Hire and Rental News - May 2019

INDUSTRY IN FOCUS Blue blooded Chris Bond – a Genie man through and through looks to retirement After 40 years working in the access industry, Genie’s Health and Safety advisor, Chris Bond is setting up for retirement. From an early start in the hire market working with compaction equipment, Chris moved through the ranks to focus on access equipment training and in recent years has become an accredited trainer with the EWPA. Hire + Rental Magazine caught up with Chris to get some of the highlights of his very interesting career. C hris got his start in the hire industry in the late 1970s working at Coates Hire in Perth, Western Australia, initially working with compaction equipment. This soon progressed to field service working between Derby in the north of the state and Esperance to the south. “In 1990 Coates Hire expanded its range and moved into the access industry offering me a different career scope. My industry experience in field service helped to facilitate the development of a technical support team and the capability to provide product training in base and on location,” Chris said. “In 1994 I moved my family to Queensland as part of a company transfer – still with Coates Hire – as a workshop foreman specialising in access equipment training and support as well as on location training and support.” However by the end of the decade Chris was offered new opportunities. “In 1999 I was offered a product technical trainer and support role with Genie Australia and stayed in that role for the next few years. “However in 2003 I left Genie to set up my own business providing EWP operator training and licensing. I managed the business for three years until industry changes forced me to transition back to paid employment. I was fortunate to secure a role with Genie Australia again providing technical support, customer service training and operator training and as health and safety advisor. I have been with Genie Australia ever since.” Chris said it is the Genie company ethos and the people that keep him at Genie. “Technical support and training keep me in a role I love. I have now been with Genie for a total of 17 years. “I really enjoy what I do. I find the complexity of the machines and operation of the machines interesting especially around the electrical, mechanical and hydraulics as well as operator knowledge and understanding. There is always something different to understand.” One of Chris’ career highlights was in recent years when the health and safety committee at Genie achieved a prestigious second position in the Health and Safety Awards for Queensland in 2014. He said another of his career highlights was the great relationships he has enjoyed with his colleagues and trainees. “I have always had a great rapport with the companies and staff I have trained with and enjoyed much positive feedback on the course content and the technical knowledge I have passed on. “My industry knowledge and experience has meant on many occasions I have been able to fix or sort complex issues out over a phone conversation. This not only reduced equipment down time but also provided the companies I have helped a significant cost saving.” Chris said being able to follow over- the-phone instructions when receiving instruction is a talent. And yes, he can tell a story or two. “I once flew to Port Hedland to help out a company that had a machine down for an entire week and the technician on-site could not get it to go. I literally flew in, turned three gears into the correct position, started the machine and flew home again. The operator on location had totally failed to follow instructions. “On another occasion I was called out to Burswood Casino in Western Australia at midnight with my then pregnant wife Angie for company. We got to the machine and discovered it required a fan belt. I didn’t have one on board so had to travel in a very bumpy Isuzu service truck 15 minutes back to base to pick up a fan belt. I chose two or three to take back but Angie pointed to one belt in particular and said: ‘I like that one.” “I replied that one is not suitable but took it anyway to humour her. We got back to site and it turned out the belt she ‘liked’ was actually the one required. I haven’t lived that one down since. Perhaps she should have been tech support/ field service. “I have always tried to stay methodical in my approach to teaching and tech support especially when providing tech support over the phone, to the point where Angie has often commented she could fix the machine in question. “I guess that comes from putting up with listening to many after hours phone tech support. After 40 years, Genie’s Health and Safety advisor, Chris Bond is setting up for retirement P52 HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS MAY 2019