PLACEMAKERS MARKS 40 YEARS

PlaceMakers is lucky to have 2,100 hard-working and passionate staff across its 62 stores nationwide – some of whom have been with the company since Fletcher Distribution introduced its new, blue one-stop shop in Manukau way back in 1981. Three of those loyal veterans share what it’s like to have been part of 40 years of ongoing business and customer service improvement

Four decades ago, a number of New Zealand construction-related companies merged to form PlaceMakers, bringing Dunedin Estimator Paul Thornton (51 years in the job), Kapiti Estimator Richard Parker (45 years), and Christchurch Account Manager Simon Buckenham (45 years) under the brand they’ve all worn on their shirts ever since.

Among a number of changes over the years, all three agree that two key aspects of working at PlaceMakers remain unchanged – commitment to the customer and the quality of the people on their team.

So what has changed?

Paul, who started as an on-the-road sales rep, was front and centre when it came to the gradual change in communication methods. Starting with radios, it wasn’t long until reps were given the newest technology on the market – “the brick cell phones that were so heavy you could practically hammer a nail in with them!”

He said uptake wasn’t instant – some builders resisted, as it cost 39 cents a minute to call a cell phone, and would instead call him at home at 10pm.

“Funny to think about now,” he says. “People call or text you on your mobile all day every day, but no one would ever ring a home phone at 10pm!”

Simon, who started as a sales rep in 1983, adds that just because PlaceMakers reps had cell phones didn’t mean anyone else did – reps still called their builders at home the night before to plan visits.

But both Paul and Simon agree that mobiles were a game-changer, as it meant the builders could get hold of them with any updates – such as a new site or product order.

Richard started as a truck driver and “has done pretty every job you can do at PlaceMakers” over the years. He says brick-like cell phones weren’t the only cumbersome items back in the day.

“We used to visit sites carrying a big red book with information and pricing on every product we sold,” he says.
“It must have weighed at least 10kg!”

Richard, who is fondly known as ‘Product Google’ at PlaceMakers Kapiti, says there’s no way it would fit in a book these days, and he believes everyone is grateful to computers for carrying that burden.

However, the end of the product book did signal the end of something he quite enjoyed – bartering with the suppliers about pricing.

Behind the scenes

PlaceMakers commitment to new technology, equipment and training has always influenced operations.

Simon started his creditor clerk job at Fletcher Merchants as a long-haired 18-year-old – later becoming 2IC to Branch Manager Grant Close – and recalls spiking and filing paper invoices.

He says going from mountains of paper to digital business management is the biggest change he’s seen and, combined with PlaceMakers progressive attitude, is the backbone of its success.

“PlaceMakers has always been willing to evolve with the times and invest in the business, as long as the end result was better service for our builders,” says Simon. “This has meant introducing a wide variety of services over the years, from pre-nailed frames and trusses to
LBP seminars to the more recent app tools – we’re always evolving.”

Despite the changes over the years, Paul says one thing that’s stayed the same is the importance of the relationship between the rep and the builder.

“Sometimes a good relationship is more important than a good price, but the relationship extends to everyone the builder interacts with. Something as ‘small’ as a negative interaction with someone sweeping the yard can sour it, which is why training that ensures everyone is on the same page is so important.”

True Blue

When asked what’s kept them under one roof for all these years, the answer doesn’t vary from Christchurch to Kapiti to Dunedin – it comes down to people and progression.

At age 73, Paul enjoys the co-workers and customers so much that he still works three days a week, and has only recently started training a replacement, whose dad and grandad he both worked with!

Good career options and a role in which his talkative sociable nature has been able to thrive are what’s kept Simon in blue. He says it ultimately comes down to how he feels after each day of positive interactions – “you can do a good day’s work and go home feeling satisfied”.

Richard says he’s worked with wonderful people – co-workers and customers alike – over the years, and values PlaceMakers investment in people, resources and technology.

“It feels good to work for a company that’s invested in its people and customers, and committed to evolving with the times.”

 

A massive thanks to all those who have been with PlaceMakers for 40 or more years!

Allan Cormack
Tony Hunt
David Black
Stuart Miles
Ron Campbell
Doug Manu
Marcel Schepers
Paul Thornton
Richard Parker
Simon Buckenham