124 | PROPERTY Propertyscouts Bulk transporter achieves rapid growth Hauraki Bulk is now running 10 truck and trailers units throughout the region. T T Kelly Deeks Franchise network delivering on all levels Propertyscouts now has a nationwide presence from Northland to Invercargill. T T Kelly Deeks Hauraki Bulk TRANSPORT Offering some of the strongest operating infrastructure and support available amongst New Zealand franchises, Propertyscouts has again made it to the finals of the Westpac New Zealand Franchise Awards Franchise System of the Year - Business to Business award for the second year running. Managing director Ryan Weir and his Properyscouts Head Office team (PSHQ) have been working together to grow and upskill their 21 franchisees while also putting in place and improving processes and systems of support for the franchises to empower them in business ownership. Ryan has been a landlord since the age of 19, when he bought an investment property in his hometown of Dunedin. He spent 10 years in the financial industry, then in 2013, founded an Auckland property management company, successfully selling that business in 2020. As a landlord himself, Ryan understands the issues that property owners face and has a keen eye for improving properties to enhance returns. He uses his expertise to help property owners achieve their investment goals, and he is passionate about making a meaningful impact on their long-term success. Recent initiatives at Propertyscouts include quarterly support calls and formal business planning activities and a centralised admin option allowing franchisees to focus more on their business development. “Results from these initiatives are showing growth in Propertyscouts property numbers, reflecting the growth our franchisees are getting as well,” says Propertyscouts marketing and communications coordinator Natalie Kittow. Five years of aggressive growth for bulk transporter Hauraki Bulk has allowed the company to secure an ongoing contract, the likes of which are usually only given to New Zealand’s top three or four contracting companies. “For us to get it is amazing,” says Hauraki Bulk founder and director George Matheson. “Bridgeman Concrete had seen our trucks around and when I said we would make them our number one priority, they were only too happy to give us a contract. If their bins are empty they can lose thousands of dollars every minute. I assured them that would never happen.” This achievement is just the latest in a string of accomplishments for Hauraki Bulk since it started in 2018. Now running 10 truck and trailers, growth has been rapid thanks in part to Auckland’s post-Covid construction boom, but also to George’s drive to grow his business. He bought his first truck from the reputable Hilton Haulage in Timaru. As he clunked through the gear box on the way out of the yard, he thought these people must be thinking this truck is never going to make it to Auckland. “By the time I got to Waiouru, there was snow everywhere and it was freezing, and I had a few deep moments in the truck,” he says. “I wondered what I was doing. I had such a comfortable career in international sales, was this really the right step for me?” When he got home, he found clients who were keen to support a young guy out giving it a go for himself, and started carting aggregate all over town. He got his second truck from Hilton Haulage four months later and realised he had underestimated his ability to attract new staff amongst a population of two million people. “I thought I would never have a problem getting staff in Auckland but I couldn’t have been more wrong. We didn’t have branding on our trucks, no one knew who we were, and we just couldn’t attract people.” George ended up hiring quite a new truck at great expense but this helped him to hire a really great driver who had recently returned from driving road trains in Australia. “Since then, we’ve put on two truck and trailers every year.” By 2020, George decided it might be a good idea to purchase a brand new truck, both for attracting staff and also to reduce his repair and maintenance bill, and his first new truck arrived in May. Hauraki Bulk scraped through the Covid lockdowns, enjoying a 25% increase in productivity while not having to compete with Auckland traffic when the majority were working from home. By the start of 2022, George was out of the truck and into the office, continuing to grow his business on strong principles of trust, reliability, and customer satisfaction. He and his team have amassed years of transport knowledge and experience between them and they offer progressive transport solutions, utilising the latest technologies to ensure safe and efficient outcomes. Propertyscouts is a distinguished property management company which has been serving New Zealand property investors and tenants since 2004. Starting out initially as Propertyscouts Dunedin, founder Milton Weir began developing a comprehensive 225-page manual for franchising the business. The first two franchises were sold in Auckland in March 2015, and by 2018, the number of Propertyscouts franchises had grown to 13. When Ryan took over the business from his dad a couple of years ago, he started to really grow his head office team, PSHQ, adding more support, guidance, and communication which franchisees value. Propertyscouts now has a nationwide presence from Northland to Invercargill. The recent opening of a second branch in Christchurch brought the number of Propertyscouts franchises to 20, and the 21st franchise is set to open soon in the central North Island. With its dedicated PSHQ team of head office staff, located in Auckland and the Hawke’s Bay, Propertyscouts has established itself as an industry leader and aims to be the benchmark for national and international brands in the industry by delivering personalised and professional service, and implementing best-practice systems, processes, and support infrastructure. Franchisees cite the ease of starting out with Propertyscouts and the ability to hit the ground running because high quality systems and marketing are already in place. They love the support they get from PSHQ and each other, and the centralised admin system is a real game-changer that allows them to focus on doing what they do best. “Results from these initiatives are showing growth in Propertyscouts property numbers....” PH (09) 299 6213 or (09)296 9954 or visit: www.pascoe.co.nz Proud to support Hauraki Bulk With over 25 years experience we can provide your complete site prepara�on package. No job is too big or small, so call us to discuss your requirements!
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=