KSS October Edition eKourier 2025

TRAINING

NET AND NATIONAL MINI STORAGE

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to head over to Auckland for two weeks to deliver our New Employee Training (NET) program with the team at National Mini Storage (NMS). It was an exciting opportunity, not just to introduce Kennards’ ways of working, but to meet the NMS team and strengthen the connection post-acquisition.

L to R: Matthew Garelli – (NZ Ops Mgr), Jasmine Karsten (Henderson), Alisha Keoghan (Centre Manager – Parnell, New Lynn and Newmarket), Naima Uati (Ormiston), Leiola Prescott (Penrose), Janice Gwilliam (Albany Titoki), Clare Senior (Albany Titoki), Tracy Singer (Hobsonville), Sonia Kishore (Centre Manager – Takanini, Papakura and Ormiston), Moveen Hussein (Takanini), Troy Kuraia (Maintenance Manager), Josie Kuraia (Newmarket), Nisha Chand (New Lynn), Zaire Pomare (Auckland CBD), Musie Pahulu (Penrose). N ET is much more than a “how-to” course. It’s about setting people up for success by lot of useful discussion. DISC gives us a shared language to recognise different styles, which makes working together Best Practice.

I was genuinely pleased to see so much passion and curiosity come through during the sessions. The level of experience and industry knowledge in the room was energising, and it was inspiring to witness firsthand just how much alignment already existed. By the end of the program, it was clear we had taken an important step forward in the broader change journey. NET provided the National Mini team with more than just an introduction to Kennards, it gave them the chance to ask questions, express opinions and really understand the “why” behind the way we do things. With shared values, a strong customer focus, and a willingness to embrace change, we’re well on our way to building something even stronger in Auckland! Wayne Brown Learning & Development Manager

helping them understand who we are, how we work, and most importantly why we do what we do. We started by exploring the history of Kennards and our Mission Statements: - Create the Space for Change - Store with People who Care - Becoming the Favourite Name in Space These aren’t just words on a wall; they’re the guiding principles that shape the way we interact with customers, support each other, and grow the business. A big part of the program also focused on helping Team Members understand themselves and others better through the DISC framework. For some of the National Mini Team Members, this was completely new and for others, it was a refresher. Either way, it sparked a

smoother and more effective. It also helps us serve our customers better by tailoring our approach.

Of course, NET also covers the nuts and bolts of how we operate at Kennards. We worked through Best Practice standards, shared tools for improving sales conver- sations with the introduction of the Plan To Close (PTC) card. We also touched on important business drivers like financial performance and introduced the Organisational Culture Inventory (OCI), which helps us measure and strengthen the culture we want to build. What stood out most was how much common ground already existed between National Mini Storage and KSS. Their approach to customer sales, operational standards, and teamwork was very familiar. In many cases, it wasn’t about learning something brand new, but rather aligning on language, frameworks, and

17 Kennards Kourier Oct 2025