ACFN Corp. Office
Sixth Floor
255 Julian Street
San Jose, CA 95113
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ACFN Welcomes 8 New Franchisees!!
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May 2018 Class
Congratulations and best of luck to:
Robert B- NY
Rajesh B- CA
Tom W - TX
April 2018 Class
Congratulations and best of luck to:
Sanjay K - CA
Craig A - NJ
Jimi W- CA
March 2018 Class
Congratulations and best of luck to:
Cody K - CA
Serghei C - FL
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 There are of course many tools you have at your disposal to accelerate the growth of your business such as dropping packets regularly at your top prospects so that we are “omnipresent” and not forgotten about when their contract is ending or when their current ATM provider falters. It is proven that 80% of sales are made during the 5th to 12th contact with the location. There are many causes for this but one of the main reasons is familiarity due to repeat, consistent messaging. In this article I am focusing on four main tactics you can utilize to help grow your business.
Personal Touch
The value of face to face interaction cannot be overemphasized. Keep in mind that there are countless ATM program options for these decision makers to choose from. Above all else, decision makers are looking for simplicity and for an obvious reason to choose one ATM Company over another. Why choose ACFN? The answer is easy. It is you, the franchisee that makes all the difference. The biggest differentiator between our company and any other is that we are the only national ATM provider that does not outsource any phase of our service to third party vendors. This is a very valuable distinction and any opportunity we have to highlight this unique aspect of our business needs to be capitalized on. This is a prime reason why over 75% of locations sign with us after meeting with “our local account manager”, you, the franchisee. You do not need any sales experience to have a successful meeting with a potential client. What is essential is to show up on time, have a positive attitude, and a strong belief in yourself and ACFN.
Customer Testimonials
This personal touch is not limited to new clients. In this day and age, it is easy to recognize “good service” because there is so much “poor” or “indifferent” service provided by most companies across the board. The good news is that you can capitalize on this apathetic approach by other people and companies and enjoy a substantial competitive advantage. It does not take much to make a huge difference. Below are three examples of testimonials written by clients and they really speak for themselves. Showing these testimonials to potential clients provides the necessary credibility to alleviate most of the apprehension one feels when entering into a new contract. Testimonials are a powerful tool to grow your business so let’s get to building your arsenal of customer testimonials right away.
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“In regards to ACFN, I have nothing but praise. The signing of the contract went very smooth. Then ACFN followed up with immediate communication on installation. All transactions have gone smoothly to date. We are excited to know that our profit margin has increase by 31%! Not to mention the beautiful cabinetry that has just enhanced the historic feel of our lobby. Thank you for all involved in creating a positive experience thus far.”
Patricia Santiago - The Historic Menger Hotel
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“ACFN has been an outstanding partner with ATM Placement & Service with Tower Energy Group over a number of satisfied years. We recently signed a new contract after researching numerous options due to the financial terms and level of commitment to Tower.”
- Nick Battaglia – Tower Mart
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“I no longer have any worries or concerns about the ATM. When I managed my own ATM it was a time robber and a nuisance all the time. Now the new modern machine creates no drama, causes no complaints, and best of all, I make a commission. Thanks ACFN.”
- Fred Rotermund, GM – Holiday Inn Memphis Airport
Top Tier Business & New Developments
Have the confidence to know that we can earn any business there is out there and that the opportunities are limitless. For example, there are 1,584 hotels with 300 rooms or more in the US that do not have ACFN as their provider. In addition to these 1,584 hotels there are also new developments. This is a space where the overwhelming advantage goes to the first company to make an approach to the business. With our proven track record, if we can establish a live conversation approximately 90 days before the scheduled business opening, our closing ratio is increased by 300%. Many times we need the franchisee to help locate a pre-opening office or find out the appropriate people to speak with so this is a true collaborative effort and the payout is more than worth it. Two recent examples of this are the soon to open Marriott Nashville (533 rooms) and the soon to open InterContinental St. Paul Airport Hotel (291 rooms) which we were able to sign contracts with. The franchisees were instrumental in visiting the area multiple times and helping to put us in contact with the appropriate decision makers.
Self-Generated Leads
It is no coincidence that the franchisees that are generating the most amounts of leads also have the quickest rate of growth. Your local knowledge is a powerful tool and can help us find high quality locations that do not fit the traditional mold. Some examples of what I am referring to are local hot spots, high end grocery food chains, bingo halls, busy transportation venues, and malls. All of the aforementioned examples are high volume locations we recently installed that were not on our corporate radar. Take the time to look for these hidden gems and you will be rewarded many times over.
The bottom line is that if you focus on doing the little extras, you will be amazed what you receive in return. I look forward to working with you to make 2018 our biggest year yet!
Jim Diltz, Vice President of Marketing
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Growing my business To 10 Machines | Franchisee Review
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 My first ATM went live in December 2016, fifteen short months ago. I now have 10 locations and anticipate add-ons this spring and summer. I always anticipate more, it’s a mindset that helps me stay focused.
Relationships: I first made an effort to build relations with the ACFN corporate team. And what an exceptional team it is. The quality is consistent through every department, and their expertise and attention to detail is the winning formula that gives us all an edge.
Methods: I drop leads pretty heavy, and many are my own, resulting from scouting online and on the road. I do reject leads when it doesn’t sit right. You have to imagine yourself serving it long-term. I make up for the rejections by suggesting more leads. I also track my leads and prioritize their importance to me. I do my best to reach the intended recipient, strike a conversation, ask questions and try to learn their priorities and concerns. I share this information with marketing and then collaborate and sometimes revisit the location reminding them we’re always right there. Through this I have gained locations, replaced existing servicer and earned referrals.
Relations: I strive to build relations with each location; with hotels, I get to know the valet guys, the IT team, security, front desk and management. Communication with locations also makes me aware of special events requiring extra loads. I believe all of this will secure the location long-term because they know me personally. Besides; I get parking privileges that get me in-and-out quick and easy. It’s all about relationships and it goes to the bank relations as well. I am close with my bankers. It helps with notes orders and pickups.
Technology: I apply technology everywhere I can. For my service routes as well as my drop routes I use RoadWarrior, an app that helps me optimize route organization, and I use “Waze” app with it to ensure fastest traffic navigation. This way I also know my daily distances. I use a date stamp app on my phone camera to simplify things and save journals on a flash drive instead of printing. It saves time and keeps things organized. I use both the CDS online portal and the mobile app. I have found each to provide complimentary information; including tracking changes in daily dispense averages, which helps me adjust load amounts.
Consistency: It applies to drops, follow-through, programming, installation and service. I strive to service each location the exact same way, following the script and forming good habits. Doing things the same way and in same order saves time and prevents mistakes. The ATM photo shoot in the end is my way of “cleaning up” and verifying I am really truly done.
While most of my machines are Triton Argo’s, a couple of clients requested other options due to their architecture and limited space. We recommended the Genmega Onyx, a state of the art, modern looking wall machine that overcomes both architectural and space objections. It’s a great alternative, easy to program and servicing is fast.
Like all of us, I strive to live up to the ACFN promise that our ATM’s always be in service and never empty out. It requires daily monitoring and occasional extra trips. Watching the growing number of locations and actual increased traffic tells me it’s working.
Freyr, Angel City ACFN
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