“Not knowing anything about excavators. Not having a business before either, and learning how everything runs. I feel pretty confident now.”
Steph, Diggermate Victor Harbor
Reviewed by Tony France, General Manager
Published 26 June 2026 · Last reviewed 11 July 2026
You do not necessarily need previous machinery hire experience to explore a Diggermate franchise.
Diggermate provides training, systems, and ongoing support to help new franchisees understand the equipment, manage bookings, handle customers and build their local business. Like any business, success still depends on the territory, owner involvement, local demand, equipment mix and how the business is operated.
Two WA owner stories show that support in practice. Pierre explains the booking and fleet system used to manage day-to-day operations, while the WA franchise network story shows how owners share machines, cover jobs and help one another when capacity is tight.
If you are comparing business options, you may also find our guides on Diggermate franchise cost, Diggermate franchise finance support, and how much Diggermate franchisees can earn helpful.
Learning the sales call process
New franchisees are trained to keep enquiry calls practical and controlled. The goal is to understand the job quickly, confirm the right machine or attachment, check access, explain collection or delivery, then move the customer toward a booking.
A good call does not need to become a long quote conversation. Owners should ask what the customer is doing, where the machine is going, what access they have, whether they have used similar equipment before and whether they need attachments, delivery or related equipment. Those questions create better bookings and can uncover useful upsell opportunities.
Learning the yard and handover process
Training also covers the practical handover rhythm. Machines should be ready, clean, fuelled, greased and checked before the customer arrives. The customer should be able to reverse in, complete the required paperwork, confirm payment and licence details, receive a clear handover and get moving without unnecessary delay.
This matters because the Diggermate brand promise is practical and easy to deal with. A strong yard process protects safety, saves time and helps customers feel confident using the equipment.
What no worries mate service really means
No worries mate does not mean sloppy, loose or letting customers take advantage. It means easy to deal with, fast to respond, practical, flexible and helpful while still following the right process.
That service attitude is part of the training because it affects repeat hire, Google reviews and local reputation. Customers remember the owner who answered quickly, solved the problem and made the hire simple.
Do you need machinery hire experience?
Previous experience with excavators, equipment hire, construction or trades can be useful, but it is not the only background that can prepare someone to run a machinery-hire business.
Many of the practical and operational skills can be learned. These include understanding the machines, following a consistent handover process, managing bookings, monitoring equipment condition and marketing the business locally.
Franchisees may also enter from another professional background. For example, Darren’s journey from furniture maker to Diggermate business owner shows how a career change led him into a home-based local machinery business that he could develop over time.
The qualities that are harder to teach are often just as important:
- A willingness to learn and follow established systems
- The confidence to speak with customers
- Care and attention when managing valuable equipment
- The discipline to respond to enquiries and maintain accurate records
- A willingness to become visible in the local community
- The motivation to build a business rather than simply wait for bookings
A franchise with no experience does not mean a business with no responsibility. Diggermate can provide training, tools and guidance, but the franchisee remains responsible for learning the role and operating the local business properly.
What training and support do new Diggermate franchisees receive?
At Diggermate, we do not expect you to figure everything out on your own. We provide practical training, proven systems and ongoing support to help you learn the equipment, manage day-to-day operations and build your business with confidence.
| Area | What a new franchisee needs to learn | Support from Diggermate |
|---|---|---|
| Machine basics | Equipment functions, attachments, checks and appropriate use | On-site training is held once a year, access to the Diggermate community network where franchisees can ask practical “how-to” questions, and instructional videos on YouTube to help franchisees keep learning after launch. |
| Safety and compliance | Safe procedures, documentation, waivers and escalation | Digital waivers, rental-compliance systems, insurance support and machine security |
| Customer handovers | A consistent process from booking to return | Paperless bookings, waivers, inventory records and helpdesk support |
| Booking system | Availability, reservations, customer records and service blocks | Access to Diggermate’s booking and operational systems to help reduce admin and keep the hire process organised. |
| Marketing | Building awareness and generating local enquiries | Support with Diggermate marketing, including website presence, Google Ads support, Google Business Profile activity, review requests and customer follow-up campaigns. |
| Equipment maintenance | Inspections, servicing, damage reporting and downtime management | Basic maintenance guidance for some machines, with franchisees often learning practical tips and troubleshooting from the Diggermate community network. |
| Business growth | How to understand demand, improve utilisation, add equipment responsibly and build a stronger local customer base. | Support around reporting, local marketing, equipment mix, customer database activity and growth planning. |
Your support continues after your business opens. We provide onsite training, marketing training and a dedicated marketing boot camp, along with access to our online knowledge base, phone and helpdesk support, quarterly round-table meetings and annual conferences.
These resources give you somewhere to turn when questions arise, while also helping you learn from the Diggermate team and other franchise owners as your business develops.
Learning the machine basics
New franchisees need to understand the machines in their fleet, how they are commonly used, and how to guide customers toward the right equipment for the job.
Diggermate supports this through onsite training opportunities, instructional videos and access to the wider Diggermate community network. One example is the Diggermate Onsite Training and Skill Building course, a two-day certification course designed to provide basic-level skills to safely operate an excavator, roller, elevated work platform and skid steer loader.
This training also gives more experienced operators the opportunity to refine their techniques and increase their skill set. It is also a chance for franchisees who are interested in learning more about machine operation to connect with other Diggermate franchisees.
On a regular basis, franchisees can continue learning through instructional videos and by asking practical “how to” questions within the Diggermate network. Onsite training does not run on a fixed regular schedule, so availability should be confirmed with Diggermate.
Safety comes before confidence
Safety is not a single training module that can be completed and forgotten. It needs to be part of every booking, inspection, handover, customer conversation and maintenance decision.
A new franchisee needs to understand how to:
- Follow manufacturer instructions and applicable safety requirements
- Complete and record equipment checks
- Identify when a customer or job requires additional guidance
- Use approved waiver and rental documentation
- Escalate damage, incidents and technical concerns
- Keep equipment unavailable until a safety issue is resolved
- Recognise tasks that fall outside their training or competence
Digital waivers, compliance documents and machine tracking can support a safer and more consistent process, but they do not remove the franchisee’s responsibilities.
Training also does not replace any licence, competency requirement, transport rule, insurer condition or site induction that may apply. Requirements should always be checked for the relevant equipment, work activity and location.
Building a consistent customer handover process
A good handover protects the customer, the equipment and the business.
For dry-hire bookings, a franchisee should be able to follow the same process for every customer. This will generally include confirming the booking, completing the required documents, recording the machine’s condition and explaining the customer’s responsibilities.
The handover should cover:
- The machine and attachments included in the booking
- Basic controls and shutdown procedures
- Fuel, cleaning and return requirements
- Visible pre-existing damage
- Safe-use expectations
- What the customer should do if a fault or incident occurs
- The agreed return time and location
For wet-hire work, where the franchisee or an approved operator completes the work, an equally consistent pre-job process is needed. This may include reviewing site access, identifying hazards, confirming the required work and determining whether the job is suitable for the available machine.
Where a request falls outside the approved hire conditions or the franchisee’s competence, it should be escalated rather than guessed.
Learning the Diggermate booking system
The booking platform is intended to reduce administration and give franchisees a clearer view of their fleet.
The overview of Diggermate’s paperless business system explains how the platform was developed to manage inventory, online bookings, waivers, payments, invoices and customer notifications. The article also describes how these functions can be managed from a phone, tablet or computer.
Booking-system training should prepare a franchisee to:
- Add and update equipment correctly
- Review incoming bookings
- Check availability before confirming a request
- Block out servicing and repair periods
- Access completed waivers and customer records
- Follow the workflow from enquiry to return
- Record payments, damage and booking changes
- Keep information accurate as the fleet grows
Technology can make the business easier to manage, but only when the information entered into the system is complete and current.
Learning how to market the business locally
Diggermate provides central marketing support, but the franchisee still needs to become the local face of the business.
The published franchise information describes marketing support involving online advertising, search visibility, local landing pages, email and SMS communication, review generation, branded materials and local-area marketing.
A practical example can be found in how Diggermate marketing helped Aaron build a recognised local business. Aaron discusses his initial concern about finding enough customers and how established marketing, professional branding and local visibility helped people become familiar with the business.
Local marketing training should help franchisees understand how central campaigns and personal relationship-building work together.
That may involve:
- Introducing the business to landscapers, builders, plumbers and other trades
- Responding promptly to calls and online enquiries
- Asking satisfied customers for reviews
- Sharing useful local photos and project examples
- Attending relevant community or trade events
- Maintaining relationships with previous customers
- Representing the Diggermate brand professionally
- Following up enquiries rather than relying solely on automated marketing
Central marketing may help create visibility, but the local owner still has to answer the phone, serve the customer and build trust in the territory.
Understanding equipment maintenance
Equipment hire depends on having machines that are safe, presentable and available when customers need them.
A franchisee does not need to personally complete every repair. They do need a reliable process for inspections, cleaning, servicing, fault reporting and record-keeping.
New owners should learn how to:
- Complete routine visual checks
- Monitor manufacturer service intervals
- Record damage after each hire
- Recognise common wear items
- Keep machines clean and ready for the next customer
- Order approved parts and service packs
- Arrange qualified repairs when required
- Update availability when equipment is being serviced
- Avoid returning an unsafe or unreliable machine to hire
Diggermate’s published operational-support offer includes parts and equipment delivery, access to an online store, phone support, a helpdesk and a knowledge base. Technical repairs should still be completed by appropriately qualified people and in accordance with manufacturer requirements.
What launch support is available?
The period before and immediately after launch is when many first-time business owners need the most structure.
Diggermate’s published launch offer describes assistance with:
- Setting up digital marketing channels
- Preparing local-area marketing materials
- Obtaining and branding suitable machines
- Establishing the digital booking workflow
- Preparing the business for its first customers
The offer also refers to a local marketing pack containing items such as business cards, flyers, uniforms and local signage. Current inclusions should be confirmed in the latest franchise documentation.
Launch support does not mean the first year will be effortless. A Diggermate Sunbury owner’s first-year story provides a realistic example. Mathew explains that he already understood machinery, but wanted support around marketing, administration, bookings and systems.
A sensible launch plan should also allow time to practise common scenarios:
- Receiving and qualifying an enquiry
- Checking machine availability
- Confirming the booking
- Completing the waiver
- Preparing and inspecting the machine
- Conducting the handover
- Recording the machine’s condition when it returns
The goal is not to know everything before opening. It is to have a reliable process and know where to get help when an unfamiliar situation arises.
What ongoing machinery-hire franchise support is available?
Training should not end when the first customer arrives.
The experience described in Anthony’s Diggermate franchise support story highlights access to experienced franchise owners, shared knowledge, operational assistance, marketing systems, business guidance and collaboration between locations.
Diggermate’s support structure also includes several different channels:
Knowledge base: Information franchisees can access while working through common questions and processes.
Phone and helpdesk support: A way to raise operational questions and discuss issues with the franchisor team.
Round-table meetings: Opportunities to compare experiences, discuss priorities and learn from other owners.
Marketing training: Continued education on national campaigns, local marketing and customer retention.
Franchisee network: Access to other owners who may have already encountered a similar operational challenge.
Annual events: Opportunities for continued learning, planning and collaboration.
For example, Diggermate’s 2025 conference included sessions involving marketing, finance, systems, partnerships and business development, alongside opportunities for franchisees to exchange ideas and experiences.
Ongoing support does not mean the franchisor operates the territory on the owner’s behalf. The franchisee must still act on the information, maintain the equipment, serve customers and develop the local business.
What traits help a new franchisee succeed?
Machinery experience can be developed. The attitude brought to the business often determines how effectively that learning is applied.
Willingness to learn
Successful owners do not pretend to know what they do not know. They ask questions, practise the processes and act on feedback.
Care with equipment
They understand that machines are valuable business assets. Inspections, servicing and accurate records are treated as essential work.
Customer confidence
They can explain a process clearly, set expectations and remain calm when a customer has a question or problem.
Local involvement
They are prepared to build relationships rather than relying entirely on head-office advertising.
Organisation
They keep bookings, waivers, machine availability and maintenance records up to date.
Commitment to established systems
A franchise provides an operating framework. Owners who follow, test and improve within that framework are more likely to receive its full benefit.
Commercial motivation
They understand that training and support provide a foundation rather than a guaranteed result. The owner must still develop the territory and manage the business responsibly.
Clint’s experience deciding whether Diggermate franchise ownership suited him reinforces several of these qualities, including customer service, willingness to learn, appreciation of systems and interest in being part of a franchisee network. Clint already had machinery experience, so his story is better used as evidence of owner suitability than as a no-experience example.
Is a Diggermate franchise right for someone with no experience?
A lack of machinery-hire experience should not automatically prevent someone from investigating the opportunity.
Diggermate may suit a first-time machinery-hire operator who is prepared to:
- Complete practical training
- Put safety ahead of convenience
- Learn the booking and waiver systems
- Maintain equipment properly
- Speak with customers regularly
- Become involved in the local community
- Accept guidance and remain accountable for results
It is less likely to suit someone looking for passive income, someone unwilling to deal with customers or someone who does not want responsibility for equipment, safety and local business development.
The better question is not simply:
“Have I done this before?”
It is:
“Am I prepared to learn how to do it properly?”
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you may be able to start a Diggermate franchise without previous machinery hire experience. Diggermate provides training, systems and support to help new franchisees understand the equipment, customer handovers, bookings, local marketing and day-to-day operations. Suitability still depends on your background, goals, territory and willingness to be actively involved in the business.
No, you do not necessarily need to be an experienced mini excavator operator before enquiring. However, franchisees need to learn the basics of the machines, how they are used, what jobs they suit and how to explain key information to customers during handover.
Diggermate training can include machine basics, safety, customer handover, booking systems, local marketing, equipment maintenance, launch preparation and ongoing business support. Franchisees may also have the opportunity to join onsite training, which usually happens once a year, tap into the Diggermate community network, or watch instructional videos to continue learning after launch.
Support does not stop after launch. Diggermate franchisees can access ongoing support through franchisor guidance, operational systems, marketing support, the Diggermate community network, instructional resources and conversations around improving local business performance.
No business opportunity can guarantee bookings, revenue, profit or future performance. We provide training, systems, marketing support and ongoing guidance, but results will depend on factors such as local demand, owner involvement, customer service, equipment availability, operating costs and how the business is managed.
Yes. Diggermate supports local pages, SEO, Google Ads, Google Business Profile activity, review requests, email, SMS, reporting and marketing collateral. The owner still needs to answer quickly, ask for reviews, work local relationships and build the Dream 10 customer list.
No. A Diggermate franchise is not a passive investment. Franchisees need to be involved in customer service, bookings, handovers, equipment presentation, maintenance, local marketing and business management. The systems and support can help, but the owner still plays an important role.
That depends on your goals and experience. Starting alone gives you full control, but you need to build the website, booking system, waivers, payments, marketing, customer support and operating processes yourself. Diggermate may suit people who prefer access to established systems, training, support and brand structure.
See If Diggermate Is Right For You
You do not need to arrive with every skill already in place.
You do need to be willing to learn, follow safety procedures, care for the equipment, provide reliable customer service and take ownership of growing your local business.
Request the latest Diggermate franchise information to learn more about our current training program, equipment requirements, available territories and ongoing support.
