Title tasks without the office hassle
A franchise model in the conveyancing space aims to centralise repetitive but critical tasks allowing practitioners to focus on customer care. So, does it work?
AUSTRALIA is awash with franchise opportunities, from cleaning to coffee shops, fitness to fried chicken.
Over 1,300 networks, offering brand recognition, marketing, training, defined territory and back-office support.
A business model that’s now come to conveyancing, where big players get bigger and small ones – like sole practitioners – often get buried under admin.
One solution on offer is bytherules conveyancing and property law services, developed by recent AC Face To Face guest Christopher Lane, founder and CEO of Deep Blue Company.
“Anyone who runs one of these businesses understands how much discipline is required,” Chris said of conveyancing. “They’re high volume, low margin.”
He started DBC 15 years ago as a pioneer of digital conveyancing that now offers services and subsidiaries bridging the whole sale-to-settlement journey.
It has over 400 employees and more than 70,000 clients, handling over $9 billion in annual transactions.
Expertise he’s parlayed into DBC’s “bytherules” franchise division. It began in Queensland, expanded into NSW this year, and will expand into Victoria next year.
“They are the epitome of a balanced corporate, in my mind,” Chris told F2F.
“We’ve got the benefits of brand, a well-articulated strategy, technology being serviced and delivered from HQ.”
As a result, he estimates DBC now handles about 16 per cent of all transactions in Queensland.
“It’s brand-led,” he said. “It’s bytherules, and we’re so very proud of it.
“We are looking for great franchise partners to joins us… existing businesses who want to become part of a branded strategy… and not have to worry about trust or technology. They want a ‘done-for-you’ environment.”
According to its website, bytherules franchises cost from $20,000 with training, marketing, sales and legal support.
bytherules head office is the law firm, and franchisees are administrators of the conveyancing work under the supervision of the law office.
A typical operator might be solo, operating online from home.
Customers use the BTR website to find what’s advertised as “incredibly easy” personalised conveyancing at a fixed price.
“We provide the infrastructure,” Chris said. “Insurance, trust account administration, technology, phones, brand and marketing strategy, legal sign-off.”
Chris says franchisees can build not just strong businesses but also join a “fantastically fun community.”
“People sometimes perceive conveyancers as less than interesting,” he said. “Well, we love it!”
He concedes some might be nervous about joining a franchise, but says they also offer a structured valuation and an exit strategy.
In other words, a saleable asset in view of eventual retirement.
Meanwhile, “You get to do what you do best: attend to the customer.”
