Software provider expands market reach to benefit Australian franchisors and franchisees

For any business with multiple locations such as fitness centres, and hospitality and retail chains, the expansion of FranConnect - a leading franchise and multi-location management software provider - into the ANZ and APAC markets is significant.

Along with this expansion, FranConnect has appointed Paul Sharpe to its Executive Management Team as the new General Manager, A/NZ. Sharpe will be responsible for all go-to-market activities for FranConnect in ANZ including strategy, sales, customer success, and the continued growth of all FranConnect product lines in the region.

For the first time, Australian businesses will now have access to the same innovative technology and robust platform that has gained 30% market share in North America and is growing at a rapid rate. Under Sharpe, FranConnect is expanding its Sydney-based team who have extensive local knowledge of the Australian franchise industry. This team will provide personalised support and guidance to its growing customer base and ensure a smooth transition onto the FranConnect platform, maximising the value they receive from the software.

Sharpe shared "I’m thrilled to be joining the ANZ team. FranConnect understands the unique challenges faced by franchisors and multi-location businesses in Australia. Our goal is to empower businesses with the right tools and resources to navigate those challenges successfully. We are excited to become part of the Australian franchise ecosystem and help companies achieve their growth objectives."

FranConnect has over 900 franchise brands as clients and helps to empower franchisors, franchisees and other multi-location business owners to streamline their operations, enhance collaboration, and drive growth while providing franchisees and store managers with the tools they need to efficiently manage their businesses.

The launch into ANZ and APAC marks an important milestone for FranConnect as it continues to grow its global footprint on the heals of its strategic acquisition of World Manager.

Under the consolidated company, FranConnect offers the most comprehensive franchise and multi-location management solutions to franchisors and multi-location businesses in the market globally.

Under Sharpe’s guidance, FranConnect is well-positioned to support the dynamic franchise and multi-location ecosystem in Australia and across APAC. The company's innovative technology and robust platform empower franchisors and other business owners to streamline their operations, enhance collaboration, and drive growth while providing franchisees and store managers with the tools they need to efficiently manage their businesses.  

Gabby Wong, Chief Executive of FranConnect enthused "Australia has a significant franchise and multi-location sector with tremendous potential for growth. Along with our World Manager acquisition, we are thrilled to bring FranConnect's cutting-edge franchise and multi-location management solutions to Australian franchisors and businesses, enabling them to optimise their operations, increase profitability, and achieve sustainable success.

“We can’t think of a better person to achieve this than Paul, and we welcome him into the FranConnect global team. Paul is a seasoned professional who brings a well-rounded and dynamic background to the team. He is a creative sales and business leader with demonstrated capabilities in transforming and building high-performance teams.”

Prior to FranConnect, Sharpe held senior leadership roles at Nexon, IBM, Samsung, and NTT, with extensive experience leading sales, product, and marketing teams; general business operations; transformations; and has managed acquisition integrations at scale.  

Starting life as a franchise-focused software solution, FranConnect has expanded its services to include all multi-location businesses such as retail chains, restaurant & hospitality chains, automotive service centres, beauty & hair salons, healthcare clinics, and more.

FranConnect's software suite includes modules for onboarding and training, operations & compliance management, lead generation & marketing, performance analytics, and more. This allows businesses to streamline their operations, improve communication, and gain valuable insights to make informed decisions.

FranConnect has already secured many customers in Australia including Nike, Billabong, Domino’s, Nando’s, Gloria Jean’s Coffees, Hungry Jacks, and Ben & Jerry’s. Globally, FranConnect supports huge brands including A&W Restaurants, Snap Fitness, 9Round, Viet Thai and commands over 30% of the franchise businesses in North America.

For over 20 years, the FranConnect platform has served as the sales, operations, and marketing backbone for over 1500 brands and multi-location businesses worldwide and reached over 350,000 locations and franchise unit. Backed by private-equity investor Serent Capital, FranConnect is headquartered in Virginia USA, with global offices in Australia, India, Colombia, and Canada.