Case Study: How 14 Franchisees Secured Equipment Financing

One of the most common questions we hear from equipment suppliers is simple: why does a lender network matter?

At APPROVE, we connect equipment sellers with a network of financing partners so their customers can access a broader range of credit options. But the real value of that network becomes clear when you look at how lenders respond to actual applications.

A recent franchise equipment upgrade provides a great example.

The Situation: A Required Franchise Equipment Upgrade

Nestlé Toll House Café required all franchise locations to upgrade to a new Cimbali espresso machine.

For many franchise owners, that meant financing the equipment purchase. Instead of working with a single lender, these franchisees applied for financing through APPROVE’s lender network.

Because they were all part of the same franchise system, you might expect lenders to respond similarly to each application.

But that’s not what happened.

Same Business Model, Different Lender Decisions

Even though the applicants shared the same franchise brand and similar business models, lenders responded very differently to each application.

Some lenders approved deals quickly while Some declined the applications entirely.
Others approved the deal but offered different terms or structures.

In several cases, the financing option chosen by the customer wasn’t simply the lowest monthly payment. Instead, franchisees selected offers that included features like flexible terms or early buyout options that better aligned with their business goals.

This highlights an important truth about equipment financing:

Customers are not just shopping for the lowest payment. They are looking for financing that works for their business.

The Power of a Lender Network

The real advantage of a lender network becomes clear when you compare lender performance across applications.

If these franchisees had relied on a single lender, several deals likely would have been declined.

In fact, one application in this program received three declines before ultimately being approved by another lender in the network.

Without access to multiple lenders, that customer may not have been able to move forward with the equipment upgrade.

Instead, APPROVE was able to route each application to lenders that were the best match for that customer’s profile.

The result:
14 franchisees applied for financing. 
14 deals were successfully funded.

Watch the Case Study

In the video below, we walk through the actual applications and show how different lenders responded to the same franchise program.

What This Means for Equipment Suppliers

For equipment suppliers, access to multiple lenders can make a significant difference in closing deals.

When customers have access to a broader lender network, suppliers can:

• Offer financing across a wider credit spectrum
• Increase approval rates
• Reduce lost deals due to lender declines
• Provide customers with financing options that match their needs

Instead of relying on a single lender’s credit box, suppliers gain access to a network designed to find the right financing fit for each customer.

More Lenders. More Approvals. More Deals.

The Nestlé Toll House Café program is just one example, but the principle applies to every equipment financing application submitted through APPROVE.

When more lenders review a deal, more customers have a path to approval.

And when more customers get approved, equipment sellers close more equipment deals.