Think Water is a network of 50+ successful, independently owned and operated, irrigation and water services businesses across Australia and New Zealand
The group was founded by the owners of 33 independent Australian irrigation and water services business with common goals. As independents, they saw the opportunity to work together as a united force to take their individual businesses to a new level of competitiveness, professionalism, and profitability all under one common national brand Consequently, Think Water was formed in early 2007 and commenced operations in July of that year
Today with well over 50 Members in Australia and New Zealand, Think Water is in a growth phase, offering the opportunity for forward thinking businesses to share in the many benefits a group of this size offers As a franchise we can offer the option of additional benefits including shared knowledge, buying power, customised safety system and project management tools, purpose built operating software, marketing support, training and HR support plus others under the common brand of Think Water All this is offered under the rare structure of a Member owned business structure.
Think Water has grown rapidly since its inception for the simple reason that we offer existing successful independent businesses the rare opportunity to retain the independence they value while getting the benefit of professional corporate support Think Water is built around three pillars Being: 1 solutions providers, not just retailers; 2. committed to leading the industry in water efficiency; 3. locally owned and operated and internationally backed
If this sounds like you, do not hesitate to get in touch with us We are looking for more like minded Members, with territories still available in Australia and New Zealand We look forward to meeting with you and discussing how joining Think Water would benefit your business.
Sincerely, Tony France
TONY FRANCE GENERAL MANAGERWith an expansive team of knowledgeable, passionate, dedicated people, Think Water specialises in the design and implementation of the most water efficient irrigation and water management programs for clients across all sectors and regions of Australia and New Zealand
Our stores are locally owned, and involved in local communities, but provide the buying power, service and resources of a national company
The Think Water vision is to become Australia and New Zealand’s leading supplier of innovative and integrated solutions to the water services sector, delivering maximum efficiency and certainty to our clients
The Think Water foundation principle is based on the fact that water is our most precious resource. Our responsibility to clients is to engage with the industry to ensure our products and services meet world standard best practices in the area of efficient water management We maintain professional relationships with an elite group of Preferred Suppliers who we consider as part of our family Our relationship with these companies means we have up to date training and product support
All Think Water franchise members in Australia and New Zealand are fully supported by the National Support Office (NSO) Services include business mentoring, human resources, marketing, accounting support and administration assistance
To grow, evolve and challenge by collaboration and innovation, with empathy and respect
is to create value and opportunities for growth for our team of Think Water owners.
We are leaders in water efficiency and innovation
Our stores are locally owned and operated
We focus on providing solutions, not just products
is to provide services that empower every Think Water member to be the industry leader in their business sector and geographical market
Think Water use our collective buying power to ensure direct access to all big brands in pumping and irrigation at national key account pricing This provides significant savings on products you may be already purchasing
As a Member of Think Water you will continue to deal directly with suppliers via your own direct account under the umbrella agreement that pre determines discounted buying prices, rebates and LTI’s (Long Term Incentive) Think Water has working arrangements with every major supplier in the industry
All Preferred Suppliers contribute to the marketing and administration fund of Think Water that all Members benefit from.
As a business owner, Think Water understands you ’ re good at what you do. You’re passionate about your products, service, and customer relationships However, you may like additional advice from an impartial and unbiased external advisor capable of providing business advice, guidance and strategies to increase profitability and optimise your business Your dedicated and highly experienced Operations Manager and mentor can assist you in taking your business to the next level
Some of the benefits that a Business Mentor may bring to your business include:
I'm extremely happy with the supplier relationships at Think Water. They give me access to a wide range of world leading products with great pricing and support from the technical staff It's fantastic to be part of the brand and to be able to access those Preferred Supplier products
It has also been hugely beneficial to have the support of my Operations Manager Being new to the business, they were there to mentor me all the way through and help me with business decisions
Our Members have access to HR Assistance through the Think Water National Support Team Here is an overview of the services we provide:
Drafting of Position Descriptions & ads + Placing ads on SEEK & Website
Drafting of Employment Contracts for all staff members
Conduct review of an employee's job performance
Manage probation period reviews and extensions (if required)
Including and updating of new legislation as it is introduced or removed
Assist with integrating new staff members into the company
Implement processes and systems aimed at developing an employee
Assist with cease employment processes such as terminations and redundancies
Our HR Team also conduct reviews to insure Think Water Members processes and operations are safe and legal Reviews can be requested by store owners at any time
Employment Contract review
Salary / Awards review
Compliant with latest employment law legislation
To assist with recruitment issues, we have partnered with the Returned Services League Australia (RSL) and the The Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association (RSA)
These partnerships provide a pathway for ex servicemen and their spouses to enter the irrigation industry by working with Think Water.
Think Water Members have the opportunity to advertise jobs in both the RSL and RSA recruitment portals.
Think Water opens the door to a 50+ store Network to share skills, experience, and knowledge. We understand the importance of sharing Intellectual Property, so we incorporate regular events like Local and Regional Meetings, an Annual Conference and Trade Shows that provides a great opportunity for all Think Water Members and staff to meet and network with our Preferred Suppliers We also arrange presentations that are training focused for all Members
The Regional Meetings are held throughout the year for Members of each region to meet, discuss, compare notes and provide valuable feedback regarding their requirements and how they can collectively work together to promote their business
You don't realise how good the Think Water group is until you get into it. At the time I joined, I needed the group more than it needed me It's been so valuable and the information exchange that you get between the group is terrific
I really enjoy the support services that they offer If I have a question around HR then I can just pick up the phone and ring Liesle to get an instant answer The safety information and training on Tenders has really been quite useful
While Members proudly carry the internationally recognised Think Water brand every effort is made to retain the goodwill invested in your existing business name during the rebrand process. This is achieved through a short transition period where your existing customers are notified of the change and assured that while a change in name and brand has occurred, the team that they know and trust remains the same Being part of the larger Think Water group and sharing a common brand allows Members to leverage the goodwill of the known and recognised Think Water brand
Think Water also recognises that your local brand is important and has equity We have recently introduced the option to Co Brand This combines your local Brand with Think Water’s International Brand which is a powerful combination and utilises the strength of both banners. Co Branding also delivers added credibility and Brand Awareness which attracts new customers and provides additional value to your business for succession planning Think Water also offers flexibility in the timeframe of the rebranding process to ensure that you and the local market are prepared for the transition
Think Water has worked with retail design specialists to develop a Retail Design Guide. The guide was developed to assist Members and the group as a whole to achieve the maximum business advantage from the use of current retail design to increase store sales and strengthen our brand position
Clear identification to passing traffic (potential customers) of the nature of your business and the products you sell
Better use of your internal retail space to encourage customer traffic flow and exposure to products (impulse sales)
Uniform appearance of Think Water stores across the market place to build customer recognition of the brand
Benefits are achieved through the use of specific retail elements including:
External signage and building colours
External signage of the entry, parking & access points
Internal fixture layout of the store
Internal design & display features
Internal signage for departments, categories, service & promotion
Trained and knowledgeable staff are the key to providing quality service to your customers. Think Water heavily invest in and promote various training opportunities to Think Water Members and staff in not only the latest and most advanced irrigation and water management technology, but also for business skills to help them run their business more efficiently This is to ensure that each of our stores stay ahead of their competition
Certificate III in Irrigation Technology is a nationally accredited qualification in Australia and New Zealand, tailored to deliver a multi platform learning experience, focusing on everything Irrigation, pumping etc This qualification builds upon your current level of experience within the industry and provides you with a certification as a certified Irrigation technician
With courses delivered by Preferred Suppliers and top industry manufacturers, Think Water Members and staff gain practical knowledge on the latest irrigation techniques
Think Water Preferred Suppliers are invited to run training sessions at the annual Regional Meetings across the two countries, providing information on new products and systems
To encourage and support school leavers and the younger generation all Think Water stores offer a Foundations Program to assist with store sales. This is a structured work and education employment opportunity in partnership with Think Water and the Federal Government under the Critical Skills Investment Fund
Does your business rely heavily on you? Can it operate successfully without you?
Capitalising on the communication revolution, we manage and run regular promotions on social media platforms, including Facebook, LinkedIn & YouTube for our Members Our social media activities reach tens of thousands of people each month, spreading the word and promoting our store capabilities and Preferred Suppliers products
We also offer a Social Media Management Package, where our Marketing team manages the social media channels for the store and creates targeted ad campaigns to align with the Members goals
Think Water plans and prepares regular marketing campaigns for its franchisees Each store chooses the campaigns that suit their own local market and time of the year. The creative strategies are prepared in a flexible way to allow each Member to pick and choose from a collection of creative materials to suit their local market and budget
We also run national ad campaigns, mainly through digital mediums, which generate leads for all of our stores.
Think Water maintains and continuously updates its Australia and New Zealand websites Our website showcases Think Water and the capabilities of each of our stores Both websites combined attract more than 7,000+ visitors per month
We provide our Members with their own store specific website and Google listing at no additional cost.
To establish a strong digital position, we run annual SEO and Google Ad campaigns to ensure that your national site, and Member specific sites, are ranking in a high position in searches related to our industry
Google Business Profiles & Review Strategies
Graphic Design for marketing material
Preparing radio and TV ad campaigns
Email campaigns and automation sequences
Advanced and strong business systems and support are key in ensuring your business performs efficiently and stays ahead of the competition The technological revolution has provided many tools and applications that can help businesses to reach their potential
In partnership with external software developers, we have built a custom ERP software system exclusively for Think Water Members.
Our Members also have access to our Digital Hub, which is a branded eLearning portal with over 10,000 training modules for staff to access
The Members Portal is another system we have in place to assist our stores. The portal gives Members access to a variety of Think Water documents including training modules, marketing material and Supplier price lists
Think Water’s goal is to continuously explore, analyse and select business support systems that will help our stores run more efficiently, leaving our Members and their staff free to do what they do best.
HR SERVICESSupplier relationships are strengthened by being part of the group They understand the group and try to think of us as a whole and develop new strategies to grow our business by collaborating with everyone ' s views.
It's a very enjoyable process to go through Suppliers understand our business a lot more because we are part of such a bigger group
Businesses are meant to last forever, but owners change. When the time comes for a change, it is important to think about the future of your business Whether you are retiring, changing career or wanting to move overseas, strong succession planning is crucial to ensure that your business is valued fairly and you are rewarded for your years of hard work and effort
Think Water, as a large network of stores with a powerful and recognised brand in the industry across two countries, provides the foundation in a strong succession plan Additionally, Think Water provides succession planning for those Members considering a change
Succession planning in your business is important and ensures that there is no leadership vacuum after the retirement or exit of you as the business owner or a senior manager in your business As a majority of Think Water members are family businesses, Succession planning ensures that your business continues to run even after the exit or death of important persons in the business
Succession Planning also includes the realisation of the value of your business asset Think Water through its association with third party advisors can provide proactive and strategic advice on maximising business value in preparation for an eventual owner exit Our Accredited Advisers help business owners to improve productivity and profitability through the framework of planning for an ownership transition
This includes:
Employee Share Schemes Our succession planning guides owners through five key stages in preparing to move away from the business
Identifying Value Get a business valuation and identify any unmanaged risk that is lowering that figure
Protecting Value Tax and risk planning, will, insurance and governing documentation all complete.
Maximising Value Adjusting the business model, getting ready for an ESS, sale or succession
Unlocking Value Creating the most value at the time of transition, inc small business CGT concessions
Managing Value Ensuring assets are protected and value is invested to fund retirement post sale or exit
Joining Think Water has been one of the best business decisions I’ve ever made. The biggest thing for me has been that I’m a small business owner but I’m now part of a national team which means I can seek advice from other Members when problems and issues arise I’ve sought advice on all sorts of things from the obvious irrigation challenges to taxation, salary rates and administration issues. You really don’t feel like you ’ re on your own and that’s a big thing in business
are
business operate without you?
relations like?
effective is your marketing?
business systems industry leading?
does your business compare with competitors?
train your staff?
workplace?
and who
