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He did it M Way
Page 24
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M Way vehicle rentals may not be a leading national player, but its growth rate and reputation for customer care could teach the bigger boys a thing or two. CM speaks to MD Jeff Ball.
Words: Andy Satter/ images: Simon Everett THE POTTERIES, AN area once famed for its ceramics industry, has seen its industrial base ravaged over the past 20 years with the big employers now shadows of their former selves. But innovation and creativity often spring up from turmoil, and in the Potteries an entrepreneurial spirit has blossomed.
M Way vehicle rentals is an obvious example. The company was the subject of a management buyout a few years ago, and while the business was hardly on its backside when Jeff Ball and his team of directors took over, it has shown rapid growth since. Business is rocketing in 2008 with turnover up 100% on the first quarter of last year; vehicle utilisation is 90%-plus, and the fleet now numbers in excess of 600 vehicles.
Like most successful businesses, the secret has been to keep things simple and focus on delivering customer satisfaction: "We've learned not to overcomplicate matters," says Ball, when we catch up with him at the firm's Stokeon-Trent base, -and focus on giving the customers what they want: a clean. reliable vehicle available on time and ready to go to work."
While that might seem obvious, it never ceases to amaze us how many companies neglect it. The temporary office premises hide a wealth of systems investment covering everything from vehicle utilisation through to customer bookings and maintenance schedules. Maintenance is carried out on-site and there's a focus on doing the job properly: -When you're operating at 90% utilisation, that puts a big strain on your service levels," says Ball. While that seems a headache, it's one we dare say Ball is happy to manage.
The fleet is made up of a mixture of tractors, rigid, vans and, increasingly, cars. One quirky piece of marketing Ball has instigated is naming the tractor units the new New Stralis is called Super Mario, while a yellow and blue Renault is called Top Banana. "People think I'm mad," Ball says, "but I'm just trying to put a smile on their faces."
Super Mario is compliant with the Euro-5 emissions standard, a strategic decision on Ball's part: "I'm pushing forward on Euro-5 products," he says. "I can see Birmingham, Manchester and other cities introducing low-emission zones. It's a finger-in-the-air gamble, but I'm confident it's the right decision."
Ball is less sure about the structure of the market, though, and while he has concerns about the future of the 75-tonne sector, he is less inclined to follow the crowd in believing everyone will downsize: "We've got a number of customers who are struggling with payload on 3.5-tonners and are rethinking their decisions," he says. -I'm also seeing customers upsizing from 7.5tonners to 10and 12-tonne vehicles."
Despite the strength of the market, Ball like many is nervous about the state of the economy: "We've got high levels of demand and utilisation," he says, "and the level of activity continues to surprise. I keep worrying we might be over-investing, but the demand remains strong. We're seeing longer and longer rental terms since people are reluctant to make the commitment of a contract or purchase agreement." •