About Abcom

Abcom helps Australian QSR franchise groups run smarter, leaner operations with integrated payroll (STP2), HR & onboarding, rostering & award compliance, inventory with Lightyear, business intelligence dashboards, and back‑office workflows — backed by a team with decades of real franchise experience.

  • • 40+ years supporting McDonald’s franchisees and QSR operators
  • • STP2‑compliant payroll & QSR award coverage
  • • Integrations: POS, Xero, Lightyear, BI
  • • Australia‑based support team

Our Story

1983
Jim Hawkins identifies a growing need for specialised I.T. systems in the fast‑food industry and establishes Abcom on the Gold Coast, Queensland.
Mid‑1980s
Abcom begins developing user‑friendly back‑office systems for local McDonald’s franchisees, rapidly becoming the dominant supplier across Australia.
Late 1980s–Early 1990s
“McProfits” expands with in‑store modules like Crew Scheduling and administration systems including Payroll, Accounts Payable, and General Ledger, tailored for independent franchise owner‑operators.
1990s
With Windows‑based systems emerging, Abcom releases a new generation of even more user‑friendly franchise software, widely adopted across the market.
Early 2000s
McDonald’s Australia selects Abcom’s next‑generation platform, eProphet, standardising back‑office systems across 700+ restaurants — company‑owned and franchised.
Mid‑2000s
eProphet is engineered for broader QSR adoption, enabling Abcom to support additional franchise groups and prepare for international growth.
2010s
Abcom deepens its expertise with a team combining advanced computing and decades of QSR franchise management experience, prioritising hires from hospitality and retail.
Today
Abcom operates Australia‑wide and internationally with HQ and development on the Gold Coast, and branches in Sydney & Melbourne; international sales and support are coordinated from HQ with local contacts where appropriate.

Leadership & Team

Built by people who have worked in QSR — from restaurants to head office — and who continue to shape Abcom’s platform and services.

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Jim Hawkins

Founder & Managing Director

Founded Abcom’s QSR solutions journey and continues to guide platform strategy and client outcomes.

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Jim’s career in I.T. started many decades ago, when soon after completing a Diploma in Accountancy at R.M.I.T.   

  In his early years on the Gold Coast – the rise of IBM & compatible PC’s enabled the business software systems that were bread & butter to Jim, to become available on hardware economical enough to be acquired by even small business users.  

Jim’s software systems were selected by a new McDonald’s franchise that opened in the Brisbane suburbs in 1985.  

  The payroll and accounting systems were adaptable enough to use in that franchise – and Jim’s work with the staff soon identified to need for & opportunity to add specialized modules such as inventory control, ordering, staff rostering, sales analysis etc. for that franchisee.  

The systems were so successful that they became used by more & more McDonald’s clients over ensuing years – and the business - Abcom grew into a supplier of such systems and associated services to the Australian franchise industry..

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Jeremy Cook

Software Development Manager

Leads product evolution and integrations with a hands‑on QSR background across multiple brands.

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Jeremy joined Abcom in April of 2002 while studying a Bachelor of Information Technology.

Prior to joining Abcom Jeremy worked for a multi-site McDonalds Franchisee for 6 years and also for Subway for a period of 2 years.

Jeremy has also studied various Microsoft qualifications including Microsoft Certified Professional, Microsoft Certified System Engineer and Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer.

After joining the Abcom team Jeremy has progressed through many roles including Store System Support, Field Services, Testing, Design and Development.

Jeremy's current role as Software Development Manager keeps him busy ensuring Abcom is kept up to date with the latest techniques and technologies, while maintaining existing systems to ensure they meet the needs of the clients.

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Stuart Hitchcock

National Business Systems Architect

Architects Abcom’s systems and data integrations to keep multi‑site operations running smoothly.

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Stuart commenced with Abcom in December 1992, after working for a McDonalds franchisee for over 6 years. In 1990, Stuart commenced his Bachelor of Computer Science at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), specialising in system analysis and design. 

Throughout his 20 years with Abcom, Stuart has worked in Field Services, Client Support of both store and administration systems, Payroll and HR implementations, Design, Development and Testing of products, System Customisation for New Clients and the manager of significant projects with major clients both domestically and internationally. 

Stuart's current role encompasses architectural design concepts for our store and administration systems, internal consultant for Abcom’s Development team, POS interface consultant and data conversion for 3rd party products. 

As one of the longest serving employees of Abcom and combined with his vast experience and knowledge within the QSR franchise industry makes him a key member in improving and developing Abcom’s products and client base, both now and in the future.

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Jason Batty

Regional Accounting Systems Manager

Supports franchisees in implementing accounting workflows with deep QSR and bookkeeping expertise.

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Jason commenced employment with Abcom back in February of 1995 while studying an Associate Diploma of business specialising in Accounting. 

Jason comes with firsthand experience in the QSR franchise industry having worked for a multi-site McDonalds Franchisee for 6 years. 

Over the duration of Jason's tenure with Abcom he has progressed from Store Systems Support Consultant to his current role in Accounting Systems. 

Jason has vast bookkeeping and systems knowledge in the QSR franchise industry and is a key team member  ensuring Abcom's success in facilitating and implementing these systems to our growing client base.

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Peter Dessiax

Business Development Consultant

Former McDonald’s Licensee bringing front‑of‑house and back‑office insights to client implementations and training.

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Leads Xero training, BOC projects, and Fathom implementation; runs payroll weekly for clients with a hands‑on approach.

Peter joined Abcom in mid 2021.

My passion is problem-solving and enjoy getting alongside our valued customers to help to discover new ways of doing things that ultimately improve their business.

How We Work With Franchisees

1. Assessment
We review your current systems and identify improvements.
2. Onboarding
Configure integrations and prepare your team.
3. Workflows
We manage payroll, bookkeeping, reconciliations, and compliance.
4. Reporting
Deliver financials and operational dashboards.
5. Support
Dedicated support keeps your operation running smoothly.

For Former Clients

Still part of the Abcom community — even if you’ve exited a store or paused your subscription. Access legacy resources, retrieve historic payroll/BI data, or see what’s new since you left. We make re‑activation simple.

Trusted Partners & Integrations

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Book a demo or speak with a specialist who understands QSR operations.