In today's fast-moving digital world, technology has become one of the key foundations of success for franchise systems. At Strategic Franchising Systems (SFS), which includes five necessity-based brands — Caring Transitions, Pet Wants, Fresh Coat Painters, TruBlue Home Service Ally, and The Growth Coach — embracing innovation is no longer optional. It’s a strategic advantage.
Lisa Ashbury, senior director of I.T. at Caring Transitions and technology advisor for all SFS brands, is at the forefront of this digital transformation. Her work offers a glimpse into how technology is being thoughtfully implemented across the Strategic Franchising portfolio to empower franchisees and better serve customers.
At Caring Transitions, for example, which helps seniors and their families through life transitions such as downsizing and estate sales, technology has become central to operations. One of the most significant innovations is CTBids, the brand’s proprietary online auction platform.
“The connectedness of our online auction platform really transformed the auction world,” said Ashbury. “It can put items in front of the client within minutes. It’s not only a way to fulfill contracts but also a powerful marketing tool for closing deals.”
CTBids features a complete suite of technology that streamlines the process from quote to sale. Franchisees can generate quotes, manage listings, accept payments and even provide customers with a mobile app for bidding — all integrated into one seamless system. “We’re bringing modern tech to the auction world,” she said. “There’s a whole machine running behind the scenes.”
Another impressive tech tool in the Caring Transitions toolbox is the CT Accelerator, Ashbury says, a quoting solution that allows franchisees to generate in-home estimates quickly and accurately.
“This tool can give a high-level quote right on-site,” said Ashbury. “We’re working on enhancements so that franchisees can potentially close deals before they even leave the house. It’s designed to make the sales process more efficient and professional.”
As part of the broader Strategic Franchising strategy, tools like CT Accelerator demonstrate the company’s commitment to equipping its franchisees with tech that simplifies operations and improves closing rates.
While Caring Transitions leads the charge in online estate sales, SFS is increasingly looking at technology from a holistic perspective. “We are technically five separate companies, but we’ve never fully leveraged the knowledge that’s in-house across brands,” Ashbury said.
For example, multiple SFS brands already use Amazon Web Services (AWS), but Ashbury and her team are now focused on maximizing collective spending power and identifying tech solutions that can be shared across the system. “We want to think globally rather than reinventing the wheel for every brand,” she said. “It’s about leveraging our subject matter experts and applying what’s working in one brand to the others.”
This cross-brand collaboration means more streamlined systems, better vendor partnerships and a stronger, more unified network — all of which translate to improved outcomes for franchisees.
All of this innovation is made possible by a dedicated tech team — both on-site and offshore — that drives development, implementation and support across the brands.
“There’s a lot of investment in tech — not just in the platforms but in the people,” said Ashbury. “We’ve delivered a wide portfolio of projects that have positioned us for success. AI is becoming a big trend in franchising, for example. We’re leveraging it to improve search functionality and enhance the customer journey.”
And the results speak for themselves. Caring Transitions, for example, has seen explosive growth in recent years, largely fueled by the evolution of its digital platform and infrastructure.
“When you look at the growth of CTBids over the years, we really rocketed to the moon,” Ashbury said. “We have a sound process, and we’re always looking for new ways to help franchisees become more profitable.”
SFS has always been about making business ownership accessible — with affordable startup costs, proven models and necessity-based services that thrive in any economy. Now, with a strong foundation in tech and digital innovation, franchisees are positioned to scale faster and serve clients more efficiently than ever before.
“We’re here to help ordinary people achieve extraordinary success,” said SFS CEO Daniel Murphy. “And technology is a key part of how we do that.”
Whether it’s AI-powered search, mobile-friendly tools, quoting apps or online sales platforms, SFS continues to prove that smart technology isn’t just for Silicon Valley. It’s for everyday entrepreneurs, too.
To learn more about how Strategic Franchising Systems empowers franchisees through innovation and support, visit 1851franchise.com/strategicfranchising.
Strategic Franchising
SPONSORED
Strategic Franchising Systems leverages a dedicated tech team and innovative platforms like CTBids to empower franchisees across its five franchise brands.
In today's fast-moving digital world, technology has become one of the key foundations of success for franchise systems. At Strategic Franchising Systems (SFS), which includes five necessity-based brands — Caring Transitions, Pet Wants, Fresh Coat Painters, TruBlue Home Service Ally, and The Growth Coach — embracing innovation is no longer optional. It’s a strategic advantage.
Lisa Ashbury, senior director of I.T. at Caring Transitions and technology advisor for all SFS brands, is at the forefront of this digital transformation. Her work offers a glimpse into how technology is being thoughtfully implemented across the Strategic Franchising portfolio to empower franchisees and better serve customers.
At Caring Transitions, for example, which helps seniors and their families through life transitions such as downsizing and estate sales, technology has become central to operations. One of the most significant innovations is CTBids, the brand’s proprietary online auction platform.
“The connectedness of our online auction platform really transformed the auction world,” said Ashbury. “It can put items in front of the client within minutes. It’s not only a way to fulfill contracts but also a powerful marketing tool for closing deals.”
CTBids features a complete suite of technology that streamlines the process from quote to sale. Franchisees can generate quotes, manage listings, accept payments and even provide customers with a mobile app for bidding — all integrated into one seamless system. “We’re bringing modern tech to the auction world,” she said. “There’s a whole machine running behind the scenes.”
Another impressive tech tool in the Caring Transitions toolbox is the CT Accelerator, Ashbury says, a quoting solution that allows franchisees to generate in-home estimates quickly and accurately.
“This tool can give a high-level quote right on-site,” said Ashbury. “We’re working on enhancements so that franchisees can potentially close deals before they even leave the house. It’s designed to make the sales process more efficient and professional.”
As part of the broader Strategic Franchising strategy, tools like CT Accelerator demonstrate the company’s commitment to equipping its franchisees with tech that simplifies operations and improves closing rates.
While Caring Transitions leads the charge in online estate sales, SFS is increasingly looking at technology from a holistic perspective. “We are technically five separate companies, but we’ve never fully leveraged the knowledge that’s in-house across brands,” Ashbury said.
For example, multiple SFS brands already use Amazon Web Services (AWS), but Ashbury and her team are now focused on maximizing collective spending power and identifying tech solutions that can be shared across the system. “We want to think globally rather than reinventing the wheel for every brand,” she said. “It’s about leveraging our subject matter experts and applying what’s working in one brand to the others.”
This cross-brand collaboration means more streamlined systems, better vendor partnerships and a stronger, more unified network — all of which translate to improved outcomes for franchisees.
All of this innovation is made possible by a dedicated tech team — both on-site and offshore — that drives development, implementation and support across the brands.
“There’s a lot of investment in tech — not just in the platforms but in the people,” said Ashbury. “We’ve delivered a wide portfolio of projects that have positioned us for success. AI is becoming a big trend in franchising, for example. We’re leveraging it to improve search functionality and enhance the customer journey.”
And the results speak for themselves. Caring Transitions, for example, has seen explosive growth in recent years, largely fueled by the evolution of its digital platform and infrastructure.
“When you look at the growth of CTBids over the years, we really rocketed to the moon,” Ashbury said. “We have a sound process, and we’re always looking for new ways to help franchisees become more profitable.”
SFS has always been about making business ownership accessible — with affordable startup costs, proven models and necessity-based services that thrive in any economy. Now, with a strong foundation in tech and digital innovation, franchisees are positioned to scale faster and serve clients more efficiently than ever before.
“We’re here to help ordinary people achieve extraordinary success,” said SFS CEO Daniel Murphy. “And technology is a key part of how we do that.”
Whether it’s AI-powered search, mobile-friendly tools, quoting apps or online sales platforms, SFS continues to prove that smart technology isn’t just for Silicon Valley. It’s for everyday entrepreneurs, too.
To learn more about how Strategic Franchising Systems empowers franchisees through innovation and support, visit 1851franchise.com/strategicfranchising.
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