Harness the right technology to drive your franchise

Franchise Management Software Team

Franchise Software is backed by dedicated ex franchise staff delivering a seamless one-stop franchise software solution. .

Jim Hawkins

Founder & Managing Director

Jim’s career in I.T. started many decades ago, when soon after completing a Diploma in Accountancy at R.M.I.T.   

 In his early years on the Gold Coast – the rise of IBM & compatible PC’s enabled the business software systems that were bread & butter to Jim, to become available on hardware economical enough to be acquired by even small business users.  

Jim’s software systems were selected by a new McDonald’s franchise that opened in the Brisbane suburbs in 1985.  

 The payroll and accounting systems were adaptable enough to use in that franchise – and Jim’s work with the staff soon identified to need for & opportunity to add specialized modules such as inventory control, ordering, staff rostering, sales analysis etc. for that franchisee.  

The systems were so successful that they became used by more & more McDonald’s clients over ensuing years – and the business - Abcom grew into a supplier of such systems and associated services to the Australian franchise industry.

Jeremy Cook

Software Development Manager

Jeremy joined Abcom in April of 2002 while studying a Bachelor of Information Technology. Prior to joining Abcom Jeremy worked for a multi-site McDonalds Franchisee for 6 years and also for Subway for a period of 2 years. 

Jeremy has also studied various Microsoft qualifications including Microsoft Certified Professional, Microsoft Certified System Engineer and Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer. 

After joining the Abcom team Jeremy has progressed through many roles including Store System Support, Field Services, Testing, Design and Development. 

Jeremy's current role as Software Development Manager keeps him busy ensuring Abcom is kept up to date with the latest techniques and technologies, while maintaining existing systems to ensure they meet the needs of the clients.

Rod McClernon

Business Development Consultant

Rod's career began in the early 70's as a teenager with Pizza Hut in Melbourne. Rod then entered the Victorian Police Service for seven years and it was during those "Underbelly Years." Somewhat disillusioned with law enforcement Rod then returned to Pizza Hut as a Restaurant Manager then became State Manager for Tasmania in the early eighties. ​

Returning to Melbourne Rod joined Ansett Transport Industries and worked as part of Denny's Restaurants' launch into Australia. In the mid-eighties Rod moved to the Gold Coast and commenced the McDonald's Journey starting at Labrador & Coolangatta finally moving to and opening Ballina and Lismore in northern NSW. Over this period Ballina earned the prestigious AAA award twice. ​

In 1995 Rod became a Licensee and purchased Mount Isa McDonald's in western Queensland, Rod left the McDonald's System in 2003 moving to Townsville and setting up a small family business. In early 2011 Rod joined the Abcom team.

Peter Dessiax

​Business Development Consultant

Peter joined Abcom in mid 2021.

My passion is problem-solving and enjoy getting alongside our valued customers to help to discover new ways of doing things that ultimately improve their business.

Stuart Hitchcock

National Business Systems Architect

Stuart commenced with Abcom in December 1992, after working for a McDonalds franchisee for over 6 years. In 1990, Stuart commenced his Bachelor of Computer Science at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), specialising in system analysis and design. 

Throughout his 20 years with Abcom, Stuart has worked in Field Services, Client Support of both store and administration systems, Payroll and HR implementations, Design, Development and Testing of products, System Customisation for New Clients and the manager of significant projects with major clients both domestically and internationally. 

Stuart's current role encompasses architectural design concepts for our store and administration systems, internal consultant for Abcom’s Development team, POS interface consultant and data conversion for 3rd party products. 

As one of the longest serving employees of Abcom and combined with his vast experience and knowledge within the QSR franchise industry makes him a key member in improving and developing Abcom’s products and client base, both now and in the future.

 

Jason Batty

Regional Accounting Systems Manager

Jason commenced employment with Abcom back in February of 1995 while studying an Associate Diploma of business specialising in Accounting. 

Jason comes with firsthand experience in the QSR franchise industry having worked for a multi-site McDonalds Franchisee for 6 years. 

Over the duration of Jason's tenure with Abcom he has progressed from Store Systems Support Consultant to his current role in Accounting Systems. 

Jason has vast bookkeeping and systems knowledge in the QSR franchise industry and is a key team member  ensuring Abcom's success in facilitating and implementing these systems to our growing client base.

 

The Abcom Story

Abcom's roots go back to 1983 when our founder, Jim Hawkins discovered a need for specialized I.T. solutions for the "Fast Food" industry. Abcom set up its office on the Gold Coast in Queensland.  

The company commenced developing and marketing user friendly back office systems for local McDonald's franchisees and in a few years had quickly grown to become the dominant supplier of such software systems to McDonald's store owners across Australia.

In Australian company stores, McDonald's was using a similar generation franchise software system, sourced from its US operations and it was planned to roll that out to franchise outlets. That never happened, as the Abcom systems that became known as "McProfits" grew in functionality, adding in-store modules such as Crew Scheduling and equally importantly provided a growing range of administration systems such as Payroll, Accounts Payable & General Ledger/financial reporting that were tailor made to and ideal for these "independent" fast food franchise owner/operators.

With the advent of Windows based systems in the 90's, Abcom developed new generation replacement franchise software systems that were even easier to use and they too became widely accepted.

Eventually McDonald's needed a replacement system for its Australian company-owned outlets.
In the early 2000's their search for new generation replacement franchise software systems commenced. Whilst McDonald's had a number of later generation franchise software systems by then operational in other countries such as the USA and Europe, Abcom once again achieved success when our later franchise software system "eProphet" was chosen.
eProphet provided the ideal franchise software platform for McDonald's Australia to standardize its Back Office franchise software systems across every one of the 700+ restaurants across the country - both company and franchisee-owned.

By the time that Abcom had commenced its design work on eProphet - the company was well aware of the need for similar franchise software systems in other QSR franchise chains, and as such from its conception the new franchise software systems were engineered to allow easy implementation into all significant QSR franchise groups, and as Abcom grows it is ideally poised to extend its customer base into international markets.

abcom logo's transition over the yearsAbcom is fortunate to have a highly experienced and loyal staff. We have an ideal mix of people with advanced computing knowledge and QSR franchise business management training and experience built over many decades of computing and quick service restaurant management experience. Our policy is to employ hospitality and retail industry experienced and trained people in our development, support and training areas, thereby providing sound knowledge of store procedures and methods.

Abcom today operates Australia-wide and internationally. Our Head Office and development centre is based on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia and we have important branch offices located in Sydney & Melbourne that facilitate localized sales and support functions throughout Australia.

International sales and support is currently handled from our head office with local contacts appointed where appropriate.

Franchise Industry Partners

Abcom strategically works with franchise industry partners who will enhance solutions for our franchisee clients:

lightyear.cloud logotyro logo tanda industry partner of abcom

Affiliations

Abcom has affiliations with and endorses the following partners:

Abcom endorses Microsoft Abcom endorses Intel

Microsoft Certified Professionals

Abcom employs Microsoft Certified Professionals:

Abcom employs Microsoft Certified Professionals:

Abcom uses and follows the Microsoft Solutions and Microsoft Operations Frameworks:

Microsoft Solutions FrameworkMicrosoft Operations Framework

Abcom is an approved licensee of Australian Made

Abcom is an approved licensee of Australian Made

Employment Opportunities

franchise software development opportunities

Software Developer

We are currently looking for a senior software developer to work at our head office at Mudgeeraba on the Gold Coast.

Please refer to "seek.com.au"  for details

Help Desk / Support

There are currently no positions available at this time.

IT Services

There are currently no positions available at this time.

Administration / Accounting

We are always interested to receive applications from experienced bookkeepers to join our bookkeeping services division.

We help QSR franchise businesses large and small achieve more.



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