eKourier April 2015

FEATURES Prospect Stage 3 Expansion Now Open

We have adapted the range of sizes with more ‘family size’ single garage spaces available; better suited to the demographics of the area and the requests of our customers. These are complimented with a variety of other sizes available too, allowing the Prospect centre the flexibility to accommodate any storage need. The upgrade includes five specially built Enterprise Spaces – mini warehouses ranging from 88 to 118 square metres; ideal for small or growing businesses. New access with much needed separate entry and exit gates has also been added. This expansion takes the Prospect centre to be the second Largest in the Kennards portfolio and one of the largest in Australia. With over 12,400 available square metres and 1,000 spaces for customers, this expansion compliments the improvements made in 2010. Darryl Hodgson Operations Manager (NSW)

S tage 3 expansion of Kennards Prospect is now complete. 240 new state of the art storage spaces are now open. Each with their own individual alarm and 24 hour access.

What does customer engagement look like in the digital age?

T he rise of business reputation, brand recognition and customer engagement through what is commonly being referred to now as the ‘social web’ means businesses of all sizes need to fundamentally shift how they engage with their customers. Conversing with customers online is very different from talking or negoti- ating in a store. On the web, customers appreciate honesty, speed, easy access to information, interaction and the ability to get things done 24/7, 7 days a week. Customer engagement is no longer a series of one-off experiences, it’s an ongoing dialogue. We need to be good listeners in the digital age and thinking about tomorrow’s customer today. The question is how do you get that balance right, where do you draw the line and how do you bring it all together without compromising what is otherwise well thought out design simplicity that gets conversions? The answer is simple. Don’t do it all at once. Start with a strategy and introduce its components over a period of time all whilst paying attention to what analytics are telling you, there is no point having a

Centre related blog posts Gives customers better insight and related news about what’s happening now and in the future at centres. Adverts on Centre Pages Cross marketing promotions offering to insights and additional services to customers. Contact Us Tailored workflows for new and existing customers specific to the context of their enquiry. Confirmation Pages Enhanced customer experience when getting a quote, making a reservation, paying online or making an enquiry by setting out clear and concise informa- tion and expectations that can be easily digested. In the pipeline we have the next big thing ‘Rent Now’, an automated end to end sign up work flow including digitally signed agreements, more news on that in the next edition! Jeff Xanthos Chief Information Officer

guess particularly in this day and age of analytics. Decisions should be consid- ered and based on facts not feelings. Recognising how rapidly the digital world is evolving and how customers now choose to engage should form the core of strategy with the end game seeing interconnected systems operating as single unified platform to deliver the ultimate experience. The latter poses the biggest challenge(s) and sits in longer term initiatives. Many of the features we have delivered recently, are not huge advancements on their own, collectively they significantly contribute to the broader ongoing plan: eQuotes & eReservations Seamless customer experience between website quotes and in-store reserva- tions. Ensures brand consistency between in store and online contact. Centre Reviews Allows customers to interact directly and transparently provide honest feedback via the website, with the ability to leave ratings and be heard. Creates trust and builds reputation.

11 Kennards Kourier April 2015