eKourier Jan 2016

Kennards Kourier

January 2016

‘ ‘ The efforts and commit- ment of the KSS Team in the journey to make our business a great place to work cannot be overstated, and there is great pride that this is recognised. around. This is not always easy but we did uncover some common percep- tions. Exposing myths, no matter how uncomfortable they may be, to some sunlight and permitting candid discussion has proven to be very insightful. We unpacked all the messages, whether conscious and deliberate or accidental and attempted to reframe what we said and what we did, to express the sort of business we wanted to be. We learnt that messages in a business are more than what we said. They are embedded in our systems. They are expressed in the business rules we expect of each other, and importantly, our customers. The OCI is very helpful in that it offers very granular results about people’s perceptions of why they see the culture in a particular way. The challenging task is to identify the system, rule, practice and also people that manifest themselves as Aggressive and Defensive behaviours. We learned that the results are based on perceptions of people. Perceptions are everything, even if they are not always the truth. Creating negative perceptions are not normally the intention of an organisa- tions leadership. At one level, we had to identify, validate and dispel any myths that were

KSS Culture Receives More Recognition

Sam Kennard accepting the Culture Sustainability Award from the Director of Human Synergsitics Shaun McCarthy

I t was again a delight to receive a Culture Sustainability Award for our continued constructive results in our annual Culture Survey. This was our 4th Culture Sustainability Award from Human Synergistics. We also received a Culture Transformation Award in 2006. The efforts and commitment of the KSS Team in the journey to make our business a great place to work cannot be overstated, and there is great pride that this is recognised.

tion Culture Inventory (more colloquially shortened to be referred to as the "OCI") not knowing what would happen next. We didn't expect the results to be so Aggres- sive and Defensive, and worse still we did not have a clue what to do about this hostile response. It took a little digestion and reflection plus an external objective perspective, then we started to 'peel the onion'. We gradually unpacked parts of our business based on what we thought the OCI was saying.

Con’t pg 4

We undertook the first Organisa-

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WHO’S WHO

Team Member Profiles

In this issue KSS Culture Receives Recognition 1 Team Member Profiles 2 10 Questions with... 3 Successful Centres... 4 KSS Culture ( con’t )... 4 Who Can I Talk To? 5 Customer Feedback 5 Less Government More Feedom 6 Measuring Customer Service 7 2015 Christmas Cheer 8 - 11 The Soft Side of Kennards 12 Building On Our Brand 13 Removal of Storage Walls 14 National Accounts Update 14 Wellington on The Home Straight 15 The Store Awakens 15 Spotlight on Belmont 16 Loading Up The Pipeline For 2016 17 Boxes Made For Giving 18 Nev’s Notes 19 Kennards Community 20

Nerissa Lucas Assistant Manager - Milton QLD

Career background: Completed my Apprenticeship as a Chef and then went to Hamilton Island for work. Then for the last 12 years have had Wendy’s franchises with my husband. Marital Status: Married 17 years. Any children? Brandon - Always using technology and is also athletic. Brianna - Artistic, crafty and caring. Hobbies/interests: Gardening - veggies, flowers and succulents. Cooking healthy food. Do you play any sport or have any special talents? Not really. Favourite book: You can heal your life by Louise Hay.

Favourite movie: Pretty Woman. Favourite restaurant/food: Mexican, Thai and Indian. Where did you grow up? Tasmania and Northern Territory - loved it! Lots of great memories with family. Now enjoying QLD’s weather and lifestyle. Any pets? Yes, two Cockatiels - Rodger and Missy. Favourite holiday destinations: Sydney, Bali and Tasmania.

Next issue Deadline: March 18, 2016 Editor: Sharon Dux Email: sharon@kss.com.au Distribution: April 15, 2016

Phil Brown Centre Manager - West End QLD

Career background: I’ve worked a number of years in the fast Food industry (around 30). I enjoyed the pace of the business and

Upcoming events 25/1 - Wellington Anniversary Day (NZ) - Wellington PH Hours, Palmerston Nth Closed 26/1 - Australia Day (NSW/VIC/QLD/ACT/SA) PH Hours 1/2 - Auckland Anniversary Day (NZ)- Mt Eden,Three Kings PH Hours, Tauranga Closed 6/2 - Waitangi Day (NZ) - Mt Eden, Three Kings, Wellington PH Hours, All other NZ Centres closed 8/2 - Waitangi Day observed (NZ) - Mt Eden, Three Kings, Wellington PH Hours, All other NZ Centres Closed 29/2 - Extra day - Leap Year

the ability to make a change. Marital Status: Separated. Any children? Matthew, 26 -

Qualified Personal Trainer, running his own business and Simon, 23 - a Boiler Maker. Hobbies/interests: Basketball, Gardening and watching the waves at the beach. Do you play any sport or have any special talents? I used to play Basketball. Favourite book: Les Nortons Series.

14/3 - Adelaide Cup (SA) PH Hours 14/3 - Canberra Day (ACT) PH Hours 14/3 - Labour Day (VIC) PH Hours 25/3 - Good Friday - KSS Closed

Favourite movie: Remember the Titans. Favourite restaurant/ food: I love all food, except I am allergic to Prawns. Where did you grow up? I was born in Country Northern NSW, and the family moved to QLD when I was just starting school. For the next 15 or so years we lived on Farms on the outskirts of Brisbane. Any pets? No pets now.

26/3 - Easter Saturday - Normal Trading Hours 27/3 - Easter Sunday - Normal Trading Hours 28/3 - Easter Monday - (NSW/VIC/QLD/ACT/SA) PH Hours 28/3 - Easter Monday (NZ) - Mt Eden, Three Kings, Wellington PH Hours, All other NZ Centres closed

Favourite holiday destinations: A quiet beach town where you can watch the water, or talk to a local and have a good coffee.

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WHO’S WHO

10 Questions... With Dane Talbot - Huntingdale Centre Manager

Where do you see yourself in 10 years time? Hopefully financially stable in a retail or sales role with a healthy family. What interests do you have outside of Kennards? I like to play video games a lot, I follow AFL and I am a Fremantle Dockers supporter! With that comes a lot of interesting weekends watching the football! Tell us about your family? Have you always lived in Melbourne? I was born in Melbourne, I have moved over 30 times in my life, fortunately only twice while being over 21. So I do have an understanding about the challenges facing our customers when it comes to moving. I went to a different range of schools and had a lot of different friends. I grew up in Wodonga in my teenage years and came back to Melbourne when I was 13. I have been living in the South Eastern suburbs of Melbourne since. I have two children, Arielle is eight years old (below) and Maddox is 15 months old (above). I have been married to Heleina for over two years and we have been together for just under 10 years. And finally, to sum up Kennards in one word would be?

Flemington and already felt part of the Team even before meeting Wayne. You have been an integral part of KSS at Huntingdale over the past two years with so much growth in the business. What early challenges did you face? I remember my first day at Huntingdale, I worked with Gordon Guthrie. We experienced seven move outs in one day and no move ins. My first reaction was “what have I gotten myself into!” At this point we had 863 rented units and 64% occupancy.

Recently, our Huntingdale Centre achieved an occupancy of 90%+ and over 1,200+ rented units. This makes you feel the whole business experiences and challenges of operating a Storage facility in a Team environment very rewarding. When thinking about our acronym FREEDOM and its seven values what stands out to you as the most important? Fun, why be sad and unhappy at work and make it feel just like ‘work’? We like to bring a happy vibe to the workplace and also make the customers feel comfortable within themselves. A majority of customers are storing their goods for personal reasons, a situation that can at times be stressful for them. What do you think makes Kennards different from other competitors? Customer service is the main thing that puts us in a league of our own. We also have a larger range of storage options than a lot of our competitors.

How long have you been with KSS now? Just under 4 years, I commenced work on the 30th January, 2012.

Tell us about your working career?

My retail career started at Bunnings Warehouse and then Mobil Quix before starting my role with Kennards. I was at Mobil for over 4 years as Manager before their retail side of the business was sold to 7/11. Out of the remaining Managers I was the second last to be made redundant; I was part of a Team who was closing each site ready for change over in Victoria. What differences did you find between the employment interview with Kennards and that of your previous employer? My interview with Kennards was a lot more professional than that of Mobil. That interview consisted of a Mobil site Manager and myself sitting out the back of their facility on milk crates having a cigarette. At least at my Kennards interview I was greeted by Wes at

Challenging.

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FEATURES

Successful Centres

KSS Culture Receives More Recognition Con’t...

T eam members who set targets around occupancy focus their behaviours each day on achieving that target. A focus like this is an extremely powerful tool towards achieving desirable outcomes. Keeping your goal or goals simple provides clarity on the direction of what needs to be done. The goal provides the focus on the behaviours for achieving the outcome. I have asked successful Teams who achieve, in some circumstances, instant results- “What is your secret?” In almost all circumstances Teams respond by saying we have a goal to achieve 85%, 90% occupancy or 500 units rented. The goal is generally associated with Occupancy. With the power of keeping it simple you can achieve anything Perhaps this is because the Manager has been positioned at a centre that is performance challenged with low or wavering occupancy. Then I ask “How do you achieve that goal?” And overwhelmingly the response is always “Through great customer service.” When you dig deeper into such a simple statement it’s about fostering relation- ships with existing customers. This may be by simply knowing a customer’s name and saying hello, asking how they are going or posing a more specific query ‘

with regard to their storage – followed by “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Another opportunity is new or potential customers commonly referred to as ‘Leads’. Building a connection during the enquiry process with the potential customer is a powerful tool. A lot has been said around this and as a practice, we ask Team Members to capture the customer’s story. The successful Manager knows that each new enquiry is an opportunity to get them closer to the goal of increased occupancy. It’s this simple ideal that drives a positive outcome. Another question I’m often asked is “How can I achieve all my KPI’s?” My simple answer to this is Occupancy; focus on your occupancy. Strong occupancy provides the leverage to influence many of the KPI’s such as rates, revenue, other income and insurance. Without occupancy, influencing your KPI’s becomes a lot more challenging. Keeping the objective simple allows conversation around the goal to be uncomplicated and easy to make part of your daily chat (vernacular). Everyday successful Managers come to work thinking are we closer to the prize, or will today be the day! They walk in, say their hello’s, ask how you are and how is our occupancy and how are we looking today. Every day without fail, this becomes embedded into the psyche of the Team. With the power of keeping it simple you can change and achieve anything. “Simplicity is ultimately a matter of focus.” Darren Marshall General Manager

KSS Culture 2015 To this end, we consciously decided to remove any aggravations and abrasive edges, particularly where they impacted our customer directly. One example was the self storage industry practice of requiring two weeks’ notice from a customer if they intend to vacate their storage space. If the notice was not fulfilled (and it often wasn't) we would retain two weeks’ worth of storage rent. We realised much conflict and dishar- mony arose from this petty business rule. When a customer leaves they should feel delighted with the experience, not bitter. We changed this to a 'pay only for the time you store' approach, so now we refund all unused rent. I do not know what revenue we surrendered with this change; it was not something we ever quantified. We just knew it was something that did not serve us and had to change. From the outside, this sort of change may seem obvious, but to people in a business who have lived it, don't often recognise the obvious and challenge the status quo. The culture journey has been challenging and we have asked our Team to grow, expose their weaknesses and embrace personal development. The recent Award we received from Human Synergistics for our sustained constructive culture is a wonderful recognition for the entire KSS Team for their engagement and commit- ment to KSS and efforts to create a company that is a little bit different.

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Sam Kennard Managing Director

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FEATURES

Who Can I Talk To?

Customer Feedback “It was a pleasure dealing with you guys. I was already using the Thorndon Wellington facility when Kennards took over a year or two ago – and I’ve really noticed improvement in all aspects of the operation since the takeover. You guys have done a great job, I’d highly recommend you to anyone looking for convenient storage near Wellington city centre. I’ve only moved out because I’ve finally got my own place.” “I honestly can’t think of anything to improve at Flemington. I signed up because after popping in to buy a box to store some wine I was impressed by how friendly and helpful the staff were. A few weeks later after some break-ins in the cages at my apartment I decided to rent a storage unit. After my previous experience, Kennards was the first place I went and after a tour and great advice, decided to sign up on the spot. At no time did I feel pressured or over-sold and I honestly felt like my needs were being genuinely looked after - such a rare experience in most customer service roles these days. I was also impressed by all the other facilities and features available at no extra cost - even just having tea and water etc, such a small thing but when you need it, fantastic!” “Just thought I would write and congrat- ulate your company on an absolutely fabulous, practical website. I have been on the net looking at storage for a couple of weeks now on the North Shore - very frustrating! This morning I heard Sam Kennard being interviewed on 2UE, so I went on to your website - easy to use and told me exactly what I wanted to know, without having to ring or fill in lengthy forms. The diagrams you have of the various spaces, how much and how things fit in is particularly helpful, not to mention one click and you can get availability and the price.” “I’d like to pass on some feedback. Dealing with Renee at North Lakes has been great. She quickly dealt with all my queries last weekend and offered some great advice and suggestions. She really made the whole process quite easy. Friendly but at all times professional.”

F rom time to time we all need to have a chat; this could be in our personal lives or in our profes- sional lives. Sometimes things are not making sense and what we are hearing or what we are seeing doesn’t seem right.

for council. In large corporations most Team Members would turn to the HR department. How should this happen at Kennards? We are a family business (albeit a large business) and we endeavour to maintain a family essence.

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TEAM MEMBERS SHOULD FEEL CONFIDENT THAT SOMEONE IS THERE TO LISTEN AND TAKE ANY CONCERNS SERIOUSLY AND HELP.

In our personal lives this can involve a family member or a friend, in our professional lives this can come from our leader or a fellow colleague. In a personal situation often one would talk to another member of the family or another close friend to clarify our thinking and to get another opinion. In our professional lives, an option is to speak with a Member of the leadership Team or a mentor for advice. Just having a chat can be therapeutic, allowing ourselves to get things off our chest. The conflict we internalise may have nothing to do with right or wrong but may be more about our personal bias, and the way we think can create conflict with what we hear and see. Having a chat with a trusted person provides the opportunity for another opinion that can assist in clarifying our thinking or provide advice on how to deal with the issue or conflict. It’s important in a professional setting to have someone you can reach out to

As a family business with construc- tive culture, you should feel comfort- able in speaking to any Team Member within the business if you need to get something off your chest. Ideally, this would start with your immediate Operations Manager, but if that’s an uncomfortable proposition you can speak to another member of the Operations Team who would be more than happy to provide help and support to any Team Member. This is regardless of what portfolio the Team Member may be working in. All members of the Ops Team recognise that people are our greatest asset and that it’s important for all Team Members to feel valued and heard. Team Members should feel confident that someone is there to listen and take any concerns seriously and help. Darren Marshall General Manager

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FEATURES

Less Government More Freedom What is Libertarianism?

by the knowledge that low taxes, property rights and free markets have proven to offer the most prosperity to the most people, and particularly improved the wellbeing of the poorest people around the world. I truly believe in the intelli- gence and capacity of people to make the best decisions for themselves and their families. The government seems to constantly underesti- mate the intelligence of people. They cannot resist meddling, taxing, regulating and subsidising.

“The core of libertarianism is respect for the life, liberty and property rights of each individual. This means that no one may initiate force against another, as that violates those natural

rights. While many claim adherence to this principle, only libertarians apply the non-aggression axiom to the state.” Ron Paul , Former US Congressman and three time Presidential Candidate.

“We want government to largely leave us alone, protect our personal security, but then to butt-out, leave us free to pursue our hopes and dreams, as long as we don’t hurt anybody

So contesting the by-election offered a

wonderful platform for me to say: these things matter.

else.” John Stossel , host of “Stossel” on Fox Financial News Network and author of Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity.

T he decision to contest the Going to Canberra to be a federal MP was not some burning ambition, nor did it represent career progression. In fact, if I was to succeed it would have been a significant step backwards. I entered the contest after being invited by David Leyonhjelm (Liberal Democrats Party (LDP) Senator for NSW), where he clearly told me that I would not win. The objective of the adventure was to provide stark contrast amongst the incumbent parties who are all simply pursuing big taxing, big spending and big regulating policies. I have strong convictions about the problems of high taxes and big govern- ment, not to mention our growing debt. Oddly, I came across people who believe these principles and my decision to contest were driven by selfish reasons to have more money. KSS pays an enormous amount of tax and I would rather be profitable and pay tax, than not. North Sydney by-election was an amazing experience and opportunity.

The response from people

was wonderful and I enjoyed some good media coverage, but I learned that contesting a by-election with 13 candidates is extremely noisy. Many voters seemed to become easily captured by state or local issues - irrelevant to a Federal Election. Libertarians believe in self ownership and the non-aggression principal. They want to live their lives as they choose, as long as they respect the rights of others to do the same. In other words, don’t hurt people and don’t take their stuff. Libertarians really are unique and currently represent a small portion of the population. In the election we achieved a 2.1% first preference vote - I am pleased with this as my message did get interest and I am sure it has been positive for the cause of individual liberty and free markets. Reflecting on the by-election, the feedback from many people who were genuinely impressed, proud or inspired that I had the conviction to stand up for what I believe in has probably been one of the most rewarding outcomes. Sam Kennard Managing Director

“Libertarians want the smallest, least-intrusive government consistent with maximum freedom for each individual to follow his own ways, his own values, as long as he doesn’t interfere

with anyone else’s doing the same.” Milton Friedman (1912-2006), Noble Prize-winning economist.

“Libertarianism is the view that each person has the right to live his life in any way he chooses so long as he respects the equal rights of others. Libertar- ians defend each person’s

right to life, liberty, and property – rights that people possess naturally, before governments are created. In the libertarian view, all human relationships should be voluntary; the only actions that should be forbidden by law are those that involve the initiation of force against those who have themselves used force – actions like murder, rape, robbery, kidnapping, and fraud.” David Boaz , Executive Vice President, Cato Institute

The reality is my motivations are driven

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FEATURES

Measuring Customer Service

T he Mystery Shop process has been in place at Kennards for sometime, beginning with phone calls for many years before trialing and then implementing both walk in and on line processes. This process provides the business with a fantastic opportunity to measure and review the quality of the customer service provided by our Team Members across all the enquiry channels. The benefit of measuring the quality of our customer service is it provides us with specific detail to aid in the growth and subsequent development of our Team Members. The Phone process has each Team Member Mystery Shopped by phone once every quarter, the results have shown Team Members consistently average in the 90’s over some time. The growth in the last twelve months saw the average increase of 1.75% to average 94.5%. With 30% of our enquiries coming via the phone it is extremely important we get this right. The standards being achieved here are something our Team Members can be very proud of. In the year 2014 – 2015 we introduced On Line Mystery Shop and Walk in Mystery Shop. These categories did not reflect in the centres average score each quarter.

maintain their successful phone results. From the 1st of January each centre will be phone shopped six times a year following the same criteria as opposed to each Team Member each quarter. Our walk in customers make up the majority of our enquiries. While we are getting good results we believe it is important to encourage improvement. From the 1st January each centre will be Walk In Mystery Shopped once a quarter, a six per cent increase here will see the average climb into the nineties, a goal we can all strive to achieve. On line results are a follow up call and we were aware would take some time to adjust to. The 16% growth from the first quarter was excellent. As a business we would like to see that number above 85% and with commitment it is achiev- able. We will increase these reviews to six a year at all centres. For our Teams all scores will be reflected in their quarterly average and we have created a system that is well and truly Team based. We all look forward to seeing our Teams seize the opportunity to take their customer service standards to the next level. Bill McClean Training & Development Manager

. The Walk In process we introduced has each centre being “shopped” once every six months. Over the six months we improved by 3.1%, the yearly average achieved was 84.6%. While the results are good it has shown we still have opportuni- ties for improvement, not only in service but also in customer follow up. Part of the realisation was that we were only measuring this twice a year yet walk in customers represent approximately 40% of our enquiries. With On Line enquiries being a big part of the future of retailing we committed to measuring the follow up calls from on line enquiries every quarter for each centre. Our yearly average was 58.29% with a first quarter effort of 46.23% to see our average improve into the mid-sixties was rewarding. We actually saw a 16% increase in this category. While on line enquiries account for 15% of all enquiries we certainly see this as a growth area and something we need to focus on now to be “match fit” for the future growth. The Future The frequency of future shops provides us with a huge opportunity to continue to develop in order to achieve the same great results for the phone process across all categories. Knowing the culture of our business and our Teams commitment to achieve, we trust that they will be keen to

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FEATURES 2015 Christmas Cheer!

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FEATURES

9 Kennards Kourier January 2016

FEATURES 2015 Christmas Cheer!

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FEATURES

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FEATURES

The Soft Side of Kennards

thing people see when driving past and help customers to remember where we are located. So whether your centre has a pot plant or a garden, next time you are cleaning your centre don’t forget to give them some love. Fiona Harding Business Development Manager

E xpansion is the latest buzz word at the Kennards Head Quarters with four new proper- ties forecast for completion in 2016. Over the coming months our beautiful temples will be popping up in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. Having stand out locations is critical when it comes to growing our footprint and becoming a ‘ Famous Household Name’ . Behind the scenes a lot of research is carried out to make sure they are the perfect fit. This includes main road exposure, easy access in and out, the ability to expand and be in close proximity to residential density and commercial and retail activity. Then there is also the design and landscaping considerations to take into account. The design of our gardens plays a compelling role in the aesthetics of our properties and brand. When combined with all of the above its no wonder our properties are a draw card against our competition. In this edition of the Kourier we wanted to share some of our beautiful gardens with you.

garden helps define what we are all about; care, cleanli- ness and high standards! They soften the commer- cial bricks and

mortar and make our buildings come to life. Birds of paradise, Agaves, Grevillea, Agapanthus and Lilly Pilly’s are some of our favour- ites to complement our orange and blue palette.

They are the first

A well-manicured and landscaped

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FEATURES

Building On Our Brand

Customer Feedback

“Thanks for your message and for the Credit Voucher. Throughout our experi- ence with Kennard’s Waterloo we have always been extremely satisfied with the Staff, the facilities and the excellent service at all times. My wife and I would like to pay a special tribute to Phil and the reception staff. Phil has always been extremely helpful and willing to assist with whatever we have needed. His friendly and warm welcome has always been appreciated and these features clearly extend to this who work with him. He leads by example. Much appreciated!” “To whom it may concern, I would like to congratulate Medhat/Kennards Guildford NSW 2161 on the excellent service he has and is continuing to provide me. He has taken care of this customer since day one. Rarely do I come across such personable and outstanding service such as his. I am very fortunate to have picked your Guildford branch for my storage needs. Thank you Medhat.” “I just wanted to thank you Johny for all of your help (again!) with my storage unit at Kennards Self Storage Rozelle. From inception to completion you have been cheerful and extremely helpful each time I was in! My mum let me know how great you were when she was letting the removalists in to the unit for my relocation to Melbourne, and told me that you were exceptionally friendly and helpful and oversaw the whole process! It is so refreshing to have someone as friendly, helpful and lovely as you around during times of change and movement, and often chaos! So, thank you again for such a stress free experience!” such excellent storage over many years, both on ACT and Melbourne. John Fenton and John Golding are an absolute delight to work with, and have given me every possible assistance and support at all times. They are at the core of what made storage at Kennards not only trouble-free but also fun.” “May I take this opportunity to convey my thanks to Kennards for providing

M omentum occasions are a strategic planning event predominately conducted every four years to assist Kennards and Team Members to review the companies values, to create ideas and more importantly set objectives and action plans for business improvement in the future. These concepts create a strong focus on our strategic direction to achieve set goals and establish values and behaviours that will carry KSS as an ethical business and make it a great place for people to work. It is open to all Team Members with limitations on numbers that attend. To Grow and Strengthen our Brand Profile was an integral part of Momentum12 and became one of the four pillars within our strategy. With our goal to further grow our business through physical (banners), virtual (website) and digital (radio) presence. We also included to revisit the Team uniforms, to further enhance or Brand. Momentum12 was the cornerstone for the development of Kennards ‘FREEDOM’ values and the realisa- tion that our Company Brand needed a better National audience in key cities and regional areas around New Zealand and Australia. Over the past three years we have seen many innovative ideas developed from Momentum12. Enhancing our Brand with the Blaine and Amber radio campaign, weather and traffic reports brought to you by Kennards and complimenting this with Blaine and Amber Banners at centres. Advertising on the rear of buses and bus stop advertising, new

customer survey forms, encouraging customer feedback with incentives, addressing National Brand exposure, 40 year customer incentives, building Brand presence on the internet with blogging and increasing our Social Media footprint on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google and YouTube and also improving our SEO. These are just some of the areas that have been successfully building Brand awareness. After many trials, we recently adopted a new Polo Shirt for Team Members with further options being considered such as Name Badges; a newly designed 360 degrees clip-on pin for light weight (polo-shirts) fabrics which also incorpo- rates a ‘butterfly’ pin for heavy duty fabrics such as coats/jackets/jumpers, this is available to replace lost or new Team Member badges Future opportunities still exist with site expansion in regional areas of Australia and recent developments over the past few years on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland and on the North Island of New Zealand. Expansion and unit conversions in our existing facilities are always constant. With the opening of 11 new Kennards Self Storage centres since Momentum12, we have successfully increased our footprint, growing and strengthening our Brand profile across Australia and New Zealand. Wayne Birch Operations Manager VIC & Sharon Dux EA to The MD

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Removal of Storage Walls FEATURES

National Accounts Update

It’s been an interesting year for National Accounts.

We welcomed Actavis, Ajro Huntleigh, Ascott Sales, Australia Post, Bayer, BGP Products and Rockstar Management to the Program taking the number of accounts we manage up to 67. This year Techtronics doubled the number of spaces they occupy and Club Assist became our first ever customer to exceed 1,660 rented square meters across 70 units. Like many industries the Pharma industry is going through a lot of changes in the way they do business. This year we helped a number of customers make the switch to our locker model. Servier Laboratories now occupy 50 lockers with us and the transition has been a great success and a positive journey. Likewise 2015 has seen the Program expand into other industries which we are excited to see continue into the new year. Fiona Harding Business Development Manager Customer Feedback “I want to pass on a compliment to one of your Wollongong staff, I think his name is Matt.., We have been dealing with KSS in Wollongong for a few days, on a rather urgent storage arrangement. I was to meet a removalist from Melbourne this morning and when I arrived at the office at 9.00am everything had been done for me, padlock unlocked, code recorded on a card nothing was a problem.

C entre’s have multiple types of partition wall construction that can essentially be segregated into two types – structural and non-structural. Typically our one and two storey buildings are built out of lightweight steel frame (similar to a house) which is lined with zinc-alumina metal sheeting. The walls with these frames are load bearing and either extend to support the roof above (single storey) or support both the floor over and roof above in a two storey building. A common site practise is converting current storage units to increase unit inventory for larger rentable spaces. At some Centre’s, we are experi- encing customer demand for larger (enterprise) space sizes, and also demand for converting our smaller unit types due to specific customer requirements. Our Storage centre floor loadings are engineer designed with a 5kPa loading. In practical terms this equals approxi- mately 500kg per sqm of area. You may appreciate, this is a fairly consider- able load. However, a recent incident occurred at a centre when an internal wall was removed to create one of the converted spaces, resulting in the collapse of a storage unit wall due to overhead weight restraints from the storage floors above. In this instance, a simple construction check before any walls are removed would have prevented this occurring. As you might

‘ A common practise is converting current storage units to increase unit inventory for larger rentable space. imagine, the consequences of a failed wall and/or storage floor could be quite destructive and even fatal. Fortunately, this wall movement occurred prior to the customer occupying the space. It is important to be aware that the removal of any storage unit wall (internal or external) may weaken the structural integrity of a storage unit effectively causing the possibility of internal movement and collapse. The engagement of a qualified builder to assess any proposed unit conversions or removal of any internal or external wall at centre level needs to be considered. Therefore, when looking to alter any unit walls take care to identify what type of wall it is. Then prior to any structural wall or floor works being conducted, you should seek prior approval from your Operations Manager and/or our Construction Team.

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So thanks guys, will be happy to use you again.”

Wayne Birch Operations Manager VIC

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Wellington on the Home Straight FEATURES

had taken some “short cuts” that needed extra work to get the final sign off. Building three was an interesting experience, the connecting building was a lonely addition to the site, essentially left unloved and full of years of rubbish and anything that needed to be put away out of sight. This included old personal effects from past delinquents with no reference, so we had no way of recollecting much of anything. I remember walking through for the first time and thinking ‘crikey’ how are we ever going to sort this out. With a bit of planning and sheer determination we saw the start of the earthquake strengthening project in April last year.

THE STORE AWAKENS

After five months with the building full of tradies, holes everywhere, noise, dust and machinery going full steam, we now had a building stable enough to meet the Building Code and has enabled the start of unit fitout. First up was Enterprise Spaces on the ground floor with access via one of the busiest main roads in Wellington.

T ime for another update as the second anniversary passes since the acquisition of our Wellington centre. I can confirm completion of significant remedial compliance works to building one and two and earthquake strengthening to building three.

Final completion of the unit fitout for all levels will be in the first quarter of 2016.

‘

We knew there was work to do but not to the scale we experienced.

With works complete we are finally able to add much needed larger units to the ground floor, then fit out the remaining floors with a view to improving the unit mix and increasing the profitability of this asset. The last 24 months have seen us overcome many challenges with building compliance and putting things right. We knew there was work to do but not to the scale we experienced. It is amazing how the smallest things all connected to bigger challenges. We relied on what we thought had been done, only to find with Council inspections that the previous owner

‘ Credit to the Team - Stephanie, Jacque and Larry who have ensured it was business as usual around the centre during the construction period. At the time of writing, the Team had increased occupancy to 86% and recorded some good income growth so the extra new units will be a welcome addition and will ensure we maintain our position as the leading storage provider in the Wellington CBD. Andrew Kirkham Operations Manager NZ

https://youtu.be/crJFyva8ZO0

15 Kennards Kourier January 2016

PROPERTY

Spotlight On Belmont

T he Belmont centre is the largest of the Kennards facilities in Newcastle with some impres- sive stats - 900 units ranging from one square metre to 64 square metre mini warehouses, exactly 10,000 square metres of rentable space. The centre is so large you need a golf cart just to do a lock check. Established in 1982 as a self storage facility, previously the site was a Kennards Hire location. The centre is on the Pacific Highway, perfectly located to service the east side of Lake Macquarie. Situated with other businesses that provide life’s essential services, i.e. Bunning’s and Hungry Jacks! My part in the history of Belmont began around a year ago after previously managing the Cardiff centre. The centre Team consists of Ian Thompson, Leah Davis and myself. We have over the past year created a great Team environ- ment and a fun place to work . The centre underwent a large expansion in 2010 with the purchase of All Storage, a business that was located next door to the existing centre.

customers is varied. Because of its highway location there is a strong presence of Sales Reps and Tradies and the traffic through the centre each day is constant. We also have our fair share of…how should I put it… colourful characters who add to the diversity of our day and pay us a friendly visit every now and then. The centre is currently at 77% occupancy, approximately 750 of the 900 units are rented. The merchandise sales each month fall around $5000. Going forward the challenges for the centre would be to push through that elusive 80% barrier, then on towards the magic 90%. We see the small business sector as our target market to achieve this and have begun to investigate ways to promote ourselves within the business community. Having worked at all the centres in Newcastle as a TSM (Team Support Manager), I have personally found Belmont to be the centre that has offered me the greatest challenges. Mark Shepherd Manager for Belmont

Like many other centres the mix of

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PROPERTY

Loading Up The Pipeline For 2016

Kunda Park

Maroochydore

Kunda Park

Hawthorn

Macquarie Park - Five storeys underway Construction continues on the new five storey complex, and is on track for a May 30, 2016 completion. Warrawong - Slow progress Warrawong still smells, progress is slow, looking for the underground gas source and its impact. Kunda Park - New office is open The office is handed over and the Team have moved in, the balance of the new units are due to be completed by the end of the month. Maroochydore - Project complete This project is now complete and the new office is open. Petersham - 3,000 sqm ready for April GWH Builders have been awarded the contract for the construction of our new 3,000 square meter building. This is due for completion in April. Waterloo - 6,000 sqm addition GWH Builders have been awarded the contract for the construction of our new 6,000 square metre east wing building level three and four addition. Due for completion in April. Abbotsford - Infill now complete The infill section is now complete and the extension is due

Murarrie - Tender awarded Hutchison Builders, one of Queensland’s largest builders have been awarded the contract for this new 11,000 square metre building . St Marys - Construction to commence Council Approval for this development is imminent. Tenders have been called, with construction to start soon. Penrith - Construction has commenced CCG Builders have been awarded the contract for this 2,000 square metre building. Construction has commenced and is due Fit out has been completed by CCG Builders. This work has added another 1,100 square metres to the complex and is filling at a reasonable pace. Chullora - Revised DA with Council A revised DA with additional units has been submitted to Council for this project. We hope to have DA approval soon. Castle Hill - Site expansion Working on concept plans for a potential new four storey building. Wollongong - DA to be lodged Engineers have been engaged to conduct a flood study for this site to accompany our DA being lodged. Guildford - Site expansion We have builders providing some budget estimates for the construction of this new building. Michael Macheledt & Craig Henery for completion in early April. Pymble - Addition complete

for completion by the end of the month. Hawthorn - Internal strip out underway

Total Construction have been awarded the contract for construction of this project with internal strip out underway. Seaford Meadows - Awaiting Council Approval Very close to receiving Council Approval and currently negotiating with two Builders.

17 Kennards Kourier January 2016

CHARITY

Boxes Made For Giving

on hard times or just need to be reminded that someone cares and that Christmas can be full of love. In past years Kennards Self Storage have helped support Sydney Basket Brigade and their initiatives with the donations of boxes to pack gift baskets in. This year Michael Moss form Magic Moments approached us again for a donation of boxes which we gladly obliged.

Customer Feedback “Varsha and Steve helped us out recently after relocating from interstate above and beyond what would be expected of them. I highly recommend their excellent facility in Pymble and their exceptional customer service. Thank you so much guys.” “I just wanted to give the Team at Kennards Storage at Flemington a thumbs up. Overall the experience of storing my stuff at this facility whilst travelling overseas has been a good one (or at least as good as it could be given the stress of moving!). The Facility is well maintained and managed appropriately, amenities are more than suitable and the staff were always helpful and friendly. Thank you.” “You have wonderful staff at Waterloo for whom nothing is too much trouble. Friendly, helpful and with a ‘can do’ attitude. My family and I (we have had between one and four storage units over the last fifteen years, down to only one at the moment) appreciate the flexibility of your Leasing arrangements that allow us to start or finish leases haphazardly, take on extra units for a short time when necessary and generally move things around amongst the family members.” “I was impressed with the exceptional warm and friendly service I received from Hayley the Manager at Palmerston North. There was a genuine desire to help. She promoted the Kennards company brilliantly, and as a business owner I found myself wishing she was an employee of mine.” “The young lady at the Chermside customer service desk is an asset to the company. She was polite and extremely helpful of all our needs. She made a nightmare of an interstate move into a pleasant experience. Thank you Chermside QLD.” “Good facility at Camperdown. Clean, well maintained. Service was very good when needed. I was impressed (not an easy thing for me to admit).”

Michael sent us a few words of thanks:

“Just a quick note to say thanks again so much for your support again this year. We had a very successful packing day

T he Sydney Basket Brigade is part of a national not-for–profit organi- sation called Magic Moments Foundation of Australia. The Team at Sydney Basket Brigade provide baskets of food, toys, and gifts and deliver them anonymously at Christmas time to people who have fallen

on Saturday, which saw us packing and delivering over 500 boxes. Without your support that wouldn’t happen!” Sharon Dux EA to MD

18 Kennards Kourier January 2016

NEV’S NOTES

Nevs Notes... The Tannehills I n 1970 Morris and Linda Tannehill wrote a beautiful little book entitled The Market for Freedom. Karl Hess, wrote the Forward and in the edition I have Doug Casey wrote the Introduction. It is a little classic, just 169 pages of clear explanation of how everything we think government must or should do can be done without government. The twentieth Century brought enormous advances in health, in technology, in wealth and prosperity to many, while also bringing the most horrid and destruc- tive wars, ethnic cleansings, mass starvations and vile repressions of human rights. Linda and Morris Tannehill are unknown outside of this under-appreciated classic, now in its third printing. Without once using the dreaded “A” word, the Tannehills look at all the usual questions about how individuals and a society can operate without an over-arching authority which has final say — without, in other words The State. Police, courts, roads, national defence, crime and punishment, money-issue, diplomatic relations, and many more issues and questions are handled calmly and logically. ‘ ‘

Nev enjoyed expressing his ideas in this section of the Kourier. These little gems have been appreciated by many in KSS. We will continue to publish his ideas that we have in stock. Enjoy!

An interesting thing I continue to learn in reading and listening about The State not doing things, is that at some time in history The State did not do such things. Traders, cities, communities, countries, empires even, have had their own institu- tions and accepted practices that did not involve The State as the supreme ruler. Restitution has been accepted practice, private roads have always existed, private security, competing legal systems and courts, insurance for most all things, private philanthropy and charity, education as a Non-State function, for-profit libraries … you name it, at some time everything has been accomplished without a State Authority. The Nation State, this construct we have got so used to and which it is hard to imagine living without, is a construct that

came into full power in the twentieth century. The Twentieth Century brought enormous advances in health, in technology, in wealth and prosperity to many, while also bringing the most horrid and destructive wars, ethnic cleansings, mass starvations and vile repressions of human rights. How to have peace and prosperity without the wars and repressions that the modern Nation States seem to thrive on? This is the question curious minds can ponder. It is a fascinating and challenging intellectual journey, exploring the idea of “The Market for Freedom” and the Tannehills’ book is a good place to start.

March 10th, 2011

19 Kennards Kourier January 2016

PEOPLE

Kennards Community

Bula from Fiji!

Fiona Harding (Business Development Manager, THQ) enjoying ‘FREEDOM’ with the Subsurface Adventure Dive crew at Malolo Barrier Reef. 14 Metres under water and still 27 degrees!

KSS Christmas Huddle at Auburn

The morning of my wedding it was raining and so I ventured to Bunnings to purchase items for the wet-weather option. Well, Wollongong Kennards is across the road from Bunnings so I couldn’t not get a photo there (notice my speech in my pocket!). I popped my head in and said hi to Matt and said “I’m Judd from Petersham branch.” His reply was “I know, I met you at Skillbuilder.” “Cool, I’m off to get married – bye!” It was only raining lightly so we decided to get married in the gardens. It soon stopped after the ceremony began.

Lisa and Judd were Married on the 7th of November 2015 in the Wollongong Botanic Gardens Rose Garden.

Wet knots are harder to untie I’ve been told.

Judd Hingerty (Assistant Manager, KSS Petersham).

Robert Todd (Manager, Klemzig SA) completed a 16 day trek through the Himalayas in Nepal last year.

“I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Thomas Edison

20 Kennards Kourier January 2016