Branch manager, Tourism Holdings Ltd

My Job

* Auckland branch manager for Tourism Holdings Ltd Rentals

Name: Todd Parkin

Age: 40

Average pay: branch manager $60,000-$70,000

Qualifications: NZCE Production Engineering, Bachelor of Business Studies majoring in management



Q: Describe how you got this job?

A: Before this position, my career was production engineering and manufacturing. I answered an advertisement for a manager of operations for THL Rentals. It stated "production and operations managers must read".

The thought of a complete industry change was appealing and the opportunity does not present itself often.

Q: Describe what you do?

A: Until November 1 I had been managing the Auckland branch of THL Rentals by Auckland Airport. We provide rentals for cars and Maui, Britz and Backpacker motorhomes.

There's a combined fleet of around 2500 vehicles and 65 staff. My responsibilities include customer service, vehicle detailers, mechanics and the panel and paint departments. It's a seven-day-a-week operation.

I have just been promoted to New Zealand operations manager with responsibility for Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown operations.

Q: What have you had to do to succeed at this job?

A: When applying for the position, I thought the rental vehicle business can't be too difficult. The reality is far different. There was a steep learning curve regarding customer service.

Luckily it wasn't too foreign to my own personality and values. The previous branch manager came from a customer service background. You would think that's the required skill base but the business requires more than that.

It is complex and dynamic requiring the effective coordination of multi-faceted operations incorporating daily and seasonal activity fluctuations.

Q: What sort of training or experience do you need?

A: The problem-solving skills, eye for detail and discipline derived from the New Certificate in Engineering production engineering can be adapted to most situations.

My Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS) in management provided the administrative type skills, providing an all-round balance to have the ability to ask the right questions and know whether what is being presented feels right.

Manufacturing provided me with a sound skill base for managing staff, deadlines, conflict and change. I learned very early you're only as successful as the staff around you. If you look after them, they will look after you.

Q: What skills and qualities do you need?

A: The ability to handle deadlines. To ensure we are "making the moment" for our customers requires a multitude of complex tasks to be completed at the required quality at the required time.

Staff must be effectively managed. You need to be able to look past the symptoms and identify the real causes. A passion for detail is essential. Plus, for sustained quality results, systems and procedures must be designed correctly. You also need the ability to follow up changes.

Q: Best part of the job?

A: I particularly enjoy having the monthly key performance indicators show we are "making the moment" for our customers and feeding this information back to the staff and watching their reaction.

Q: Most challenging part?

A: A motorhome holiday in New Zealand for overseas customers is a big event for them. They have high expectations and a very high emotional value placed on their holiday.

Q: How do you define success in this job?

A: To come out of three weeks of high activity having key performance indicators displaying positive results and staff saying that wasn't as stressful as the last peak period.

Q: What are your career hopes for future?

A: To maintain a working life that is challenging and personally rewarding, having the ability of placing myself in situations where I have choices. Also to develop financial interests outside of my career helping to maintain a positive attitude to work.

Q: If I wanted a job like yours, how would I go about it?

A: You need to identify if the fast pace, dynamic environment of operations is a good fit for you. You need to be able to think fast, handle pressure and have lots of energy. You must be comfortable with making decisions and standing by them.

I'm a firm believer in obtaining broad management/operational qualifications and developing diverse industry experiences.

Most importantly you must know how to manage people.

Q: What advice would you give someone contemplating a career like yours?

A: Be employed with a good company.

Identify a person within the business that has a positive attitude and work ethic. Learn from them, and once you have left the company maintain some form of contact.

Watch other people and identify what positively and negatively stimulates people.

Have a reasonable vision of what you want to achieve and develop a plan to achieve it. Keep fighting procrastination.