Avi Efrat, owner of Fantastic Framing - who uses Epson printers for Art and Photo reproductions and has 10 stores across NSW, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia - has given all 45 staff members a 20% pay rise to help with rising costs of living.
Fantastic Framing owner Avi Efrat (centre) with staff members
"Everybody was complaining about the cost of living," Efrat told 9news.com.au. "One of my workers told me that his rent has gone up by more than $100 a week."
Efrat has given all of his 45 workers a 20 per cent pay rise and also introduced a new incentive scheme, offering staff the chance to earn regular cash bonuses. One employee was recently paid a bonus of $2,800. Fantastic Framing also prints Art and Photo reproductions on Epson printers.
"You need to make sure they're happy and motivated to get the best from them," Efrat said. “My belief is, the more you give, the more you get. It's a win-win situation. The employees are happy and the client is happy because they're getting better service."
Alfred Bukris, who works at Fantastic Framing’s Maroubra store in Sydney, said the wage increase had made a big difference for him and his colleagues. 
"It's helped us a lot, especially the bonuses," Bukris said. "I've noticed customer service is much stronger since the bonuses were introduced. It was very good before, but now it's fantastic. Workers are motivated to be that little bit better."
Efrat said his attitude to business has been influenced by his upbringing in Israel, where he completed mandatory military service and learned how to perform under pressure. Fantatstic Framing also operates mobile framing services.
"For me, rising costs are more a positive than a negative," he said. "They're making me think harder now my expenses are higher. Everybody has been comfortable, we need to adapt."
https://www.fantasticframing.com.au
