“I just enjoy the drive – it’s a time to think about what I’ve got coming up, and where I might be next. And Terra has given me some greater distances to travel because the customer base is spread out quite a lot.” Chris’ Cat van has been thoughtfully equipped so when he gets to a job he has the best possible chance of having all the parts he needs. “It’s set up on experience. We’re all about adaptability,” says Chris, who works on excavators, wheel loaders and everything in between.
FROM SURFING TO LONG SERVICE - Susan Archer’s story
BREAKING NEW GROUND ON OUR PODCAST T erra’s ‘Breaking Ground’ podcast started last year with a focus on the characters in our industry and the unique stories of the people and machines behind their work. In our most recent episodes, we caught up with two high-profile New Zealanders with valuable knowledge and insights for people and businesses in our industry. In July, we met Crusader rugby team captain, Scott Barrett! We heard about his background from growing up farming in Taranaki, moving to Christchurch, becoming a Crusader, and then making the All Blacks. Now in his third season as captain of the Crusaders, Scott talks about success on and off the field and the outstanding culture that makes the Crusaders a champion team. “I hated the orange uniform; it was a bright orange made of horrible fabric with a big white ‘G’ across the chest. But I shortened the skirt as it was the era of minis.” What Susan enjoyed and kept her in the business were the products and the people. “I’m friends for life with quite a few customers, and several colleagues have become close friends. We used to go camping together when we had young kids.” A highlight was a visit from then Prime Minister Sir Robert Muldoon and the President of Caterpillar in New Zealand. We hosted an expo for top customers in the early ‘80s, and Susan also got to guide Lady Muldoon on a tour around the site. I t’s 40 years since Susan Archer’s father discovered she’d left school and spent her days surfing. “After my dad found out, I had three interviews and got all three jobs. As I liked machines and big trucks, I took the job here,” says Susan. This was in 1982 and the beginning of the Auckland Service Advisor’s successful career in the business. But the 17-year- old didn’t get off to a promising start. “There were six women in the office when I started and about 200 men! The next woman up from me in age was 30, and they said I was too young to sit with them at lunch.” That wasn’t the only problem.
Susan says the rapid evolution of technology has been the most significant change and challenge. “My role was handwritten until the late 1980s; I did all the customer paperwork for parts.” Susan has recently bought a motor home and hopes to do more travel with her partner Tony Grimwood, who retired from the business a few years ago. She’s also enjoying the arrival of her first grandchild, baby Callan, born in January.
“Cat hoses are superior for jobs because they’re built for purpose. They are made for use on Cat machines, whereas most other manufacturers just build a generic hose. Those hoses might look good, but they fail quickly when you put them into
Susan aged 21
THE MAN IN THE VAN – meet our travelling hose technician N o two days are the same for hose technician Chris McDonnell, who travels all over Canterbury in his Cat van to a wide range of jobs. The Mobile Hydraulic Hose Sales and Hose Technician is kept busy with everything from machine breakdowns to customer orders and hose inspections. “It’s definitely an interesting position,” says Christchurch- based Chris. “You don’t know what to expect when going out to each new job. Every customer is different, and every problem is too – it’s about finding how we can provide the best assistance.” With 10 years of experience as a hose technician, Chris has the expertise to get the trickier jobs done. This is necessary for repairs, which are often a result of challenging circumstances. “Machines typically don’t break down in a good position,” he says. There can be lots at stake when things aren’t running smoothly, so Chris juggles priorities to get onsite as soon as possible to minimise downtime. Each day varies and Chris says there isn’t really such a thing as a normal day. “Ideally, I’ll be out calling on customers until the time comes when there is a job that needs to be taken care of.” The variety and freedom appeal to him. “It’s here, there and everywhere. One minute you’re working at a branch and the next minute you’re out at a farm, or in someone else’s backyard.”
certain applications.” His role as a mobile technician has led
To find out more about a career with Terra Cat visit
40 years of service
him and his van to some interesting locations. “I was at a job for Terra Power Systems, and just as I was finishing up, a big herd of cows began their walk back to the milking shed. I happened to be parked right in their path! I ended up sitting in my vehicle for about an hour while a kilometre-long stretch of cows walked past, with each one having a sniff and a look in my window. The van needed a bit of a clean after that!” “It’s things like this that you don’t experience every day!” says Chris. These experiences are part of what draws him to the role. Hydraulic, Filters and Fluids Product Manager Paul Verwey had some nice things to say about Chris. “He’s been a real success story,” says Paul. “Chris is doing extremely well and is well-liked by everyone he comes across.” Getting on well with customers is “the name of the game,” according to Chris. “You’ve got to be friendly and approachable because people like to work with people that they get along with.” And, after some time working in the field, Chris believes that customers are easier to keep than they are to get. “Once you’ve formed that relationship, they become quite familiar with you and begin to trust you with everything. I’ve got one that just rings me up all the time about odd jobs,” he says. “It’s special to find those people that are
Scott also shared valuable insights on leadership and performance with listeners and their businesses in mind. Earlier, we featured Brad Olsen, Principal Economist and Director at Infometrics. As the state of the economy is currently a concern for all, it was great timing for Brad to talk with us. Brad’s great at explaining the economy in everyday language, which has made him one of New Zealand’s leading economic commentators at a young age. He shared
willing to give you the time of day.”
“Really, it’s all about building
relationships. That’s probably half of the job. The other half is just fixing a few hoses – that’s the easy bit!”
his outlook for the key industries we work with every day within New Zealand, and his overall take on where our economy is heading.
To find out more on Cat hose and couplings visit
Check out the Breaking Ground Podcast episodes
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