Insight November 2013

Insight

NOVEMBER 2013

Finding their feet 4

What guarantees are you giving?

6

Why 90% of websites are commercial failures 8

Improving business health 9

Control an entire fleet’s fuel costs with a little bit of plastic With a Ruralco Mobilcard, you can now get a great discount on fuel purchases, one convenient monthly bill and no account or transaction fees. Giving you even greater levels of control and flexibility across your entire fleet.

Simplify your business’ fuel costs and order your Ruralco Mobilcard today.

For more information contact Ruralco on 0800 RURAL NZ (787 256)

0800 RURALNZ (787 256) www.ruralco.co.nz

Trusted co-ops working for farmers

Contents

4 6 8 9 10 11 2

Finding their feet A whirlwind entry into business ownership for Ashburton’s Melissa and Brian Shimmin

What guarantees are you giving?

Guarantees and assurances you need to provide to your customers

Why 90% of websites are commercial failures A poor-performing website can cause major problems for your business

Improving business health Keeping employees happy is no simple task

Why effective job descriptions make business sense The foundation for a successful business

Group CEO Comment

Doing things Wright Multi-award winners head off some stiff opposition

12

Enquiries

For editorial enquiries, advertising enquiries and letters, please contact the Marketing Department on: Tel: 0800 787 256, marketing@ruralco.co.nz

News at Ruralco

Trusted co-ops working for farmers

13

Classifieds

www.ruralco.co.nz

Group CEO Comment Ruralco Suppliers benefit from expertise and focus.

Ruralco promises to deliver its valued suppliers a choice as it rolls out regionally throughout New Zealand.

That choice is the option for suppliers to grow their business to a size that best suits their own goals and opportunities, with no pressure to remain within a district, nor to suddenly feel compelled to be marketing to the entire country.

A small community-focused business now has the option to lift its profile within its farming community by being a Ruralco Supplier. Or it can build that into a national profile by leveraging off Ruralco’s skills in marketing and promotion, across all rural New Zealand to 20,000 cardholders.

Services provided by Ruralco are cherished by long standing businesses in the supplier network. This includes the hard work invested to build a top team of expert business to business account managers who liaise regularly with our growing supplier members. These are people who understand business, and are experienced in business to business dealings.

The team appreciate and understand Ruralco’s farmer cardholder base, but more importantly appreciate the challenges of marketing, cash flow, costing’s and payment timings for the success of businesses in our rural communities.

Ruralco’s policy of paying exclusive suppliers on the 15th of the month and non-exclusive on the 20th is another key appeal for businesses tired of dealing with “last day of the month” payments that stretch cash reserves to breaking point and threaten credit records.

The skills and understanding of the Ruralco team help suppliers design marketing plans that reflect seasonal purchase patterns and respect business budgets, delivering results rather than headaches for their clients.

The information Ruralco account managers can provide supplier clients is prized for its detail and value in developing business plans on a tactical and strategic level.

Transaction reports provide a rich insight to cardholder purchase behaviour. Suppliers are split into one of 30-plus categories, either as “on farm” or “off farm” products and services.

Competitive advertising rates in the cardholder magazine Real Farmer provide a quality nationwide means of promotion to cardholders. In addition, Insight magazine keeps the community of Ruralco Suppliers well informed about new developments and opportunities under the Ruralco umbrella.

“

Ruralco promises to deliver its valued suppliers a choice as it rolls out regionally throughout New Zealand.

”

Drawing on Ruralco’s extensive contacts in the service and finance sector, suppliers are able to participate in industry seminars and events that can help to grow their business’s performance.

Having a Ruralco Card as a supplier also has advantages for business owners. Benefits include cheaper fuel, discounted by 9¢/litre*, and it offers the opportunity to run fleet cards with easy payments off one account.

The recent signing of Mobil means Ruralco Cardholders can already use their card at Mobil stations throughout New Zealand.

As the Ruralco Card becomes the preferred plastic in farmers’ wallets, we are confident our supplier network will grow with it as businesses recognise the value membership brings.

We are looking forward to welcoming more forward thinking, farmer focused businesses to the Ruralco family in the coming months. *The 9¢ is the current discount as at 1 July 2013 and may be subject to change. The card cannot be used in conjunction with other fuel discount offers.

Neal Shaw Group Chief Executive

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INSIGHT // NOVEMBER 2013

make business gift giving easy this Christmas Beautiful individual Christmas Gift baskets, tailored to suit your needs.

For more information call Sarah Pankhurst on 0800 BUY ATS (289 287) or come and see her at ATS Ashburton today.

0800 BUY ATS (289 287)

0800 BUY ATS / /0800 Ashburton / Methven Rakaia 289 287 Ashburton / Methven / Rakaia

www.ats.co.nz

Show your appreciation, made to order flower arrangements or gift baskets for a special Christmas gift Make your office or Christmas function great with Christmas wreaths, table centre pieces and flower arrangements.

INSIGHT // NOVEMBER 2013

P | F | E | W |

03 308 3342 03 308 3035 flowers@allentonflorist.co.nz www.allentonflorist.co.nz 85 Harrison St, Ashburton

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Finding their feet

By Annie Studholme

It’s been a whirlwind entry into the realms of business ownership for Ashburton’s Brian and Melissa Shimmin, culminating in Style Footwear winning the Emerging Business Award at the third annual Ruralco Supplier Awards held in August.

Having purchased and taken over Smith’s Footwear in February, and rebranding it as Style Footwear, business has exceeded budget and turnover expectations, and has quickly become a leading player in the challenging retail footwear industry.

“It’s been an unbelievable few months,” said Melissa. “We knew it had gone well in those first three months of business, but we certainly didn’t expect to win the Emerging Business Award. It is very exciting.”

The Emerging Business Award is awarded to a business that has joined Ruralco as an exclusive supplier in the past 12 months. It must have shown substantial revenue growth and embraced the spirit of the Ruralco relationship, have a plan for growth and success, and demonstrated excellence in customer service.

To take out the award having only become exclusive suppliers in the last financial quarter was a huge coup for the couple.

For Melissa, Style Footwear has been the fulfilment of a life-long dream to own her own business after more than a decade working in the retail sector. “I had always wanted to get into management and run my own business. Now was just the right time with our son coming up 15, and becoming more independent. I was ready to make that next step to business ownership. It just felt right.”

The couple had been biding their time waiting for the right business to come up for sale. “We had probably been looking on and off for more than six years, but we wanted something that was already established.

Smith’s Footwear was ideal. I have always loved shoes,” explained Melissa.

Smith’s Footwear was an Ashburton institution, selling shoes for more than 70 years. George Smith opened the first store on Burnett Street in 1940 before his son Kevin, and wife Gaylene, took over the business in the mid-1980s. A big part of their business was its long-standing relationship with New Zealand family-owned shoe manufacturer Mervyn Adams, which later became known as Kumfs.

Kumfs underwent a major rebrand in 2010, changing its name to Ziera in a bid to move away from its grandma image, introducing a number of new lines aimed at the younger market, but its dedication to producing style and comfort which the company had embodied since it crafted its first pair of shoes in 1946, remained at its core. Most of its range was orthotic friendly and podiatrist-designed.

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Smith’s Footwear’s strong reputation and loyal clientele, coupled with it being exclusive stockists of the Ziera range in Ashburton, appealed to Brian and Melissa from the outset. “The fact it was so well-established made it much easier for us than starting a business from scratch. Ziera is a trusted brand and they give you fantastic support. They have been great to deal with since we took over,” said Melissa.

In time, Melissa hopes to attract the younger market while still providing a service for older clientele, but presently the focus is on “finding their feet”.

Melissa was under no illusion as to just how important the mutually beneficial relationship with Ruralco had been in their success since taking the reins.

From the moment Melissa and Brian bought the business, they saw joining ATS was a “nobrainer”. “ATS is so strong, and being in such a rural town it made logical sense. I had been involved with a number of other businesses over the years and had seen first-hand the benefits of being an ATS supplier,” said Melissa.

Although changing the name was a potential risk, Melissa said rebranding it to Style Footwear gave them an opportunity to start afresh. At this stage though, she had no plans to introduce new brands, preferring to stick with those they knew to provide good quality, good fitting shoes that had shown to be successful for the previous owners. Aside from Ziera, Style Footwear also stocks CC Resort, A’Rcopedico, Cabello, Saimon and Tamarac slippers. However, Melissa intended to expand the Ziera range to offer more styles catering for feet of all shapes and sizes, from European 34–45 in widths from medium (M) to extra extra wide (XXW).

Brian initially had reservations over becoming exclusive suppliers, but it didn’t take him long to realise they had made the right decision. “Retail is very new to him, and he didn’t have that retail experience but now he can see the benefits.”

The introduction of a new computerised point of sale system, which gave the store immediate access to the Ziera online stockroom, had revolutionised ordering, meaning customers were only a click away from knowing if a shoe was in stock. “We are now able to let customers know immediately exactly how many pairs are available, rather than having to order and hope for the best.”

She was looking forward to further utilising the Ruralco partnership going forward, especially with regard to marketing, different events and targeted publications. Currently, they were in the process of working on a marketing plan which would hopefully create a conduit for continued success and growth in the coming months, as well as setting it up for the future. “There is so much to look forward to,” said Melissa.

Melissa said sales through the card, including everything from several pairs of shoes through to a pair of shoelaces, showed cardholders had obviously been eager for a shoe retail supplier available on their card.

They had been blown away by the support they had received from new and existing customers, and were actively promoting Ruralco through their business.

We knew it had gone well in those “first three months of business, but we certainly didn’t expect to win the Emerging Business Award.

”

Melissa had also joined the social media bandwagon launching a Facebook page for the store which had been well-received. It also provided the business with a simple way of keeping customers up-to-date with any new arrivals.

Having come from a retail background, quality customer service went without saying, but Melissa admitted she found the shift to management challenging. “It took me a long time to get my head around the notion that it was my own business, rather than working for someone else. Having always been the staff member, it was a big transition but it has gone smoothly.” Recently she had completed the store’s summer shoe order - her first entirely under her own steam. “I don’t know if it was more exciting or nerve-racking!”

She was quick to acknowledge the support from friends and family, who had been right behind them every step of the way. “It is very much a team effort. It would be too much without their help. There is always something to do.”

Melissa works in the shop full-time, with her twin sister, Belinda, on hand when needed to help, while Brian works in the store as time allows, splitting it with his full-time role as produce manager at Ashburton’s New World Supermarket.

INSIGHT // NOVEMBER 2013

Style Footwear owner Melissa Shimmin

INSIGHT // NOVEMBER 2013

55

What guarantees are you giving?

By Andrew Leete

between a repair, a replacement or a refund.

The supplier is also liable for any reasonably foreseeable consequential loss that results from the initial problem.

A supplier can contract out of the CGA (i.e. agree with a customer that the CGA will not apply) if a good or service is ordinarily purchased for domestic use, but can also be used for business purposes, e.g. a cell phone. However, such “contracting out” must be agreed to in writing at the point of sale and the good or service must be used for business purposes only.

Whether or not the goods and services you sell are subject to the CGA, the FTA will apply.

The FTA exists to promote fair competition and prohibits certain conduct in trade. In particular the FTA provides that it is illegal for businesses to: • mislead consumers; • give false information; or • use unfair trading practices.

There are stiff penalties for breaching the FTA as individuals can be fined up to $60,000 and corporations up to $200,000. Recently, a manufacturer of plastic rubbish bags was fined $30,000 for breaches of the FTA in relation to environmental claims that were considered to be liable to mislead.

The obligations under the FTA are likely to become stricter with the current bill in Parliament as a proposed new section prohibits a person from making representations in trade unless the person, at the time of making the representation, has reasonable grounds for the representation.

The proposed new section aims to ensure all representations are based on sound evidence or information.

The CGA and the FTA exist in order to have a fair and competitive market where all businesses are on an equal footing. If you are a business owner you need to be aware of your obligations under such legislation and keep up to date with any changes to ensure you remain compliant.

If you are a business owner it is important that you are aware of the guarantees and assurances you are providing to your customers (whether they are consumers or other businesses) under the relevant law each time you provide goods and services. This is particularly important going forward as currently there is a bill before Parliament that amends the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 (CGA) and the Fair Trading Act 1986 (FTA) and is likely to strengthen some of the existing rights of customers under both.

The CGA applies to goods and services that are ordinarily purchased for personal or household use and provides a number of guarantees that a business is deemed to give when selling goods or services. These include that the:

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Goods: • • •

be of acceptable quality; match the description given in advertisements or sales brochures; and match the sample or demonstration model.

Services: • •

be performed with reasonable care and skill; and are fit for the particular purpose they were supplied for.

If a breach occurs under the CGA the supplier has obligations to the consumer.

If the problem cannot be fixed, put right in a reasonable time or is substantial, the consumer can choose between a replacement, a refund or paying a reduced price for the goods. “Substantial” means, among other things, that a reasonable consumer wouldn’t have bought the goods if they’d known about the problem. If the problem is minor, the supplier can choose

Andrew Leete, Director Goodman Tavendale Reid The content of this article is of a brief and general nature and is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon for that purpose. You should seek professional advice before taking any action in relation to the matters dealt with in this article.

INSIGHT // NOVEMBER 2013

INSIGHT // NOVEMBER 2013

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Why 90% of Websites are Commercial Failures

By Rachel Alexander

With 25% of media consumption time now spent on the internet, a poor-performing website can cause major problems for any business. If your online profile isn’t generating a healthy level of enquiries, it can mean thousands of dollars of wasted investment.

Most companies regard websites as online brochures and fail to realise the potential of a good website to be a silent salesperson, magnetising relevant leads while you sleep, converting them, and delivering qualified enquiries. Prospects typically use Google to search for businesses and services by

category, rather than by brand—and 80% only look at websites that are on the first page.

Is your website at the top of Google’s first page for your category keywords? (We’re not talking about your brand name—Google usually puts you at the top for that). How many of your competitors are getting these leads because they’re appearing above you?

Try typing in your category + location (e.g. plumbers Christchurch). Try singular, plural, and variations like ‘plumbing companies Christchurch’. There are three ways to get on page one of Google: search engine optimisation (cueing Google as to which phrases you want to be indexed for), Google Adwords (ads to the right, or on a pale yellow background), and Google Places (balloon and map with address).

If you answered “no” or “I don’t know” to any of these questions, there’s a good chance your website is more of a liability than a profitgenerating asset. However, it’s not too late to turn things around. Engaging in the process of “search engine optimisation”, setting up Google Places or Adwords and updating your website to improve conversion are marketing basics in 2013.

Most agencies only design sites, and most web firms only build them.

photo (from your Google+ profile) will be shown next to your post (better make sure it’s a good one!). After a person has clicked through and read your article, Google will show other articles you have penned.

Popular authors with good reviews will rank ahead of other contributors. The key to this is cross-linking your blogs back to your Google+ profile.

Simply put, Google Authorship helps improve the chances of your content showing up on the first page of search results for the keywords you’re trying to rank for, and improve your ‘Click Through Rates’. So, next time you see search results showing up on the first page with a person’s picture and a synopsis of the article they posted, you’ll recognise them as a Google Author.

Learn more about Google+, set up and verify your Google Authorship and link it to your site, with the team at Alexander’s Internet Marketing.

If your online profile “isn’t generating a healthy level of enquiries, it can mean thousands of dollars of wasted investment.

“

Google signals impending change If you haven’t heard of Google+, then Google Authorship won’t mean much either. Google+ is a social media site, similar to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, but potentially more important to your business than all the others combined. Like the others, you create your own ‘profile’ page.

Until recently, Google has concentrated on ranking websites, because most content was based inside them. With the rise of social media, reviews and blogs, Google’s emphasis has shifted to rank individuals through ‘Authorship’. This refers to a set of methods given by Google to make a verified connection between the original content you might post anywhere on the web, and your Google+ profile. So, if you are a good ‘author’, with good reviews, people will stay on your page to read what you write. Your

Rachel Alexander, Web Marketing Consultant Alexanders Internet Marketing

Alexander’s Internet Marketing will reveal your untapped opportunities in marketing, web design and online marketing. Give the team at Alexander’s Internet Marketing a call 03 3488 477. www.alexanders.co.nz

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INSIGHT // NOVEMBER 2013

life balance and can include the provision of fitness facilities (on or off site) and flexible working hours.

Ensuring the success of any Health and Wellbeing programme is all about measurement. Conducting baseline measures, implementing programmes and then progress measurement increases employee motivation, drives competition for improvement and enables enduring results.

One off activities help to deliver enthusiasm and focus but long-term strategies that align to overall business strategies ensure longterm results.

Improving Business Health

By Michelle Hollands

A more productive, vibrant and enjoyable workplace should be the goal of any employer.

Happy employees equal a happy workplace and ultimately result in happy customers.

But keeping employees happy is no simple task and involves a balance of financial and non-financial reward. Health and Wellbeing programmes are one way to add support and motivate employees over and beyond a good pay rate.

health and wellbeing testing and individual goal setting in an organisation where the staff cafeteria does little to promote healthy eating and there is a lack of opportunity for employee exercise in daily routines. Creating healthy workplaces require an embedded and full programme through a focus on work/

Top tips for creating a Health and Wellness focus within your organisation: 1. Focus on the big picture—offer healthy food options and opportunities to exercise and have flexibility where possible for work/life balance, make the focus on fun.

2. Create support for the programme and strong communication—develop peer groups allowing individuals opportunities for group participation and competition, design internal marketing campaigns and opportunities for easy exercise. An example of this is a client who is providing at work yoga, fitness and cooking classes to consistently get the message across.

3. Plan for long term implementation—a great idea that is run one year, will fade in the memories of employees if not remeasured and invested in for the longterm.

4. Where possible engage a trusted and respected external source to manage your programme.

Contact Active Health for more information on 03 383 6290 or info@activehealth.co.nz

But what do Health and Wellbeing programmes involve? And how do employers know they’ve really had an impact?

Reduced staff turnover is one clue, reduced absenteeism is another. Employee commitment is perhaps one of the biggest clues and relates to an employee’s love of their employer and workplace. How much do your employees really care about your organisation? Would they promote it to a friend as a company worth working for? Most importantly do they promote your products and services to potential customers – without being prompted and when they’re not at work?

To establish a strong Health and Wellbeing culture employers must first gain employee support. Establishing leaders, ‘promoters and participants’ who actively sell the concept and exhibit the right behaviours is an important initial step. Ensuring consistent messages within your business to support the programme is also important. For example, there is little point in providing benchmark INSIGHT // NOVEMBER 2013

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Why effective job descriptions make business sense

By Cindy Meadows

Where no job description exists, it is important to discuss the newly created document with the current employee to ensure a complete list of tasks and accountabilities are documented.

Undertaking task analysis can assist in establishing key outcomes required for a job description and is useful when assessing if recruitment should take place rather than expanding an existing role.

A person specification will also address the ‘essential’ versus ‘desirable’ set of qualifications, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, personal attributes, competencies and behaviours required for someone to be appointed to a position.

How else could I use this?

The information contained in the job description and person specification can be used to create a job advertisement and, importantly, to confirm the criteria which applicant’s suitability for appointment will be assessed. Subsequent to the appointment, the person specification can be used to commence the performance review process, and as a basis for identifying training needs.

Do I have to have a job description?

An employer is required, as a minimum, to describe the work to be undertaken in their employee’s employment agreement. Your job description doesn’t need to be the size of a book outlining every single task, but flexible enough to allow a person to grow in terms of skills and experience, and structured enough to ensure your employee is very clear about the expectations of the role.

When building the foundation for a successful business, job descriptions provide an opportunity to clearly communicate your business direction and where an employee fits within the business.

3.

Defined tasks, duties and responsibilities; and

4.

Identify the ‘ideal’ person specification (a minimum set of capabilities the job holder needs to possess and demonstrate in order to be appointed and successful in the position).

Whether your business is small, medium or large, well-written job descriptions assist to align employees with the business direction. Alignment of the people you employ with your goals and visions builds success for your business.

The range of descriptors that may be used to define the skills, knowledge, abilities, personal attributes, competencies and behaviours required for an appointment can be endless.

It is therefore important to focus on those that are essential to the position and can be reasonably verified and assessed against each job applicant.

What is a job description?

A job description is a written statement which clearly defines the purpose and the content of a specific job i.e. it describes the reason the position exists and the specific deliverables the position makes to the business. These deliverables are defined as ‘key accountabilities’ or ‘key result areas’ of the position.

Why do I need one?

Besides providing a clear description and understanding of the position there are a number of important uses for a well-defined job description: 1.

Create clear expectations

2.

A shared vision and understanding of short, medium and long term goals

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Remember there is no “one size fits all” so if you’re still uncertain about the value of a job description and you require advice and assistance, contact Cindy on 03 423 2273 or cindy@uniquesolutions.co.nz

How do I create one?

You can’t talk too early, too much, or involve too many people. Communication has a huge role to play in establishing defined roles and understanding how the position links to the business vision and expectations.

The following list is an example of key headings to include in a job description.

• Position title • Responsible to • Position purpose • Key accountabilities • Person specification

Cindy Meadows, Owner Unique Solutions

INSIGHT // NOVEMBER 2013

Doing things Wright

By Annie Studholme

Long-standing Ruralco Supplier and multi-award winner Wright’s Drycleaners & Apparelmaster have been awarded this year’s Apparelmaster Supreme Franchise Award.

It’s the second time, since Neroli and Stuart Cross assumed ownership a decade ago, that the locally-owned and operated business has headed off some stiff opposition from franchises nationwide, the last time being in 2011. The win serves as further endorsement that they are doing things right, says Stuart.

He says in selecting a winner, consideration was given to sustainability, which is central to the Apparelmaster philosophy, looking specifically at recycling and energy efficiency, but crucially a large proportion of the judging was based on customer surveys.

“It was really our customers that judged us.

The win is a reflection on our whole team.

They are very loyal and many are long-serving.

The longest-serving has been with the company for nearly 30 years, and many have been with the company for more than 10 years. It’s like a family. We treat everyone as people and respect their point of view.”

While they were thrilled to pick up the award, Stuart says at the end of the day they are there for their customers, not to win awards.

“We are always striving to do our best, while at the same time growing the business. It’s about getting everything right.” And it’s been that way since the start.

Wright’s Drycleaners has been operating for 65 years, and despite having different owners each with their own ideas, they have managed to retain that strong reputation for a consistent quality and timely service throughout.

They joined the nationwide Apparelmaster family in 1984. The move saw Wright’s Drycleaners branch away from its core retail dry cleaning into the commercial sector, taking the hassle out of commercial dry cleaning by leasing overalls, cleaning and repairing, and delivering and collecting, all at competitive prices.

When Stuart and Neroli purchased the business in 2003, they viewed the Apparelmaster franchise as having untapped-potential, but even they couldn’t have foreseen the growth business has experienced since moving into their purposebuilt premises on 8 Grey Street, Ashburton, five years ago.

In line with Apparelmaster’s thinking, they have placed a huge emphasis on sustainability, re-using a lot of energy. A recycling system for water was installed, achieving 27 per cent water saving, while high quality lagging on steam pipes meant a further 23 per cent fuel saving on the boiler. All products used are also environmentally friendly.

Changes to regulation and compliance mean the goal posts are always shifting and together INSIGHT // NOVEMBER 2013

with technological advancements, business is constantly evolving, says Stuart. He sees automation as the way of the future, but we are not there yet.

“We always knew there was a lot of potential but it has certainly exceeded my expectations. We never could have reached it in the old Tancred Street premises, more from a compliance point of view. We also have a lot more room where we are now,” says Stuart.

Initially their focus was on extending services to local business and engineering clients between the Rangitata River and Rolleston, but more recently a nationwide Apparelmaster contract with meat company, ANZCO, has seen them move into the food industry in a big way.

“It’s a new challenge, but an exciting one.” But it’s taken some sizeable capital investment, from the purchase of new machinery including a 150kg washing machine and a Germanmade Kannegiesser drier, to new staff to handle the extra workload, explains Stuart.

It has also given them the opportunity to look at the business’s structure critically, putting some important systems in place which will set them up for the next five years and beyond.

Throughout their journey, he says their relationship with ATS, and now Ruralco, as an exclusive supplier has been an integral part of their business.

“It just makes doing business with Ruralco Cardholders easier. For us, it means not having to send out so many accounts, and it’s great for cashflow. We really enjoy the relationship.”

Wrights Drycleaners owners Stuart and Neroli Cross mindful of as we grow—that you don’t forget your existing customers,” says Stuart.

New technology has certainly made their job easier in recent years, but it’s that coupled with loyal staff and world-class machinery that turns out an exceptional product day after day. And that’s not about to change.

Despite the business’s constant growth, their customers remain number one. “The key to success is not to overlook any business.

Everyone is important—it doesn’t matter if they are a one-man-band or a client with three or four guys. They all deserve to be treated with respect. It’s something that we have to be

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News at Ruralco Sight the Card With Christmas coming up, business is going to get busier and busier. To help protect yourselves from fraud, please ensure you sight the Ruralco Card before putting through a purchase.

The first five businesses to spot this dog elsewhere in this edition of Insight and call your account manager with the page number will get a complimentary classified advert in a Ruralco publication of your choice. Terms and Conditions apply.

Shop, save

WIN $1 & 000!

For the months Use of November and your R uralc ard WORTH December, use your OF VOU and you’reoinC CHERS w t a h r e d Ruralco Card and you could be in with a chance to win one of three $1,000 prizes per month. That’s a total of $6,000 we are giving away just for using your card. Prizes include $1,000 worth of vouchers to use at the Ruralco Suppliers/s of your choice.

Check out www.ruralco.co.nz/shopsaveandwin for more information.

RURALCO CALENDAR

joining the partnership services team Jan McAra

November

Partnership Services Representative Otago & Southland Mob: 027 436 2775 jan.mcara@ruralco.co.nz To learn more about Jan check out www.ruralco.co.nz/janmcara

1–2 5

Ashburton A&P Show October Invoices due by 4pm 13–15 Canterbury A&P Show 15 Real Farmer February advert booking

Don Joseph

December

Fuel Account Manager Mob: 027 839 7351 don.joseph@ruralco.co.nz To learn more about Don check out www.ruralco.co.nz/donjoseph

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November Invoices due by 4pm 4 Insight January Advert due 5 Christmas Event 6 Real Farmer February advert due 23 Insight March Advert booking 25 Christmas Day 26 Boxing Day January 1 2 3 24

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New Year’s Day Day after New Year’s Day December Invoices due by 4pm Real Farmer April Advert booking

Bleeker & Weith 43 Treneglos St, Washdyke Timaru Tel 03 688 2227 Fax 03 688 2237 bleekerweith@callsouth.net.nz 10% on materials 5% on labour

Laser Electrical Oamaru 3 Ouse St, Oamaru Tel 03 434 9273 r.bryant@laserelectrical.co.nz 10% discount on materials 40% discount on Cable and Mileage Exclusive to Ruralco

Laser Plumbing Oamaru

29 Coquet St, Oamaru Tel 03 434 1232 oamaru@laserplumbing.co.nz 33 South Tce, Darfield www.laserplumbing.co.nz Tel 03 318 8421 Goods and Services—10% challangedarfield@xtra.co.nz 10% discount on and accessories Home heating solutions—10% Sales and special items—net 7% discount on service & repairs Exclusive to Ruralco 5% discount on Husqvarna products North Canterbury

Challenge Darfield

Spot the dog

Shop and Win

New Suppliers

Want to advertise in this publication?

Contact your account manager to discuss marketing your business in Insight

Nancye Pitt

Partnership Services Manager Tel 03 307 5182, nancye.pitt@ruralco.co.nz

Jason McKenzie

Partnership Services Representative Central South Island Tel 03 307 5178, jason.mckenzie@ruralco.co.nz

Emma Geddes-Schikker

Partnership Services Representative Tel: 03 307 5167, emma.schikker@ruralco.co.nz

Darfield ITM 85 North Tce, Darfield Tel 03 318 7474 Fax 03 318 7476 info@darfielditm.co.nz www.itmstores.co.nz/darfield 7% on building supplies 1% Farm Sheds

Geoff Hampton Engineering 90 High St, Southbridge Tel 0800 774 447 info@hamptongroup.co.nz www.hamptongroup.co.nz 10% discount on parts and engineering supplies 7% discount on general engineering.

Greymouth Mitsubishi 17 Tarapuhi St, Greymouth Tel 03 768 5905 Fax 03 768 5906 info@greymouthmitsubishi.co.nz 10–15% off parts 5% off labour

Greymouth Showcase Jewellers Corner Mackay and Tainui Sts Greymouth Tel 03 768 6949 Fax 03 768 4501 greymouth@showcasejeweller. com 10% on jewellery and watch products

Hose and Hydraulic Centre Ltd Corner William and Guiness Sts Greymouth Tel 03 768 9068 Fax 03 768 9068 10% on retail, hydraulic and workshop

Kings Shoe Store 91 King St, Temuka Tel 03 615 7210 10% on shoes, boots and accessories No discount on school uniforms

Lance Toplis Auto Electrical 144 Tainui St, Greymouth Tel 03 768 0423 lancetop@clear.net.nz 10% discount on parts 5% discount on labour

Hunting & Fishing 305 Flaxton Rd, Rangiora Tel 03 313 1313 7% on rods, reel repairs, firearm gunsmithing and retail items 5% on firearms and ammunition; licences and sale items—Nett Exclusive to Ruralco

Rangiora Saddlery 637 Lineside Road Rangiora Tel 03 313 1674 Fax 03 313 1676 rangiorasaddlery@vodafone.co.nz www.rangiorasaddlery.co.nz 5% on saddlery 20% on horse covers

Sutherland Tyres 4 Adderley St, Westport Tel 03 789 7160 Fax 03 789 7561 info@suthtyres@xtra.co.nz 20% off batteries 15% off brake parts 25% off vehicle and tractor tubes 5% off labour Sale/special items net

Wallace & Cooper Dawson St, Timaru Tel 03 684 7159 Fax 03 688 3239 nikki@wce.co.nz www.wce.co.nz 10% on hose and hydraulic fittings

New Ruralco Supplier Branch Locations Check out where you can now use your Ruralco Card at additional branch locations for the below suppliers on www. ruralco.co.nz.

• Allied Concrete • Blackwood Protector Ltd • Brake and Transmission • Bridon NZ • Dominator Garage Doors, Ashburton and Greymouth • Great Southern Timber • Humes Pipeline Systems • Mico Plumbing and Pipelines • Mitre 10, Timaru and Oamaru • Placemakers • Repco • Smiths City • Telecom Orb Communication Stores • Tyre General • Veterinary Enterprises • Vetlife • VTNZ • Whitcoulls NZ INSIGHT // NOVEMBER 2013

Classifieds AIRPORT SERVICES

AUTOMOTIVE

CANVAS & UPHOLSTERY

COMPUTING

Ashburton’s leading computer company.

144 Moore St Ashburton Ph: 03 308 5077 Fax: 03 308 3401 Email: info@comsol.net.nz

www.comsol.net.nz CLEANING

FURNITURE MOVERS

HEALTH

OFFICE SUPPLIES

PEST CONTROL

Pre Inspection & Regular Cleaning contracts Dairy Housing Domestic Housing Industrial Commercial We clean to a standard,not a price PO Box 133 Ashburton

Tel: 03 307 2656 info@ashburtoncleaning.co.nz

HUMAN RESOURCES

INSURANCE

It’s an ideal time to control

CLUSTER FLIES

SPIDERBAN

0800 556 778 308 0051 www.spiderban.co.nz INSIGHT // NOVEMBER 2013

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