Change a job title and you change perceptions

Tranzliquid's Greg Pert and Jackie Carroll.

Changing the accepted way of thinking has transformed the business of bulk fuel transport specialists Tranzliquid Logistics Limited. The Bay of Plenty-based family firm say their fleet of Kenworths are driven not by drivers but by "operators" - and this way of thinking has paid dividends for them.

Few businesses are as conspicuously in the public eye as Tranzliquid and their 16 trucks on the North Island's highways, each emblazoned with branding. It's what marketers call maximum exposure - which can be good and bad - but owners Jackie Carroll and Greg Pert have made the most of it, engineering their business success around the careful recruitment and empowering of their "operators".

"The reason we prefer to call them operators is to reflect what's involved in their role," explains Jackie. "They don't just drive fuel from A to B. They are responsible for that product right from the point of loading. During the journey there is a lot of exposure with the public and risks which they must manage on a daily basis. When they get to the customer site there's often a lot of interaction with the public, so they need a professional image and attitude."

Jackie and Greg also put their success down to the culture they have worked so hard to create at the firm. Tranzliquid employees operate by four core values - take ownership, attitude is everything, we do what we say, and people are us - and say that having a team that apply and demonstrate these values is what sets them apart from their competitors. "It's just the way we treat each other and the way we operate. Many of the business decisions we make are based around satisfying these core values," she explains.

Launched in 2000 on the back of a contract from Gull New Zealand Limited, the Tauranga-based firm has quadrupled its fleet of tankers in 14 years, while extending its orbit from service stations to commercial sites, ship bunkering and superyachts. While the Gull contract remains the firm's major business, Tranzliquid also works on occasion for the likes of Chevron, Z Energy and BP as a "spot" service provider.

Tranzliquid is a Mid-Market firm - a company not yet big enough to be called a corporate, but that packs more of a punch than a SME. With turnover of anywhere between $2 million-$50 million, Mid-Market firms are a diverse bunch but, according to a 2014 GE Capital New Zealand report on the Mid-Market, they share quite a few qualities, including ambition and a sense of leadership. Mid-Market companies aren't happy with simply trucking along - instead, they aim to set the standard for their industry through new ideas and innovative thinking.

Tranzliquid's approach to fleet renewal is a perfect example: "We're always looking at innovative improvements to our fleet," remarks Jackie. "Every time we replace a Kenworth we go for the latest technology, and the latest trucks include Active Cruise with Braking (ACB) which sets safe following distances, along with technology that improves cornering and rollover stability. We like to be at the forefront with new technology. Greg is involved in many of the road transport and petroleum industry forums, which ensures we remain informed of legislative changes."

It's a demanding industry in that regard, with plenty of regulation and high expectations for compliance. "In addition to your basic preventative maintenance and COFs, for example, the vehicles have to meet stringent oil industry standards. The tankers need to be certified to legislative Tankwagon Codes every two years with additional ten-yearly inspections. The operators themselves need a high level of skill, which requires ongoing training. This includes in-cab evaluations and training to ensure high standards are maintained - we refer to it as trained by experience."

Again, it comes back to people, she says: "We believe we employ operators with the right attitude and the necessary driving talent - and then we provide the skill to deliver fuel safely. We try not to make the job complicated, keeping things as simple as possible with standard procedures covering all the diverse requirements for the various industry players. When we employ a new operator, emphasis is on buddy-training: knowledge is shared during an intensive four-week hands-on approach with several follow-up in-cab assessments to ensure standards are adhered to. Operators aren't only drivers - they have a huge responsibility not only to manage risk, but also our company's image and brand out there."

For more insights into New Zealand businesses in the Mid-Market and the qualities they share, download the GE Capital New Zealand Mid-Market Report 2014: