How Emerging Franchisor Renovation Sells is Using Technology to Fuel Franchise Growth

Renovation Sells, the fastest-growing presale home renovation franchise, has focused on innovation from day one. The company helps Realtors and homeowners sell their homes for the highest amount possible by making strategic, cosmetic updates before going to market without the typical timeline and headaches that often come with home renovations.

Having worked on over 1000 construction projects executed directly for homeowners, in addition to flipping and selling his own properties, co-founder and CEO Michael Valente took everything he knew about construction and the sales process to create something completely new - an all-in-one service that provides financing, beautiful design, and turnkey construction to real estate agents and their clients.

Since the brand began franchising the concept in 2021, Renovation Sells has sold a staggering 24 locations in just 11 months. A big part of that success, the team says, is the ability to leverage technology to help keep up with growth and support incoming franchise owners.

Technology and growth

How Technology Can Help Emerging Franchisors Grow

Regarding initial franchise growth, Executive Vice President Lisa Carrel says emerging franchisors like Renovation Sells should utilize technology to make internal processes as predictable as possible.

“If an owner comes into the system in October, they will receive the same messaging and onboarding process as someone who comes on next year in March because our process is repeatable,” Carrel said. “We are using tech to create that repeatable process and ensure consistency and efficiency across the board.”

On the onboarding side, co-founder Amanda Valente says the process is automated with drip campaigns, template emails and e-communication tools. “Our technology systems help us organize information and make sure all new owners receive a personalized experience,” she said.

Support systems

A Tech-Forward Approach to Support

Once franchisees are officially a part of the system, Carrel says technology continues to play an essential role within Renovation Sells. “We not only give them the software and platform to offer a more reliable service to customers, but we also provide in-depth training and support when it comes to using those tools,” she said.

Renovation Sells franchisees have everything they need to optimize their business at the click of a button, including an internal communication platform, virtual toolkit, and a custom CRM. The system also uses marketing automation software ClickUp, a third-party project management platform that allows franchisees to make requests from the Corporate office.

“We are not digging through emails — we have a direct place that the franchisee can use to plan their business,” said Carrel. “If you go and hire someone to build a graphic, for example, you usually need to spend all of that time finding them, reaching out, planning the timeline. With our technology suite, we can handle all those projects quickly and easily, creating better transparency and communication among the franchisee and us.”

Data driven decisions

Why Data is an Essential Tool for Emerging Franchisors

While most franchisors don’t take the time to invest in this kind of technology until they reach hundreds of units, Renovation Sells is putting in the work to build the infrastructure now so they can reap the rewards later. “Since we are using this technology from the beginning, it makes us more efficient long-term,” said Valente. “This means we can be leaner, without the need for larger teams, and focus those efforts more on achieving our big picture goals.”

Another key aspect of this tech-forward strategy is the power of analytics, Carrel said. “Having the data points that our software provides can help us make more informed decisions,” she said. “Why is a marketing strategy successful? Why should we send this type of email over another? How well are people doing in the field? How many deals do we get after we make 20 phone calls? We have the data points to find those answers and guide the next move accordingly.”

This access to in-house data also allows Renovation Sells to keep up with what is happening in the real estate industry and pivot through continued innovation. “Technology is changing so quickly, and we can implement solutions just as quickly by taking advantage of what we’ve already built,” said Carrel.

Now, Valente says Renovation Sells is looking to leverage the technology platforms it has already put in place to further expand its franchise footprint and support incoming franchise owners.

“Our franchisees have the opportunity to offer something brand new in their communities and join a tech-forward business model in a booming industry,” Valente said. “We have the energy behind us, and we are a young, bold team that is ready to explore where the future is going. We are not stuck in the old ways of how things are usually done — we are doing things differently and allowing franchisees to do the same.”