Hire and Rental News - November 2017

INDUSTRY NEWS HRIA MEMB RS 66 HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS • NOVEMBER 2017 "It's a real honour to win this award. This is pretty amazing because we only stepped into the industry 18 months ago when we took over the business," Managing Director Stuart King said. "It's been a steep learning curve. Last year was our first HRIA Convention and people said to me: 'Why did you buy a hire business?' Like it was such a crazy idea!" Stuart said. "We are willing to go the extra mile to provide the equipment our customers need and have the attitude, if we can't supply it from our fleet we will somehow get it for them," he said. "We stock quality equipment that is reputable, modern, serviced and clean. We love going out of our way to serve our community, both through the business and in our personal lives," Stuart said. "That can-do attitude holds us in good stead because we want to solve our customers' problems and not just provide a piece of equipment or service." Swan Hill Hire’s general equipment hire includes digging and excavation, building equipment, scissor and boom lifts, scaffolding, generators and lighting, lawn and gardening equipment and trailers, with the sister business Nifty’s Auto Rentals boasting a modern fleet of vehicles including a variety of sedans, two twin cab utes, two removal trucks, one tip truck and two buses. Here Stuart and Raelene give their candid view of winning Rental Company of the Year (Under $5m) 2017. Q: Why did you enter the Rental Company of the Year Award? A:We were encouraged by two other rental companies at our first industry Convention. We were told we would never win the first time but it is well worth going through the process … so we thought: “We know nothing, so this could be a good way to get some advice on what we can do better.” It was our first entry to the HIEA. Q: What was involved in entering the Award? A: Stuart spent some time collating the facts and information for our entry submission. His other role was to check our fleet. During this process the yard and shed got completely cleaned up; old items were sold which of course meant new items were brought in. Raelene had to achieve all the things the business didn’t have in place; things like policy documentation. “It was my job to paint the showroom, organise photos for the submission and liaise with the judges to set visiting times," Raelene said. Q: What did you learn about your business from the judges? A: One of the best things we learned during the judging process was the HRIA has a great OH&S policy available for downloading to members on its website. This has been very helpful to us. Plus we learned we were a pleasant surprise to the judges who were interested to find such a professional business after travelling all the way to the country. Q: Why enter the award? What did you gain? A: One of the ‘prizes’ for winning Rental Company of the Year is a trip to next year’s HIRE18 Convention in Brisbane. But mainly, we found entering and becoming a ‘Finalist’ lifted the entire team’s spirits coming into the judging. Old and stale attitudes and outlooks became new and fresh. Plus, and this is a big one for us, since we didn’t have it prior to entering the Awards, a policy folder. Q: What would you tell other HRIA members about the entering the HIEA? A: Just do it. You will value add just by taking a look at your business and your systems. Q: What has changed about your business since entering the Awards? A:We have added alerts to our hire system for equipment that requires servicing; that was a big improvement, plus, as a direct result of the business review we undertook during the entry process, our fleet has increased. That probably also translates into increased income. Contact: 03 5032 2107 or visit website: www.swanhillhire.com.au First time HIEA entrant takes home 'Rental Company of the Year' This year’s Rental Company of the Year (Under $5m), Swan Hill Hire was a first time Hire Industry Excellence Award (HIEA) entrant, but new to the hire industry owners, Stuart and Raelene King took the punt and entered. Stuart and Raelene King Swan Hill Hire also has a sister business, Nifty's Auto Rentals