Smartline named franchising winner for seventh straight year

Smartline Personal Mortgage Advisers has been named as Australia’s top franchise for the seventh consecutive year.

Topfranchise.com.au ranked Smartline number one in its latest top 10 list released on November 18, following a comprehensive survey of franchisees from franchise systems across the country.

Smartline has held the number one ranking since 2009. Smartline took out the overall award having been ranked first in four of the six survey sub categories:

• Support: examining levels of support offered by the franchisor
• Lifestyle: whether franchisees are satisfied with the lifestyle their franchise
  affords them
• Passion: the passion franchisees have for their product/service and
  customers. Also whether friends and family believe in the business
• Marketing: The strength of the marketing strategy and the support provided

Smartline Managing Director Chris Acret said winning the Topfranchise award was a great privilege. “While it’s great to be recognised within the mortgage industry, we’re very proud of the fact that this award recognises Smartline as the benchmark in franchising across all industries, and is based on the feedback of our own people.”

“Smartline has a unique approach and business philosophy. We have geared the whole business around helping our franchisees be successful.  It’s a team approach with a very strong team culture and camaraderie with high levels of collaboration amongst franchisees. It’s a key reason for people’s success.” said Chris Acret. “Every decision we make as a business is based on whether it’s best for the client and whether it’s best for the franchisee. If something we are considering doesn’t tick both those boxes, we don’t do it.”

He added, “We’ve been in business for nearly 17 years and continue to evolve. We continue to stay true to our fundamentals but have certainly evolved along the way to capitalise on technology, meet the changing needs of our clients and adapt to regulatory requirements and the like.”

10 THOUSAND FEET and topfranchise.com.au’s Head of Intelligence Ian Krawitz said Smartline continued to impress and evolve.

“In most areas their franchisees are the most satisfied they have been since Smartline first won the awards in 2009,” he said.

“Some of the standout reasons for their continued success include the style of coaching and mentoring they provide to their franchisees, the transparent, inclusive company culture and their discipline to keep their franchisees’ businesses lean and geared for growth and
profitability”

Over 1000 franchisees were surveyed by 10 THOUSAND FEET across the franchise Industry. Each franchisee is asked 43 questions in key areas, with the feedback used to benchmark performance in comparison to other franchise systems.