Franchise business National Tiles has undergone a refresh as part of its new business strategy.

The chain is implementing a five year plan of growth under new CEO Nick Walker, son of the founder Frank Walker, which entails significant expansion in New South Wales, Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland.

As part of the plan, a rebrand has taken place. Marketing co-ordinator Lauren Fernando-Bird says there is a new look to the stores with better displays, lifestyle images and concrete flooring. “We’ve improved the look and feel of a store, we have better branding, we’ve grown the product range.”

With more than 320 stock lines, there is a great deal of choice, she adds.

Buyers source products from Europe, Argentina and China and the supply chain is a crucial part of the franchise offer, Fernando-Bird explains. “Our support network sets us apart, everything is centralised. Independent owners can deal with 45 separate suppliers. We have one portal, and franchisees don’t have to ring through orders endlessly, our purchasing officer handles this.”

That’s why national franchise manager Mark Moskwa believes this franchise is a great option for an existing tiling business owner looking to re-badge and gain the benefits of a retail network, or for a tiler ready for the next stage of their career.

Franchisees also benefit from a support package that includes procurement and IT/admin back-up and from a centralised online strategy. The company recently employed a digital marketing coordinator to assist the team with online support.

Fernando-Bird explains, “This is to rein in our current online communications to maintain consistency. We want our franchisees to focus on selling. They don’t have to think about this, it’s all handled centrally.”

And for customers, the Trade Club Plus loyalty program has been a great success, with a membership of more than 2000 – each member paying a membership fee of $100 which enables them to access significant discounts on products such as adhesive and other special offers.