Training and marketing vital for business development

Far North businessman, Alistair 'Big Al' Hargrove, is a busy man whose company is currently experiencing steady growth.

Alistair Hargrove - Carpet Court Kerikeri and Kaitaia - an advocate for training and incentives to develop Far North business. It doesn't just happen, it's made to happen and he suggests a number of factors are responsible for the success of the two shops he manages, Carpet Court Kerikeri and Carpet Court Kaitaia.

In August last year Alistair and senior management made a decision to re introduce the Carpet Court brand to Kaitaia.

"We had been keen to do this for a while but it was all about getting the right team and when Jackie Thompson agreed to come on board I knew we would be in good shape.

"Thankfully business has been very steady for the first six month trading period and looks set to continue in that vein."

Alistair puts success down to having an outstanding team and to a 'brilliant' television advertising campaign which has led to Ricko The Rhino being recognised as a brand figurehead.

"Of course we finally need to back it up with good quality workmanship when it comes to all types of floor laying," he says.

Given this healthy state of business, does it indicate the Far North is entering a growth period? Possibly, but it's only part of the story. There are a high number of retirees coming to the Far North for the lifestyle and are subsequently supporting the local economy but which does not necessarily create new business. Mr Hargrove believes incentives are needed for that to happen.

"Maybe we need to introduce some rates relief or a rent holiday to make it easy for new businesses to be attracted to this part of the world," he says.

In the meantime Big Al is a supporter of the apprenticeship scheme through Flooring New Zealand. What he'd like to see in the future, as a group, is to be able to take on apprentices who learn the trade for three years and are then indentured to the company for a further two years. He says loyalty counts for 'everything' and a bonded apprentice means the acquired knowledge would be given back to the company that backed the scheme. Moreover, the company wouldn't lose the expertise immediately after completion of the apprenticeship.

In fact in the USA there is "Mohawk University" that teaches students every aspect of the flooring industry including sales and leadership training, business and social media management and product knowledge as well as offering an installation certificate module. Mohawk University is based in Dalton, Georgia as part of one of the largest flooring manufacturers in the world. Perhaps right there is the template for a new business opportunity for the Far North - given the right incentives.

Big Al is on record as saying he has to 'fight like an alley cat' to keep his business growing and his Kaitaia Carpet Court store has proved that a business can be reignited in what seems to be a tight economy. That, too, is a template for the future.

As most who live here can attest, there is a shortage of highly qualified trades people in the Far North some of whom have gone to Australia to seek the bigger pay packets on offer while others have headed south to Christchurch for the city rebuild.

Mr Hargrove believes we have got to be 'savvy' to retain a qualified labour force and to develop the Far North's potential.