opens - you will need working capital during the development period of building your business. These additional funds support on-going expenses, such as rent and utilities, to the extent that these costs are not covered by sales revenue in the early development months of your operation.

Total Initial Investment

There are two types of franchise units that can be purchased. The first is the establishment of a new PACK & SEND Service Centre franchise in a new territory. The second is the acquisition of an existing PACK & SEND Service Centre.

Below you will find a guide to the initial investment for a PACK & SEND franchise. A complete list of initial investment details will be provided to you in our PACK & SEND Disclosure Document and Franchise Agreement. At PACK & SEND, we also require all franchisees to obtain independent accounting and legal advice before they enter into a franchise agreement.

The Next Step

If you believe that you would make a suitable PACK & SEND franchisee, we would encourage you to take the next step and contact us to discuss current franchise opportunities available.

You can contact PACK & SEND on (02) 9822 5622. Alternatively, you can complete the enquiry form provided at the bottom of this page. These details will be submitted to our Selection Manager and you will be contacted within 48 hours.

Steps to owning a PACK & SEND franchise

At PACK & SEND, we are just as diligent as you are in wanting to make sure our franchise business is right for you both professionally and personally. Below is a guide to the steps involved in our selection process to help you understand better the journey to opening your own business.

Stage 1:

Initial telephone interview to give us a better understanding of your situation and if there is a fit with PACK & SEND. If it is considered worth your while to learn more about us, we will book a first meeting where we can give you a better understanding of what makes a PACK & SEND Service Centre successful and you can ask further questions. Prior to this next meeting we will request that you sign a confidentiality agreement and complete an application form online.

Stage 2:

First Meeting - We provide you with a thorough introduction to PACK & SEND. If, after this meeting, both you and PACK & SEND consider it worthwhile to progress to the next stage - then we will request you complete an Online Self-Assessment Form.

This self-assessment profile allows us to learn more about you; the profile is then used as a benchmark against 17 attributes that we know drives franchisee' success. These attributes include for instance, family support, energy levels, communication, cooperation, sales and service orientation etc. This profile provides some details on your strengths, possible development needs and brings to light relevant questions we can ask out our next meeting to help both you and us assess your suitability as a franchisee.

Stage 3:

Second Meeting - We provide you with a thorough overview of the PACK & SEND business system and we share some of the results of the Self-Assessment profile that may support or hinder your success as a franchise owner.

If you wish to proceed to the next stage, PACK & SEND will require a fully refundable deposit of $1,500. This will enable us to provide you with our Franchise Legal Documentation (including Disclosure Document) for you to get legal and accounting advice.

Stage 4:

Third Meeting -We address any questions relating to the Franchise Legal documentation and any other matters. At this meeting we also make arrangements for you to visit existing franchisees so you can learn more about expectations of franchisor support and what it takes to build a successful Service Centre.

Stage 5:

Final Meeting - We meet with you at our International Head Office in south-west Sydney for a final assessment. At this meeting you would meet with the CEO and senior executives of PACK & SEND for application approval. Subject to this approval you would then sign the Franchise Agreement and pay the Initial Franchise Fee.

Stage 6:

Training is scheduled. The process of Service Centre site selection and shop fit-out commences.

Stage 7:

Your Service Centre opens for trading.

Contact Us

You can take the first step to finding out more about the exciting opportunity of operating your own PACK & SEND Service Centre by Contact Us.