eKourier Jan 2013

Kennards Kourier Kennards Family Ownership Proudly Continues

January 2013

“Walt, Jim and I are extremely proud of Kennards Self Storage. The commitment to service our Brand and presentation by everyone in the Team makes association with it delightful.”

T he passing of my father has obviously caused a transition of ownership of Kennards Self Storage to me and my two brothers. Walt, Jim and I are now partners. Our family has in fact pre-planned the ownership succession many years in advance, our family invested time to map-out the situation we now find ourselves in.

L to R - Jim, Jessi (Walters Son), Nev, Sam and Walter Kennard

and wisdom of our father. This process crystallised our shared vision for Kennards Self Storage to be an enduring, successful multi-generation business. In addition, the strategy for Kennards Self storage remains the same. That is, to reinvest our profits in a considered and opportunity-driven way. We will remain modestly geared and remain focussed in our specialised niche. Walt, Jim and I are extremely proud of Kennards Self Storage. The commitment to service our Brand and presentation by everyone in the Team makes association with it delightful.

nothing really changes. Our Board of Directors will continue, and no changes in T.H.Q. We have always been proud of being a privately-owned Family Business. We want to continue to illustrate that patient careful growth is a good recipe. We can be successful, market leaders while retaining our private, family ownership and closely connected to the Teams and our customers. Sam Kennard Managing Director

This effort was due to the foresight

It probably does not need saying, but

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Kennards Kourier Jan 2013

Team Member Profiles

In this issue Kennards Family Ownership...

1

Dianne White Customer Care Officer

Team Member Profiles

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Life begins at 40!

3

Farewell to Bill Bartlett

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Career background: I have come from an insurance background which I thoroughly enjoyed, until joining Kennards, which has been just great! The people are fabulous. Marital status: Married. Any children? No Hobbies/interests: Going to the gym, walking and swimming. Do you play any sport or have any special talents? No. Favourite movie: Not favourite movie - favourite theatre productions! Sister Act in New York City, Wicked in Melbourne and Mamma Mia in Sydney.

LSI Returns to KSS

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Highlights of PEP

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Kennards Celebrate Christmas

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Rozelle Hosts Tasting...

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First Words From the Gong...

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Nevs Notes 12 KSS Library Book Review 12 Customer Feedback 12 WebWord - Web Site Launch... 13 Trailers - Better Out Than In 13 Kennards Referred to as the Hilton... 14 Customer Feedback 14 New Zealand Sites Perform... 15 Coffee Break with Fizz 15 Turning a Potential Loss... 16 Finance Team Looks Forward... 16 Development Projects 17 Spotlight on Erina 18 8 Questions... 19 Congratulations 20 Next issue Deadline: April 1, 2013 Please send contributions to the editor Editor: Sharon Dux Email: sharon@kss.com.au Distribution: April 19, 2013 Upcoming events 6/2 - Waitangi Day (NZ) Closed 11/3 - Adelaide Cup (SA) PH Hours 11/3 - Canberra Day (ACT) PH Hours 12/3 - Labour Day (VIC) PH Hours 25-28/3 - Skillbuilder (NSW) 29/3 - Good Friday (KSS Closed) 30/3 - Easter Saturday (Normal Hours) 31/3 - Easter Sunday (Normal Hours) 1/4 - Easter Monday (AUST PH Hours, NZ Closed)

Favourite restaurant/food: Italian food. Where did you grow up? Surry Hills, it was fabulous. Any pets? No - My Husband!!! Favourite holiday destination: Overseas to Europe.

Matthew Jones Assistant Manager - Wollongong

Career background: Retail Management - last position was Assistant Manager at GAME (Video Game Shop). Before that in the Warehouse - Woolworths Distribution Centre. Marital status: De Facto. Any children? Amber, Maddy and Benji. Hobbies/interests: Sports and fitness, poker, video games, time with the kids, movies and dining out. Do you play any sport or have any special talents? Squash Favourite movie: Saving Private Ryan. Favourite restaurant/food: Jasmine Rice - Thai. Where did you grow up?

2-5/4 - Skillbuilder NSW 9/4 - Skillbuilder (VIC) 13/4 - Tough Mudder 17-18/4 - Skillbuilder (QLD)

Campbelltown - Enjoyed it, was more country than it is now. Any pets? No. Favourite holiday destination: South Coast, Particularly Narooma.

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Life Begins at 40! KSS Celebrates 40 Years in Space

we also boast remaining a private family- owned business. In 2013, we will celebrate Kennards Self Storage turning 40 with our ‘ Life begins at 40 ’ theme. This suggests that our first 40 years are just the beginning. We will take the lessons and experience, to make future decades even better than the ones before. Forty years is an incredible milestone for a business. We have survived several recessions, endured numerous different governments and adapted to rapid advances in consumer expectations. Buying our competitor, Millers, in 2004 then buying-out our partner in 2008 are signifi - cant historical chapters. We have evolved from the budding idea to a strong profes- sional and well regarded Brand in two countries. I look forward to the 40 year celebrations of 2013. Sam Kennard Managing Director With some regret I announce our Board Director and Chairman, Bill Bartlett, has stepped down from our Board. Bill has been on our Board since April 2005. He joined shortly after the acquisition of Millers and has offered invaluable guidance and support as our business progressed and evolved. I have appreciated his valuable expertise and experience being applied to our opportunities, ideas and challenges. He has been a great sounding board and support for me personally. As a family business, we recognised many years ago that a Board with independent, external directors will broaden our business. Bill has played an important role in this regard. Bill leaves reluctantly as a consequence of a conflict arising in another Board which now has self storage assets. Sam Kennard Managing Director

O ur Business owes its origins to a courageous and entrepreneurial leap my dad took in 1973. After a trip to the U.S., where he saw ‘Mini Storage’ in its own embryonic and unproven days, he returned to build Australia’s first storage units at Moorebank.

was to try it. I recall him musing his scepticism of ‘Market Research’ that if he did any market research about storage it would of suggested that there was no demand! He would say: “Sometimes customers do not know what they want”.

“In 2013, we will celebrate Kennards Self Storage turning 40 with our ‘Life begins at 40’ theme. This suggests that our first 40 years are just the beginning.”

So, in 2013 Kennards Self Storage can proudly stand as the market leading operator in the self storage industry,

The idea of ‘Self Storage’ simply resonated in his head, and he was pretty confident the best way to be sure

Farewell to Bill Bartlett

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Kennards Kourier Jan 2013

LSI Returns to KSS

and gained an understanding of how it is constructed, it’s everyone’s hope that their individual Circumplex will turn out BLUE to demonstrate how constructive we are but unfortunately that is rarely the case. The great value of the programme is that it enables us to discover what constructive behaviour looks and feels like. Recently we had fourteen Team Members participate in the programme which was held over two days in the beautiful Hunter Valley and facilitated by Tim Ferris (pictured below) from Living on Purpose. I spent some time with the group after they received their results and as you can imagine there was a lot of deep thinking and soul searching as the group tried to understand and make sense of the information they had just received. Once we got past the deep thinking it was down to explanations and questions. In true Tim style, he was able to unpack the informa- tion and provide clear understanding for all Team Members in a warm and engaging way. The group’s response to this feedback was fantastic with many willing to share personal insights into their results while the group listened and were extremely supportive with what was being shared. Witnessing the emotions and reactions by Team Members reinforces the value of a program such as this. It empowers individ- uals with knowledge and understanding

D ecember 2012 Kennards recommenced the Life Styles Inventory Programme (LSI). Formerly known as PEP UP back in 2008, the programme is available for KSS Team Members to partici- pate in and gain valuable insights about themselves through the twelve behavioural styles of the Circumplex. Most of you would be familiar with the Circumplex as the tool used to measure the culture of the company known as the ‘Organi- sational Cultural Inventory’ (OCI), conducted earlier this year. Introducing the LSI programme into our Learning and Development programme provides the opportunity for Team Members to obtain feedback about how their own thinking influences their behaviour. This information on how individuals think and act allows one to develop strategies that will help improve their effectiveness both personally and professionally. Our thoughts characterise who we are, how we live our lives, how we perceive the world, relate to others, solve problems and make decisions. LSI helps examine the underlying thoughts and feelings that drive those actions. Our level of success and personal satisfaction is closely aligned to how we perceive ourselves.

The LSI Circumplex delivers these results through twelve behavioural styles, which are grouped into three clusters that represent; - Constructive Behaviours indicated by BLUE - Passive Defensive Behaviours indicated by GREEN - Aggressive Defensive Behaviours indicated by RED The significance of each behavioural style on the Circumplex is shown by the extension in colour under the specific behavioural style. Once you have been through the programme

“Our thoughts characterise who we are, how we live our lives, how we perceive the world, relate to others, solve problems and make decisions.”

which can be extremely beneficial in a person’s life.

The LSI programme will continue into the future as we maintain our commitment to develop and grow our people and foster a culture that is constructive and engaging. The next LSI programme will run in March. Spots will be limited to keep the experience personal and intimate, so be sure to get in early to express your interest in attending the next programme. Darren Marshall General Manager

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Highlights of PEP

“I have just returned from the PEP programme in the Hunter Valley and I think the acronym should be changed from “PEP” to “WOW!” It was an amazing experience on both a personal and professional level. In a structured and easy to understand way, we learned about how our thinking influences our behaviour. We were then shown techniques to help influence our thinking styles in ways that would benefit and change our effectiveness.

L to R - Neil Pardoe, Debbie Jones, Peter Reid, Trudi Iacobucci, Jim Dade, Tim Ferris, Tony Vuong, Lenci Taylor, Bill McClean, Lisa Donkin, Andrea Michaels, Dennis Flack, Mark Burgess, Dennis McDonald, Anthony Rous.

T he Personal Effectiveness Program (PEP) was conducted at the Hunter Valley Resort from the 2nd to the 4th December last year. It was attended by fourteen participants from Kennards Self Storage. The Training days were full and the Facilitator, Tim Ferris, was able to create an atmosphere where participants were able to open up and feel comfortable to look within themselves. This is a fantastic course that has taken 20 years of research and established marginal, some adequate and some clearly associated with excellence. By knowing your style and comparing it to a reference group, you can benchmark your own performance against others and thus evaluate your present level of effectiveness. For me personally it created an awareness of the opportunity to grow and change behaviours that are negative. It also gave me the time to think about the triggers and thoughts that precede those behaviours, something that will benefit me both professionally and personally. certain thinking styles, which are ineffective, some of which are

“Just got back to work today. What an amazing 3 days we had. I’m still blown away by the whole experience. I have come back to work with a renewed positive outlook on myself and my ability, and also with amazing new friends. Thanks Kennards.” “I was deeply impressed by the raw honesty of each of the participants, the way they supported each other in the growth journey, and their commitment to improving themselves. It really was a great experience. It's great to be partnering with an organisation that wants to strengthen its staff.” Tim Ferris, Programme Facilitator, Living On Purpose This course has already had a significant effect on my life and re-enforces for me how good it is to work for an organisation that is prepared to make such a substantial investment in my personal and professional growth.” Dennis McDonald Abbotsford Trudy Iacobucci Port Melbourne The other wonderful part of the experience was meeting, working with and getting to know other Team Members.

“I attended the PEP course expecting to come away with several learnings and feeling good. I did not expect to experience life changing learnings!!! What we achieved in 2 days was incredible. To see other Kennards Team Members open up about themselves and explain learnings they had just achieved for the first time in 50 years, was mind blowing. In the end, we couldn’t reject the results as they were a reflection of how we had answered the questions.” Anthony Rous Chief Financial Officer “Overall, PEP was a rewarding and eye-opening experience. It gave me the opportunity to learn more about myself and the others around me by forcing us to confront our deepest obstacles and providing us with the control to overcome them. It was great to spend time with and get to know people from Kennards that I only ever speak to over the phone. The overwhelming support and enthusi- astic attitude of everyone that attended created an inspiring and pleasurable environment.” Andrea Michaels Accounts Payable Officer

Bill McClean Training and Development Manager

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Kennards Self Storage

Queensland

Newcastle

Victoria

Kennards Kourier Jan 2013

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e Celebrate Christmas!

New Zealand

Fyshwick

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Kennards Self Storage

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Celebrate Christmas!

Sydney

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Rozelle Hosts Tasting for Wine of the Year

K ennards Wine Storage sponsored the WineState “Wine of the Year” Sauvignon Blanc Trophy in 2012. The awards feature winners in varietal categories such as Sparkling, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Dessert Wines. Over 10,000 wines from Australia and New Zealand are entered into the competition each year. With a new Wine Cellar opening in Auckland recently, we decided to sponsor the Sauvignon Blanc Trophy because it is almost always won by a New Zealand Winery. The winner of our trophy was; Two Rivers Convergence Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012. Part of our sponsorship is to have two Wine Tastings held onsite at Kennards for our customers and WineState subscribers. Last year we held a tasting at Milton and a second at Rozelle in November. The tasting at

Rozelle was amazing, with 200 people in attendance. It was a great opportunity to create Brand awareness and expose new customers to our wine cellar product. A big thank you to Johny, David, Antone, Maria, Dennis, Phil, Tony, David and Steve for your help on the night! Lynda Walsh Wine Cellaring Business Development Manager NSW Operations Manager

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First Words From the Gong...

On the 5th October we were open for business (not fully operational but open) from then on the response has been overwhelming. It seems like Wollongong has been long awaiting the services that Kennards Self Storage offer. By the end of October we had 33 units rented equalling 453 sqm. The premises has two levels consisting of 409 units including 42 undercover RV, Boat and Caravan storage. We also have quite a bit of vacant land which can be used for semi- trailers and containers. My partner (Brenda) and I are very happy we made the move to Wollongong and no doubt we will become Dragon supporters! Mark Montgomery Centre Manager Wollongong A New Scene For Matt Being previously employed in a video game shop, Kennards Self Storage has provided the opportunity for a new challenge in a very different environment. Starting from scratch and assisting with the setup of the Wollongong centre has been fun and exciting. Particu- larly watching the progress of construction and our first customers moving in to the centre. The centre is looking great and I am looking forward to showing more customers around and assisting with their storage needs. Matthew Jones Assistant Manager Wollongong

Mark Montgomery, Why the Move? L to R - Matthew Jones, Mark Montgomery, Darryl Hodgson, The ‘Clown’ and Fiona Harding at the Grand Opening of KSS Wollongong.

A fter managing the Port The challenge being to understand the process of opening up a new centre from scratch. Was I in for a shock! One thing I found was that if one thing falls behind this just starts the chain reaction which rolls on and on and on. You learn to prioritise quickly. Melbourne Centre for nearly 5 years I felt like I was in need of a new challenge. Brett Leary and the IT Team really understood that I needed to be in contact with the KSS world and set me up with Kosmo, StorMan and Outlook from home as the opening of Wollongong kept being put back.

All the team at THQ, including CCC who delivered the unseen things from construction to accounts, stationery orders, website, reservations etc, gave me great confidence everything would work out. I didn’t know what to expect when I arrived in Wollongong but it did not take me long to realise it was pretty similar to Christchurch where I lived for quite a few years. Even though they are both classified as cities, you could walk down the street (with Kennards uniform on) and people would start talking to you regarding the centre and

when it would be opening, feeling like you were already a local.

Mark Montgomery with the first customer for Kennards Wollongong

First Caravan Storers at Kennards Wollongong

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Nevs Notes... MISTAKES - ARE WE MAKING ENOUGH? I n our Australian and New Zealand culture it is often seen as wrong, as inept, to make mistakes. At school we try not to be wrong; we try to be right and get approval, to stay out of trouble. So often we don’t try out new things or experiment. 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! And make mistakes quickly! Don’t procrastinate. Think it through and give it a go, learn, and move on. What have you learned? Is it worth another go? Did it fail but yield some valuable information that offers some new opportunity for another go, or to go in a different direction? Have a go, learn, move on.

Customer Feedback “Recently I vacated my 10 year tenancy of wine cellaring at 103 Port Road, Thebarton SA. My time at KSS Thebarton has always delivered me the service demanded, and no more so than after 10 years cellaring wine; the wine was in immaculate condition: no dust, perfect labels on all bottles, perfect capsules on all bottles and ultrahigh ullage in all bottles... suggesting that the wine had been stored perfectly in a fantastically controlled environment. commend the customer service of two staff, Tony and Rob. Their customer service, help, guidance and support for me was tremendous when I was flying in and out of Adelaide and had a three hour window to complete the vacancy. Further, the guidance on safe manual handling, whilst on site, was exemplary both in instruction as well as providing the correct “tools of the trade” for such activities. Whilst a business can have a wonderful proposition or offer to the market - it is through its deployment by organisation’s people that this offer truly creates business value and competitive advantage. In Tony and Rob you have two wonderful people ensuring Kennards offer realises its maximum within the marketplace.” “Sam, I recently commenced storing some stuff at Camperdown with you. The lady there was really helpful and welcoming. She deserves a pat on the back for doing a great job. I also think she enjoys working there, so well done to you for creating a positive culture in the workplace.” “I’m glad to tell you how Adam McCoy made it easy to transact storage with you. He listened, recommended appropriate products and made me feel very welcome. A great ambassador for your business at Panorama S.A.” However, above and beyond this wine-based outcome I wish to

But we don’t lean much from always being right. It is from our mistakes that we learn most. “How can you learn from the mistakes you’ve never made” is a saying I learned at a course at the Pecos River Learning

“The person who never made a mistake never made anything” was the comment from a carpenter who built some kitchen cupboards for me once. He had made a blue and this was his rationalising apology. It was OK, I had to agree.

“At Kennards Self Storage we encourage initiative; we want to innovate and try new things, we want to be a learning company and culture.”

Centre in New Mexico several years ago.

At Kennards Self Storage we encourage initiative; we want to innovate and try new things, we want to be a learning company and culture. Sure it’s better not to make silly, sloppy errors, but mistakes from trying something new are not really mistakes, they are essential to learning and progress. So go forth and make some good mistakes. Nev Kennard

Make high-class mistakes: that is mistakes from trying something that will yield some new knowledge. Think it out as best you can, get some advice or input perhaps to help to optimise your attempt, and your learning, weigh up the costs and consequences, ask if anyone else has anything to contribute to your idea, and then give it a go.

KSS Library Book Review

Overpromise and Overdeliver – Rick Barrera “The old cliché in business is that smart companies under promise and over deliver but in a crowded market place, under-promising is a one-way ticket to oblivion.” Marketing guru Rick Barrera talks about his ground breaking research with case studies to show how word of mouth driven successes, such as Tivo, have mastered what he calls “Touchpoint Branding” – the art of making sure that every point of contact between a company and its customer is well executed and fulfils an over the top Brand promise.

This book offers powerful easy to apply lessons for Managers and individuals at any level, for anyone who wants to create unshakable customer loyalty. Amy Roberts Customer Care Officer

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Kennards Kourier Jan 2013

WebWord - Online Reservations – Engagement is the Key

I t’s been an exciting time recently with the launch of the new web site starting to make noticeable change in how we do business. The simplicity of finding your space and making a reservation has never been easier for our customers. Already we are seeing these customers are further down the research and buying cycle when enquiring through the web. As a result more customers are converting straight to move in. It’s important to remember the receipt of the confirmation email received from a web enquiry is only the start of the process. The customer is still looking for understanding, value, engagement and a solution. The web site has created the introduction but importantly it’s us human beings that have to finish the job! With this there are a few key points worth sharing when handling the new online reservations:

- If a reservation is “Successful” then the customer has been sent an e-Reserve brochure already. - When notification from an e-Reserve is received at the centre take the time to read the detail: - What size did they select? - What contact details did they leave? - What comments or story did they provide? Maybe their reason for storing or the location they’re coming from or going to? - The planned move in date. - A request for a trailer, EMU or other service? With this information and a little thought any follow up you do can be far more engaging, valuable and therefore “Caring”.

alternative spaces to consider? You can confirm the trailer booking or suggest an alternative solution? Consider when conversing with them what other services they might be in need of, haven’t considered or may be relevant (maybe boxes)? What on-site benefits or features may add real value to the solution such as hoists, trolleys, drinks etc? Open ended questions or relevant recommendations build rapport and encourage a reply. Most importantly they show you’ve read their reservation details, understood their needs and “cared”.

Darryl Hodgson NSW Operations Manager

It may be appropriate to provide some

Trailers - Better Out Than In

I t’s interesting to see our reports each month showing trailer usage. Some of you are really getting them out there! I often see centres with trailers being used ten or more times per month. It’s also great to see the new lighter, galvanised trailers from Classic Trailers going straight into service at Wollongong. Whilst the primary reason for the trailer offer was for new move-in customers – free and simple to use – that’s not its only purpose. Importantly many of you may not be aware they can be rented out even over-night. Of course we need to be mindful to avoid conflict with other bookings but there’s no rule that says they can’t. Likewise, they aren’t just for existing customers. Non-storing members of the public can also hire them if they want to. All they need is a valid Driver’s License, credit card and a car to tow it. With such unique features and bright colouring, they’re great ambassadors for our Brand. Get them seen, move them around your centre often. Some Teams are even attaching them to an EMU and going for a drive! Darryl Hodgson NSW Operations Manager

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Kennards Kourier Jan 2013

WOW! Kennards Referred to as the Hilton of Self Storage!

Fewer units, careful unit selection and multiple contractors sharing space has helped them save and reduce the number of centres they have to deliver too. Having a set delivery plan with more space means the driver can carry more on one load and deliver less frequently. The hospitality & cooperation from our teams has been outstanding. Many units were reserved for long periods, swapped and changed a number of times. Team Members went above and beyond to make this happen. The feedback throughout this project has been nothing short of amazing, we really wowed them and what we have now is a terrific relationship we can all be proud of. As one of our more challenging National Projects Club Assist have already relocated 300 sqm’s with another 300 reserved for move in early this year which will see them exceed 1,000 sqm. Club Assist were looking for a professional storage company to complement their image. “Like keeping our vans clean and presentable we wanted to be seen with the best. Storing in run down storage premises can be seen as unprofessional, Kennards is like the Hilton of Storage, my contractors have been spoilt and appreciate their new units!” Fiona Harding Business Development Manager Customer Feedback “Thanks Kennards, for being an exemplary business model - in or outside the storage business, Australian enterprises could learn a lot from you.” “Very impressed with all the staff I have dealt with.They have been both friendly and helpful. It was great to get wonderful customer service. Would recommend.” “Really impressed with both the service and the facility. It was a pleasure. Thank you so very much as you made it extremely easy for me.”

C lub Assist were looking for a professional storage company to store with, we walked the talk and won! Club Assist work with motoring groups like NRMA, RACV, RACQ & AA Batteries in NZ to provide roadside assistance to motorists. Like many National customers they had storage space everywhere and anywhere. While most were with our competitor’s some of their storage space was so unique it was in mechanics workshops! Having worked with Club Assist since 2008 we had a fair idea of their business needs. This year we had an opportunity to present the programme to their NSW Distribution Managers. As they learned about Self Storage this ignited a spark of ideas in their Teams heads. Together we began a mission to explore how Self Storage could improve their business model. Ultimately their goal was to improve response times, provide a wider range of batteries and increase the number of contractors working in the field, easier said than done!

Like all projects we needed to consider the people that would be affected by the transition and be careful not to go over budget, the new solution needed to be sustainable! Delivery drivers needed to be able to get in and out of the facility without delays. Contractors needed to have enough space to operate and manage their stock efficiently while invoices needed to be clearly itemised for their Accounts Team. Each unit required 24 hour access, power and lighting, be positioned on the driveway in close proximity to the forklift and where possible be over 25 sqm in size. They also needed to have enough space for designated deliveries, a space for old batteries to be collected, and a minimum of 800mm of space surrounding shelving and pallets to comply with Work Health and Safety. We immediately saw an opportunity to reduce the number of units by occupying larger spaces. Designing and building customised sliding doors on their shelving units meant contractors could all occupy one unit and have their own secure space to manage (reducing the temptation to “borrow” other contractor’s goods).

“Like all projects we needed to consider the people that would be affected by the transition and be careful not to go over budget.”

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Kennards Kourier Jan 2013

NZ Teams Perform Like the All Blacks…

Coffee Break with Fizz What a way to finish 2012. National Accounts have ended the year with occupancy of 10,330 sqm. We welcomed Drop Point, Club Assist, Packcentre and our First NZ customer Fairfax to the programme. We’ve also secured a Rental Agreement on the 800 sqm warehouse at Macquarie Park – not a bad first customer! We are starting to see a change from our traditional Pharmaceutical companies to an increase in logistics and technicians, a welcome change to even out our corporate portfolio. We are currently working on a project with Fuji Xerox and Direct Couriers to design a solution that allows couriers to pick and collect spare parts for immediate delivery with live data tracking. New prospects include Nestle, Maverick Marketing and Campari while larger projects include Techtronics and Mars as the challenge for the next six months. We keep receiving great recommendations from Teams that are really helping. Keep them coming! Fiona Harding Business Development Manager With a new year ahead best wishes to all of you and we look forward to an even better 2013. Andrew Kirkham New Zealand Operations Manager been the success of the Enterprise Spaces. While the traditional uses of storage will remain, the larger size unit use is an area of opportunity that is an exciting prospect in these challenging economic times. Our slogan of “ No Lease, No Legals, No Bond ” is a great selling point and a chance to gain some good occupancy and give our sites an unique point of difference in the market place.

I t would be fair to say that most of us Kiwis are very passionate about the All Blacks team (for those who do not know the All Blacks – it is the New Zealand Rugby Team that won the 2011 Rugby World Cup – I cannot remember about the Australian result – anyway let’s move on...). Therefore, it is not surprising that the country seems to perform good or bad depending on how well our National Team performs… As we closed out last year, business momentum started to taper off before bouncing back up. Our Mt Eden site has finally started to gain some rent up in the wine storage market, and the ground floor conversion project has started to show results with higher yield units rented. Three Kings is starting to emerge from its static results with a new Team on board that will no doubt have the centre performing better moving forward. The Tauranga site is operating in a challenging marketplace with an oversupply of operators, but has shown some promising rent up with a drastic dynamic change in pricing and some good income growth. The Hawkes Bay Team are the unit conversion kings! Onekawa have an extensive conversion programme in place especially for the large Enterprise Space sizes, as we tap into this new market. This should help Onekawa emerge from being the minor satellite site of Napier.

Having said that, the Napier site continues to hold occupancy and has shown good income growth recently. We have also converted some vacant space at Hastings into Enterprise Spaces. However, with the site averaging around 85% occupancy and 10%+ income growth, the team remain upbeat. The best performing site so far is Palmerston North, once again using the student market to achieve 90%+ occupancy on top of a successful mature rent up with a good mix of small enterprise business occupancy, while also being the first of the NZ sites to pioneer the Enterprise Space concept with great success. And then there was Wanganui, the smallest site in the company. The Wanganui Team motto takes a simple approach – “ do the basics right and the results will follow ”. With another 20%+ income growth and growing occupancy, a site that 2 years ago had a low occupancy to now becoming a high performing centre is a credit to the Team. So while the All Blacks appeared to start thinking about Christmas early instead of turning up to play the English Team at the end of last year (I am hurting), the All Blacks had some good results but need a better report card next time. I see the same comparison with the NZ sites. All the sites have had some successes but we want to perform better. The one thing that stands out for me has

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Turning a Potential Loss Into a Profit J ust great, we have a 3x3 packed to the ceiling, everything is thrown in there, and the delinquent owes us two months’ rent. “I just want to get it out of here” 3. All at once? There is a lot to be said by getting rid of everything in one fell swoop, but that doesn't mean putting 300 cookie jars in one auction and wondering why no one wants to buy them all as a group or instant collection.

I have been at Kennards for just over 11 months!! I cannot believe how the year has flown by. I would like to thank everyone for making me feel so welcome and the support I have received during the year. In particular the Finance Team who have had to answer all my questions and explain things to me. much more there is to learn about Self Storage and Kennards. I can also see many exciting opportunities to work with all Team Members to deliver great outcomes for Kennards Self Storage. I have not managed to visit all centres but plan to get there during 2013. I can safely say I have thoroughly enjoyed the year and realise how A key factor in making the year so interesting and enjoyable is the fantastic culture I have experienced at Kennards. Right across the business there is such a positive vibe and such There are a few things you can do to increase your chances of making a good sale. 1. Take good pictures. When offering items online a photo and your descrip- tion is the only thing buyers have to go by. Make sure the photo is in focus, clear and shows detail/brand or feature. Also remember the phrase “One man's trash is another man's treasure” Something that one person considers worthless may be considered valuable by someone else. 2. Write a clear and concise description and be sure to put keywords in the title so that it's easily found in searches or noticed at first glance.

What you’re selling might be junk to you, but you stand a greater chance of making more sales if every item or “situation” looks its very best. By presenting things well, you might be able to sell your space for more money, as people generally respond positively to images or collections that have been well prepared. You may be surprised to find your customers valuing your items for more than you’re asking for. It can be a bit of work sorting the space, loading your descriptions, pictures and general set-up, however the benefit is very clear. Steve Jansen Centre Manager Castle Hill enthusiasm to do well and deliver great customer service. I have certainly not experienced such a positive culture in any of my previous roles. This is a credit to all involved. The Finance Team have achieved an enormous amount in 2012 and below are some of the key items - • 10 Day Month End – allows earlier delivery of Financial Reporting. • SmartData Purchasing Card System. - Teams are able to use their Credit Cards in more places and without the AMEX fee. - Automation of invoicing with further opportunities. - Removal of petty cash. - Removal of cheque books. - Paperwork reduced. - No storing and filing of invoices. • Improved monthly document flow to facilitate processing and approving.

Finance Team Looks Forward to a Productive New Year

• Assisting with the opening of new centres and 2 Managed centres. • Change to Telstra for landline and mobiles. • Debt Collectors for written off debts – approximately $25k collected. • Mailplus moved to 3 days per week, providing savings across the board. • Change to CGU Workers Comp in NSW & VIC.

• Systems Review support.

• Monthly P&L’s.

• P&L Commentaries.

• Paint refund - Taubmans.

I hope you have had a great Christmas and look forward to a productive and fun New Year! Anthony (Wanne) Rous Chief Financial Officer

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Kennards Kourier Jan 2013

2013 - A Big Year for Development and Construction

Macquarie Park

Klemzig

Klemzig - L to R: John Kerr (CIC), Richard Stevens, Robert Todd & Darren Marshall

Frenchs Forest

Belmont With a redesign now in place we have signed up with local builder GWH. Work will start in January 2013 with a two stage handover of April then June 2013. In the meantime ROI Steel did another fantastic job of replacing the old roof without disrupting the customers below. Flemington Work has slowed down due to delays with the structural steel. The updated program should have us complete by end of March 2013. Frenchs Forest We have signed a contract with CIC with onsite work well underway. Opening is for June 2013. Klemzig The pace has really picked up and handover is looking good for the last week of January. Macquarie Park We now have Council approval and five builders have submitted pricing. Dependant on who we choose, work should start early February with a September opening a real possibility.

Petersham DA is with Council to expand the centre by approximately 1,500sqm of net area and a new office better placed to the entry of the property. Penrith Contract has been signed with CIC for another two buildings of self storage and two buildings of dedicated Enterprise Spaces. Warrawong We are going through an extended planning approval process that requires both Local Council and State Government consent. We expect to wrap up approval by mid 2013 and get work underway then. Mittagong We are finalising the design ready to lodge for this new centre in January 2013. For regular updates please follow me on Yammer or Twitter. Michael Macheledt Development & Construction

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Kennards Kourier Jan 2013

Spotlight On Erina...

History Erina is a purpose built centre

Pricing”, this has resulted in helping our occupancy, yields and income to increase. Our current occupancy is 86% and we are now High Performance. The Central Coast is home to Country Musicians such as Casey Chambers, Beccy Cole and Gina Jefferies, we have had them all visit our centre to either store or purchase boxes. The Team Jenny Smith has been Manager for 12 years and with KSS for 15 years. Clint Thompson has been Assistant Manager for 3 years and with KSS for 6 years. Team Erina

also known as Central Coast Highway which is a four lane road that connects Gosford through to The Entrance, with a high volume of passing traffic resulting in high exposure. Our closest competitor is Storage King at West Gosford, 8km away. We have seven competitors in an 8-10km radius. In the New Year we are looking forward to an office upgrade which we hope to be more user friendly and enable us to display our merchandise more effectively. Up until the GFC, Erina had been able to maintain a High Performance ranking with occupancy averaging

established in 1994, on the Central Coast of NSW which is situated 80km north of Sydney and 100 km south of Newcastle and only 5km from the beautiful and well known Terrigal Beach. The centre backs onto Erina Creek and bushland. In summer we are often confronted when doing our daily lock checks by diamond pythons, red belly black snakes, water dragons, blue tongue lizards and possums. Most recently we have had 6 chickens pecking around in our open space area, WIRES phone number is on speed dial. Site Features The Centre has four buildings comprising driveway, ground floor and upper level units with 11 open spaces, a total of 484 spaces. All our units are individually alarmed with 24 hour access. Erina is a suburb with both a residential and commercial demographic with Erina Fair Shopping Centre just 1 km away. We have a mixture of both residential and commercial customers.

90% plus for many years. Our ranking was able to be maintained when four new competitors entered the market. This year we dropped from High Performance to Performance Challenged ranking. Over the last 5 months we have gradually increased our occupancy by implementing “Dynamic

The Centre fronts The Entrance Road

L to R: Centre Manager, Jenny Smith and Assistant Manager Clint Thompson

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Kennards Kourier Jan 2013

8 Questions...

with Tony Roberts - Manager of Panorama In this role you had to develop the skill of

Tell us about your family?

On November 19th last year I married Tanya Ruch, we have 4 children; a daughter Abbey 21 who is off to London for the next 2 years, Regan 20 an Apprentice Brick Layer, Bryce 19 an Apprentice Plumber and Jordan 18 who has just completed Year 12 and is hoping to get into University. For both Tanya and I this is our second marriage, at times it can be a challenge bringing two family’s together but as our boys played soccer together and were mates long before we knew each other it has been quite easy. In June Tanya and I headed off on our honeymoon to L.A and Vegas. We have just moved into our new home south of Adelaide. What goals do you have set for yourself personally and in the workplace? I think we all set goals around being happy and successful in the work place. When I first started with KSS I would set small goals each day. I found that was a great way to push yourself, “I’m sure Robert would get sick of me asking can I do this can I do that”. Now I am setting myself challenges regarding sales i.e. merchandise, insurance and working on getting 100% in my Mystery Shopping calls. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? Hopeful spending more time travelling and Sunday afternoons at the Oyster Bar at Glenelg and less time in the work place.

multiple personalities as each store and state had different needs. What is it you believe is the difference between KSS and other employers? Right from the word go during the interview during training with Bill, you’re not promised the world but what you are promised happens. I have process with Wayne and Mike and then

Tell us about your role with KSS and the centre you are at? I have been with KSS four months now and I am the Manager of Panorama. I originally completed my training at Thebarton with Robert Todd. During the training period I attended THQ for a two day session and Melbourne for a three day session. I found all the training to be very valuable and easy to put into practice. On the first day back at Thebarton after my Melbourne training (Inspirational Leadership) we looked at the setup of the Box Shop. Working together and brain storming each other’s ideas, Robert and I were able to utilise most of the floor space but still allowing room for the customer. What skills do you think you will bring to KSS that you picked up from past positions? After working in the food, retail and customer service industry for the past 35 years, I believe I bring a passion for sales, the ability to understand and meet the customers’ needs and a need to always better what I did yesterday. My retail experience has shown me that it does not matter what we are selling it’s important to always listen to the customer. I have managed small retail stores to big box retail employing up to 250+ staff. One of the most rewarding retail positions was working for a homewares company as the National Operations Manager.

found over the years working for the big corporations what they tell you is going to happen very rarely does. The support that I have found at KSS whether it’s been contacting THQ or asking Robert or Mike at Thebarton has been amazing. You seem to be a really motivated individual where do you get your enthusiasm from? My family are my motivation. I believe and I tell my kids you need to make the most of each day as you can never get that day back. I will always give 100% to whatever I am doing. Even though we sell units, lockers and boxes we are a service to the customer and to be able to guide and advise a customer or chase a sale and have a happy customer gives me the enthusiasm to do better tomorrow. What hobbies and interests do you have? My main hobby is cooking. As I am a Chef by trade I find this very rewarding and a great way to chill and wind down. During the ten year period that I was cooking I ran my own pub kitchen, owned and operated a café/coffee shop and catered for many functions and weddings. I completed my Apprentice- ship at the local hospital and in my third year as an Apprentice I won Apprentice of the Year. I enjoy doing all the cooking at home and we are always having people over for dinner gatherings.

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Kennards Kourier Jan 2013

Congratulations Ben Moon!

Congratulations Grandad!

Congratulations to Mike Howard (Kirrawee) on the birth of his granddaughter Lavinia, born on the 1st October, weighing 3kg and being 47cm long.

Congratulations to Ben Moon (Guildford) and his wife Katy on the birth of their son, James Patrick Moon born on the 30th November, weighing 2.72kg and being 49cm long.

Contributions for the back page of the Kourier are always welcome! Maybe you are a newlywed or there’s been an addition to the family, or you have been travelling. Or maybe you have some great photos of you out and about in Kennards Gear! Email: sharon@kss.com.au.

“All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them.” Walt Disney

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Kennards Kourier Jan 2013