PROFILE
Tuning up A to support franchisees Take a look under the bonnet of the Rapid Tune automotive aftermarket repair business, the 2021 Established Franchisor of the Year.
22 | FEB/APRIL 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU
small office onsite at the very first Rapid Tune outlet was where founder Mark Rippon hatched his franchising plan. Today the business that started in Ferntree Gully, Victoria, boasts 29 locations, 25 franchises and four company stores based in its home state and Queensland; 18 of the stores have been launched within the last five years. The business delivers a range of mechanical repairs on all makes and models of vehicles including logbook servicing, brake repairs, air conditioning, management system diagnostics and a complete range of tyre fitting services. Mark has personal experience as a franchisee with other brands, and that has given him the franchise smarts required to launch a system that works for franchisees. He set out to create a franchise brand with a unique culture and high franchisee satisfaction, and launched the model in 2008. “We have steadily grown our brand, franchise footprint, customer and franchisee satisfaction scores and revenue,” Mark says. It’s been a deliberate choice to focus on steady, sustainable growth, starting with Victoria, and in 2016, Queensland, where there are now eight outlets. Once there are 25 stores operating in the Sunshine State, Rapid Tune will expand into New South Wales. The very first franchisee came from within the business and 90 to 95 percent of franchisees today are Rapid Tune employees-turned-business owners. The initial franchisee has been an integral part of the company for more than a decade. Mark says,
