FYI March 2012 by Benefitz

Inside Issue 17 March 2012

2 From the Chair Comment from Chairman Warren Kitchin, mayoral luncheon photos 3 Advocacy Submissions for Auckland Long Term Plan 4–5 Transport & Infrastructure Freight study, carpool and win, Auckland Transport update, free public transport pass 6–7 Events Tony Falkenstein Business Breakfast, Empowering Better Business Expo 2012 8–9 What’s New Urban Living Solutions, Express Exercise, Ageless Beauty, Spot On Publications 10 Business & Pleasure New Associate Members, Wine Club 11 Information Transpower update, Gold Sponsors 12–13 Crime Prevention Update from Anna Crane, free crime prevention tool kit, Police update, The Blue Line column 14–15 Sector Feature Information and communications technology 16 Gold Sponsors Secom Guardall and Davenports Harbour Lawyers

on Savelity quaine w

NHBA Wine Club

David Prescott at Wine and More has put together more fantastic deals for NHBA members and staff. See page 10.

North Harbour Business Improvement District (BID) re-ballot results Auckland Council BID Policy Requirement

BID Re-Ballot Result Achieved

Percentage of eligible voters who voted:

25%

34.3%

Votes in favour of the continuation of the BID from those who voted:

51%

74.08%

Result

e very much appreciate your support for the ongoing operation of the North Harbour BID, which is managed by NHBA. The voluntary Board and Executive Team of NHBA look forward to continuing to provide services and activities that are valued by voters in our area. We now need to finalise the extension of the targeted rate that funds our BID operations for effect 01 July 2012. This requires the approval of the Upper Harbour Local Board and ratification of the Auckland Council. This process is being advanced at present, and updates on progress will be available on our website at www.nhba.org. nz/VoteYesAgain and in subsequent issues of FYI.

"A very pleasing result for all. I'm sure everyone in the North Harbour business area will benefit hugely from having some control over events that surround good business practice. There are huge benefits, both monetary and practical, to be gained by all moving together as one on things that are common to all." – Brian Neeson, Chair of the Upper Harbour Local Board

trade colour print

VISIT www.nhba.org.nz • PHONE (09) 968 2222

FROM THE CHAIR

From the Chair The first quarter has been a very busy period for many of our member businesses as we reshape our operations to address the challenges and opportunities of the local and international marketplaces we trade in. The voluntary Board and Executive Team at NHBA have been very focused on a number of key projects such as the Vote Yes Again campaign for the continuance of the North Harbour Business District and our core service programmes in Transport and Crime Prevention. The Vote Yes Again campaign has generated a very effective response from members, which is very much appreciated. The positive result of the ballot of members will underwrite the ongoing development of our core services into the future and enable us to provide effective advocacy for the interests of our wider membership. Looking forward there are a number of priority focus areas of development for the Association which have been flagged

in our 2012/3 Business Plan, available at www.nhba.org.nz. They include an expansion of our Business Expo (see page 7) from the successful initial launch event last year, building strong connections to special interest groups, the reshaping of our business education programme and the assessment of the likely demand for our services in adjacent commercial areas of North Harbour. We are receiving ongoing interest in our services from these areas, with associate members being signed up on a regular basis. In the months to come you will have the opportunity for networking and business development at a number of events, including quality speakers at Business Breakfast and Lunch events, along with the chance to visit businesses of a range of scales showcased in our Business After 5 events. Please also make use of our Business Directory and the range of information now online at our website www.nhba.org.nz. On behalf of the Board and our Executive

Warren Kitchin

Team, our thanks for your ongoing support. We look forward to continuing to develop and deliver value-added services for you, with the confidence that our core funding through the North Harbour Business Improvement District has been strongly supported by members. Yours sincerely

Warren Kitchin CA Dip NZIM Chairman NHBA

business Luncheon with Len Brown

If you have comments on anything in this issue of FYI magazine, or would like to see your business profiled, give us a call. Contact NHBA’s General Manager Janine Brinsdon on 09 968 2222 or 021 212 4942. You can email janine.brinsdon@ nhba.org.nz

Patrick Strange - CEO Transpower, Warren Kitchen - NHBA, Mayor Len Brown - Auckland Council, Matthew Rednall Auckland Transport

Tim Ellet, Ngaio Merrick, Keri Hickmot, Martin Glover

2 • FYI march 2012 • www.nhba.org.nz

Get in contact

Chris Hawkins, Ruth Skinner, Bronwen Newcombe

advocacy

Submissions sought for Auckland Long Term Plan The advent of the Auckland Super City in 2010 has changed Auckland’s political landscape. Auckland Council is now responsible for managing assets worth over $34 billion, and is also custodian of Auckland’s natural environment and the rural areas surrounding the city. Legislation requires all councils to prepare a Long Term Plan every three years. The draft Auckland Plan was prepared following extensive consultation in 2011, and reflects community submissions on the previous councils’ 10-year plans. It contains proposed policies, projects, levels of service, financial strategies and budgets that support council activities and services planned from 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2022. It also incorporates new initiatives which have come out of consultation on the draft Auckland Plan and local board plans. Essentially, this plan is a to-do list. It is one of the key tools to help implement the draft Auckland Plan, and it gives Aucklanders the opportunity to provide feedback through the public submissions process. The plan is set out in four volumes: Volume One: An Overview of the Next 10 Years An overview of the draft plan, information on the legislation, plans for the future, how we plan to manage our finances, information on council, and how to have your say. Volume Two: Our Services and Activities Financial and non-financial policies for the Auckland Council parent and group. Volume Three: Financial Information, Policies and Fees This volume covers a range of financial and non-financial policies for the Auckland Council parent and group. Volume Four: Local Board Information and Agreements General information on the 21 local boards, their draft 2012/13 agreements, proposed

priorities and finances. The plan identified six AUCKLAND’S VISION significant challenges: THE WORLD’S MOST LIVEABLE CITY 1. Population growth. Our population OUTCOMES: WHAT THE VISION MEANS IN 2040 could rise by one A MAORI IDENTITY A WELL A BEAUTIFUL A CULTURALLY THAT IS AN AUCKLAND OF A FAIR SAFE AND A GREEN CONNECTED AUCKLAND THAT RICH AND AUCKLAND’S million people, all PROSPERITY AND HEALTHY AUCKLAND AND ACCESSIBLE IS LOVED BY ITS CREATIVE POINT OF OPPORTUNITY AUCKLAND AUCKLAND PEOPLE AUCKLAND DIFFERENCE WITH of whom will need THE WORLD homes. PRINCIPLES: WE WILL WORK BY 2. Climate change MAKE THE BEST USE CHECK PROGRESS AND WORK TOGETHER VALUE TE AO MAORI BE SUSTAINABLE ACT FAIRLY OF EVERY DOLLAR and energy ADAPT TO IMPROVE SPENT security. Finding TRANSFORMATIONAL SHIFTS: TO ACHEIVE THE VISION ways to reduce DRAMATICALLY SUBSTANTIALLY RAISE SIGNIFICANTLY greenhouse gas LIVING STANDARDS ACCELERATE THE STRONGLY COMMIT MOVE TO RADICALLY IMPROVE ENHANCE MAORI FOR ALL PROSPECTS OF TO ENVIRONMENTAL OUTSTANDING PUBLIC THE QUALITY OF SOCIAL AND TRANSPORT WITHIN AUCKLANDERS AND AUCKLAND’S ACTION AND GREEN emissions and URBAN LIVING ECONOMIC ONE NETWORK FOCUS ON THOSE CHILDREN AND GROWTH WELL-BEING MOST IN NEED YOUNG PEOPLE improve our Graphic from - Volume One: An overview of the next 10 years Auckland Council Draft Long-term Plan 2012-2022 energy efficiency. 3. Economic undertransformational shifts have informed the performance. Labour productivity, updevelopment of the draft LTP 2012–2022 skilled workers and a focus on exports and been reflected in its themes, activities are essential, along with boosting the and priorities for funding over the next performance of existing businesses and 10 years. The draft LTP includes a 10-year looking at marine, tourism, food, film, financial strategy which will support the healthcare and clean technologies as implementation of the Auckland Plan. new ways to grow our economy. Submissions are also to be made on the 4. Social inequality. Many Aucklanders are Regional Land Transport Programme 2012– disadvantaged by social and economic 15. The draft RLTP is a separate document, inequalities, and require priority to be which can be obtained by contacting given to education, health, housing and Auckland Transport, and on their website at skill development initiatives. www.aucklandtransport.govt.nz. 5. Environmental degradation. Managing Everyone is encouraged to make a increasing demand for housing, business, submission. Economic growth, rates, land and transport infrastructure in an recreation and community planning, the environmentally sustainable way. environment, and road, rail and public 6. Infrastructure. A well-functioning transport are all aspects of the plan that city and economy needs good directly affect Auckland residents. infrastructure to underpin its social and Information and advice on how to make economic activities, as well as growth a submission – online, by email, by post opportunities. or in person – can be found at www. The council’s vision of Auckland as the aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/longtermplan. world’s most liveable city is supported by a number of outcomes, transformational shifts The closing date for submissions is 4pm and strategic directions. on Friday 23 March 2012. These challenges, outcomes and

NHBA will make a submission on the Draft LTP, and we will make an oral representation on behalf of our members at the hearing. Representative topics to be covered by our submission are shown below. We want to provide a clear message, one which represents the collective voice of as many members as possible. Please take the time to review the following areas and advise Janine Brinsdon (janine. brinsdon@nhba.org.nz) of your views before 21 March 2012. Topics For NHBA’s Submission

Manufacturing

Service

Retail

Transport/Logistics

Other

Transport Corridors and Infrastructure Investment (Vol. 2, chapter 15) Local Board Expenditure and Priorities (Vol. 3, chapter 9 and Vol. 4, chapter 23) Private-Public Partnerships (Vol. 3, chapter 14) Uniform Annual General Charge Rate Increases (Vol. 3, chapter 6) Solid Waste (Vol. 3, chapter 5) Waste Water (Vol. 3, chapter 7)

www.nhba.org.nz • FYI march 2012 • 3

transport management

Keeping North Harbour moving As the North Harbour BID continues to grow and thrive, local businesses are enjoying the benefits of being in such a dynamic area.

ut the flip side of this success is increasing congestion, especially around peak times. Around 54,000 vehicles come into the area each day, and about a third of those are commercial vehicles. As part of its initiative to understand and improve traffic conditions in the North Harbour area, Auckland Transport, in association with NHBA, have commissioned Richard Paling Consulting to undertake a review of freight activities in the NHBA area. By understanding the current pattern of activities and the issues which are associated with the movement of freight, it is hoped to develop measures which would help to mitigate the effects of congestion at peak times and also deal with other problems that have been identified, including access and parking. This work will take place in the first half of 2012, and will comprise a review of information on traffic flows and conditions supplemented by surveys of firms in the area. This will aim to understand freight traffic requirements for both incoming and outgoing products, and any problems which arise in relation to these movements.

The study will look at the way in which freight traffic patterns change across the working day, and especially at the level of freight traffic in the peak when traffic congestion is greatest. Existing and specially commissioned traffic counts will be analysed to illustrate the current patterns. It is recognised that courier movements play an important role in supporting the economic activities in the area (see graph), and particular attention will be paid to these. A special survey has already been undertaken to identify the numbers of courier vehicles in the overall traffic flows over the day, and the main courier firms have been approached to discuss their operations. A set of face-to-face surveys is in progress with some of the major firms in the area, and it is intended that once these are complete, a wider survey will be posted on the NHBA website, to which firms will be invited to respond. The study will be looking for as wide a response as possible to ensure that a full set of data and views are taken into account in the work, and we would therefore ask for your participation in this. Check www.nhba.org.nz for updates on the study.

Courier Vehicle Movements on Paul Matthews Road 23 02 2012 60

Flow per hour

6:30

7:30

8:30

9:30

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11:30

12:30

13:30

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Hour beginning Saturn-Omega

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Omega-Saturn

2-way

15:30

16:30

17:30

WIN

an iPad 2

he North Harbour Business Association and Auckland Transport operate CarpoolNow, a free online carpool match service to help everyone in the area maximise their travel options. This simple and flexible service provides the means for in excess of 13,000 employees across 1,300 businesses to come together and carpool to work. CarpoolNow helps put you in touch with other people who would like to save money and time during their commute. You can tailor your searches to your particular circumstances, and members also have access to a guaranteed ride home, in case of an emergency. Many NHBA members are already using the scheme, and now Massey University has merged its carpooling database with CarpoolNow, giving even more options for people to share rides. Many employers and tertiary institutions provide great benefits for registered carpoolers, and Auckland Transport has recently established priority lanes, priority parks and transit lanes for carpoolers to use. Over the next few months, Auckland Transport will also be introducing a number of new functionality improvements to the software, and is combining forces with other regional councils to develop a national carpooling brand and website. Watch this space – we’ll keep you updated with progress on the project. If you are new to the NHBA, or if you have recently moved house or office, now is the time to update your details or check out the service. Get involved – it’s a great way to save money, reduce congestion and meet new people in your area. And if you register before 30 March 2012, you’ll go into the draw to win an iPad2. Visit CarpoolNow.co.nz for more information and your chance to win.

Transport management

Transport priorities target traffic Auckland Transport’s mission is to deliver effective and innovative transport solutions to their customers.

FREE Public Transport Pass The NHBA and Auckland Transport are working together to solve congestion problems in the North Harbour Business District. As an incentive to encourage business people in the area to trial public transport, we are giving away free public transport passes, which can be used in the last 2

Auckland Region transport investment 2009 – 2012 43% Public Transport (includes electrification) 25% Local Roads 30% State Highways 1% Walking and Cycling 1% Planning

Average Weekday Hourly Flows

1400

Cars and Vans MCVs 4 axles rigid 4+axle artic Total

1200 1000 800 600 400 200

0 10 0 :0 11 0 :0 12 0 :0 13 0 :0 14 0 :0 15 0 :0 16 0 :0 0 17 :0 18 0 :0 0 19 :0 20 0 :0 21 0 :0 22 0 :0 2 0 24 3:0 :0 0 0: 00

Figure 3.1 Weekday Hourly Traffic Flows on Albany Highway August 2011

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Cars and Vans MCVs 4 axles rigid 4+axle artic Total

Average Weekday Hourly Flows

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00 6: 00 7: 00 8: 00 9: 0 10 0 :0 11 0 :0 12 0 :0 13 0 :0 14 0 :0 15 0 :0 16 0 :0 0 17 :0 18 0 :0 19 0 :0 20 0 :0 21 0 :0 22 0 :0 23 0 24 : 0 :0 0 0: 00

0 00

to be distributed to businesses, and there will be improvements to North Harbour bus shelter information and timetables. The HOP card rollout is scheduled for mid–2012, providing integrated ticketing that will facilitate faster boarding times and lower fares. An extra 550 car parking spaces at the Albany Park and Ride should be available from July 2012. The free CarpoolNow scheme had 250 people sign up in the first year, and continues to grow (see page 4 for details). And third, to reduce congestion caused by educational travel in peak periods. With 27% of traffic in the area related to educational institutions, reducing congestion is an ongoing challenge. Auckland Transport has been working with Massey University and local schools, and this year has already seen a 6% decrease in the number of cars going to the university campus, and 14% fewer cars in the morning peak around the Albany Highway schools. A trial of extra school bus services is currently underway to help reduce congestion from school traffic. For more information on transport projects affecting the North Harbour BID area, and updates as they come to hand, visit www.nhba.org.nz.

he aim is to realise more effective infrastructure networks and hubs for freight distribution, conduct of business, recreational use and access. This means aligning investment to better connect services between areas of residence and employment, and promoting sustainable transport modes, such as walking, cycling and public transport. An essential component of this is a smarter, more efficient, integrated public transport system. The chart at right shows the percentages of investment dedicated to each area of transport development in the Auckland region. With these goals in mind, NHBA, under their Transport Management Area Programme, have set priorities for 2012. First, to develop measures to improve freight and courier movements. A freight study is currently being undertaken to collect information and identify solutions for business traffic movements, especially during peak business hours. (See page 4 for more information.) The graphs at right illustrate local traffic flows over the course of a day. Second, to continue a programme of public transport improvements. Public transport resource packs will continue

Figure 3.2 Weekday Hourly Traffic Flows on Rosedale Road August 2011

weeks of each month. The public transport pass offers you an easy, one-purchase ticket for your entire day’s bus, train or ferry travel. To qualify you must be a new user of public transport, and some conditions do apply. If you would like to trial the public transport networks with our compliments, please email traffic@nhba.org.nz for more information.

www.nhba.org.nz • FYI march 2012 • 5

EVENTS

Secrets of a worldclass entrepreneur “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

ony Falkenstein is a shining example of this philosophy at work – although in his case, it might be more appropriate to say “Create a job you love”. The North Harbour Business Association is delighted to present Tony as a speaker at our next Business Breakfast on March 22, when he will share “The Secrets of an Entrepreneur”. Tony has been CEO of companies for over 30 years, including subsidiaries of multinationals, two NZX listed companies, and, for the past 25 years, his own family company, Red Eagle Corporation Limited, which he started a week after the sharemarket crash in 1987. In June 2005 he floated Just Water International on the New Zealand Stock Exchange, and the company now employs 150 staff here and in Australia. He is also the majority owner of Bartercard New Zealand, and Buro Seating. Tony believes business education is the key to New Zealand’s economic prosperity, and was instrumental in establishing the country’s first business high school, at Onehunga High in 2003. Every second year, he takes students to New York to visit organisations such as Google, Saatchi and Saatchi, Deutsche Bank, the New York Stock Exchange and NYU College of Entrepreneurship. He is also an advocate of entrepreneurial initiatives such as SPARK and The Icehouse, and a strong supporter of the University of Auckland Business School and AUT Business School. Tony talked to FYI ahead of his appearance at the NHBA Business Breakfast. What was it about school that didn’t suit you? Do you think that these factors are present in some workplaces, creating uninspired staff? I didn’t dislike school, I just liked the ‘playtime’ a lot better than the ‘worktime’, so I tended to either try and make ‘worktime’ more of a ‘playtime’, or ‘dream’. I suppose school didn’t really inspire me, but maybe I was the odd one out! Similarly in the workplace, some people like bureaucracy and others like a more relaxed atmosphere where they can prove themselves. I have a saying, adapted from ex Avis boss, Robert Townsend: “If you’re not in business for fun and profit, what the hell are you doing there?” The same

6 • FYI march 2012 • www.nhba.org.nz

applies to employees – if they are not in a workplace which inspires them then they should choose another. What have been the advantages (or disadvantages) of basing yourself in NZ instead of staying overseas after working in New York? The advantages are being a big fish in a small pond, but being in a more dynamic business environment tends to inspire you to do “bigger” things. I love New Zealand, and on balance, prefer the environment here. What attributes have most contributed to your success? As a child I was very shy, and often knew I could do things, but never put my hand up. Only as a university student did I start putting my hand up, then found how innovative I was compared with others, and then became the boss at 29 of the subsidiary of a multinational company, and decided I liked being the “boss” so there I have stayed ever since!

Tony Falkenstein receives the Insignia of an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business from the Rt Hon Sir Anand Satyanand, GNZM, QSO.

I personally think the student loan scheme has seen fewer young entrepreneurs, as there has been no struggle for them. Why are a vast majority of successful businesses started by immigrants or offspring of immigrants? They have had to struggle. The student loan scheme has just extended parents’ pocket money into the university giving them money. I am at least hoping that by getting business into the national curriculum, we will achieve more financial literacy amongst young people than there is now. Like all of life, business is about relationships – what benefits do you see in belonging to an association like the North Harbour Business Association? Networking is so important – business is not about ‘selling’, it is all about relationships. People need to establish relationships, and, like in Asia, not be nervous about giving their business cards to everybody they meet. What advice would you give to members of the association looking to grow their business in difficult times? It is strange that we often complain about the unemployment rate being (say) 5%, when we should be talking up the 95% who are employed. Similarly in business, if business is down generally 10%, it still means that 90% of business is still being transacted every day. Businesses just need to be more innovative in attracting that dollar. The great thing about the global financial crisis is that most businesses have made themselves more efficient by cutting costs – now they need to grow their businesses, by reinventing themselves, doing crazy things and being positive about the future.

You’ve said that a businessman satisfies a need, while an entrepreneur creates a need and then satisfies it. What entrepreneurial strategies can be used by people working in more structured organisations? I would put it this way – an entrepreneur is an explorer, like (say) Christopher Columbus. He didn’t know where he was going, but he knew there was something out there. In a structured environment it is difficult to be the explorer, as management is looking for the ‘end result’, by asking for detailed business plans, which means research, which is only meaningful if we know there is something there. However, in a structured environment an entrepreneurial thinker is needed in management to allow some employees to go ahead with ventures based on intuition, as long as it Date: 22 March 2012 has possibilities. Time: 7–8.30am Venue: North Shore Golf Club, You’ve succeeded in getting Appleby Road, Albany enterprise learning established RSVP now to see this inspirational speaker in in the national curriculum – do person, by emailing admin@nhba.org.nz. For you think we’ll see a new wave of more information visit www.nhba.org.nz/event. young entrepreneurs in NZ?

business breakfast

with Tony Falkenstein

EVENTS

Empowering Better Business Expo back for 2012 ‘Empowering Better Business’ represents more than the North Harbour Business Association’s strap-line. It focuses the development of projects which provide the platform for efficient and effective economic growth, informing and connecting the local business community.

Some of the exhibitors at 2011's Business Expo

The NHBA’s business expo is an example of this strategy in action. The inaugural expo, in April 2011, demonstrated the wide range of businesses operating in the North Harbour BID area, and helped business owners and operators forge connections to support business growth. There are tangible benefits to doing more business locally, with shorter commuting or delivery times, reduced overheads and overall gains in efficiency. After the success of the 2011 expo, we have moved to a larger venue this year, at the North Harbour Stadium. Entry for visitors remains free, and the cost of entry for exhibitors is competitive, to ensure the event is accessible to small and large companies. The expo is a great opportunity to increase awareness of your business, reach out to other local companies, and build networks to support ongoing development and success. Date: 17 May 2012 Venue: North Harbour Stadium Time: 10am–6.30pm

For an exhibitor’s pack, or to present a seminar at the expo, please contact Janine Brinsdon, NHBA General Manager, on 021 212 4942, or email janine.brinsdon@nhba.org.nz. Check nhba.org.nz/expo for more details as they are announced.

www.nhba.org.nz • FYI march 2012 • 7

WHAT’S NEW

wHAT’S NEW

Express Exercise

A new concept in New Zealand gyms opened its doors at 5 Douglas Alexander Parade on 18 February. At Express Exercise there are no contracts to bind, no up-front costs and no hidden fees. All visits are on a user-friendly pay-persession basis.

Urban Living Solutions Anyone who has renovated, updated or created a brand new bathroom in their home knows how important it is to get the best possible value for your hardearned money.

s a direct importer, Urban Living Solutions sells directly to the public, allowing them to supply top-quality products at the lowest possible price. The company opened their Albany store on Douglas Alexander Parade late last year, bringing the expertise developed over many years in their Christchurch operation. Store manager Phil NelsonHauer says that since then they have been inundated with domestic and commercial customers searching for quality bathroom fittings at the best prices. The passionate team at Urban Living stock an impressive range of free-standing showers and baths. They offer everything from basic space saver or ‘shower cabin’ models, through to the luxury Smart Showers, which feature overhead and handheld fittings, back massage jets, foot massager, spa bath, radio, lighting, telephone and an emergency alarm. The showroom also has a range of spa baths, shower cabins, vanities, cabinets, mirrors and tapware, all at low wholesale prices. Phil says their free-standing spa and shower products are a great option. These unique products are easy to assemble and install in your home, as they don’t need to be hard-fixed into the walls – all you do is attach the three pipes and you’re away. Another great benefit is that they can never leak and cause under-floor or wall rotting. Most shower and bath models at Urban Living are sold with all tapware and connections included, but there is also the option of choosing a ‘bare model’ and adding your existing tapware. Proving their commitment to quality, every product sold at Urban Living complies with European, Australian and New Zealand standards. For free, expert advice visit Urban Living at 15B Douglas Alexander Parade, Albany. They are open Monday to Friday 8.30am–4.30pm, Saturday 9am–4pm and Sunday 10am–2pm. For all enquiries please phone 441 3327, email uls@xtra. co.nz or visit www.uls.co.nz.

8 • FYI march 2012 • www.nhba.org.nz

Unlike many small franchise gyms springing up recently, Express Exercise is owner operated. Having spent years in hotels and on planes, owner Richard Cattell is well acquainted with the challenges of fitting exercise into a tight schedule. An Express workout means no annoying queues or overcrowding. Sessions can be booked and paid for online so your equipment is ready and waiting when you arrive. Low rates start at $4 for a cardio session or $8 for a circuit, and frequent-user discounts can also be earned. Express Exercise can also run special sessions for corporate groups or sports teams. Express Exercise is proudly no frills to keep prices to a minimum, but has not cut corners on its quality brand-new equipment. Users have a choice of exercising in three areas: timed circuit, cardio or private weights studio. The timed circuit is a great way to exercise for those who are motivated by (small) group fitness. The circuit can be booked, so that gym users can have a session completely to themselves, with family or friends. An instructor is always on hand to supervise, and Richard can also give advice, such as how to start a new exercise programme or dealing with injury. The cardio studio has eight Spirit e-Glide elliptical crosstrainers for superb cardiovascular training. For added interest, Richard has put together audio exercise programmes for the e-Glides, which are available on MP3 players. There is also a selection of exercise cards to follow, or users can jog ‘freestyle’. The final offering is the weights studio. This is a godsend to all who are tired of battling for space in large gyms, as it’s private for the whole 55-minute session. Users are welcome to bring along a friend or personal trainer with no surcharge. Go to www.expressexercise.co.nz to find out more and conveniently book your exercise sessions. Richard invites everyone to drop in, say hi and get a free session to try.

expressexercise Book. Pay. Exercise. expressexercise.co.nz

WHAT’S NEW

Ageless Beauty After 10 years in the beauty industry, Sharon Moriarty has realised her dream of opening a beautiful salon. Sharon believes that every woman should be able to treat herself and feel like a queen from time to time. Ageless Beauty is a place where you can escape the demands of day-to-day life, and enter into a world where you feel unique and special from the moment you set foot in the door. With therapists Rickie Brown and Hannah Sheldon, Sharon offers a wide range of services, ranging from heavenly massages and facials to more advanced facial technologies such as peels, microdermabrasion and dermaplaning. They also offer little luxuries such as tanning, eyelash perming and tinting, eyebrow shaping and tinting, and manicures and pedicures. The beauty industry is continuously changing due to new technologies and

products. Sharon says keeping up to date with advances in skincare means she can always offer her clients the very best for their skin. At Ageless Beauty they only use top-of-the-line beauty ranges. These include emerginC, a cosmeceutical range using pure potent botanicals; Gatineau, a high-performance French skincare range; La Mav, an Australian organic, anti-aging skin care line; and Orly, a range of nail products designed to strengthen and repair nails. The salon also offers a personalised skin diagnosis service, a great way to find out exactly what your skin needs. Along with product advice, you will be given a treatment plan designed to ensure your skin is receiving the best possible care. And

Spot On Publications

We’re lucky in New Zealand to have easy access to the great outdoors – but many of us are not making the most of it. Statistics for obesity, heart disease, diabetes and lifestylerelated illnesses are worrying, and the next generation of children is increasingly at risk. At Spot On Publications, their aim is to encourage New Zealanders to get out and enjoy this country’s fantastic recreational and fitness opportunities – whatever their interest and level of fitness. Managing Director Chris Gaskell says that while they’re creating a commercially successful business, they hope to make a bit of a difference in people’s lives too, by providing inspiration and encouragement to get up off the couch and get active. The

Spot On team walk the walk – they are all cyclists, gym-goers and health enthusiasts, and their passion shows in the quality of the company’s active leisure publications. Their newest title, Fitness Life, will be relaunched in April. Targeted at women’s fitness and health, Fitness Life gives readers information and tools to help balance fitness with work and family life. After many months of planning, Spot On has also relaunched v02max magazine. v02max includes inspirational feature stories; previews of key sporting events; interviews with top athletes; information on optimum training, diet, nutrition and lifestyle; comment from sports personalities; and the latest news on New Zealand’s top sporting codes, including triathlon,

because at Ageless Beauty they appreciate the value of customer loyalty, the Client Loyalty Programme gives the opportunity to earn luxurious rewards. As a special offer to NHBA members, until the end of April all new clients will receive 20% off their first treatment. Sharon and her team look forward to welcoming you and giving you the pampering you deserve at Ageless Beauty. To contact them, phone 414-5522, or drop in to the salon at 8/51 Rosedale Mews, on the corner of William Pickering Drive and Rosedale Road. For more information and to book online, visit www.agelessbeauty therapy.co.nz.

athletics, cycling, swimming, ironman, multisport and surf lifesaving. These two relaunched titles join New Zealand Road Cyclist and New Zealand Mountain Biker in the Spot On stable. New Zealand Road Cyclist is the country’s only dedicated road cycling publication. With a mix of practical and informative articles, alongside entertaining and inspirational main features, the magazine meets the demand for credible information from non-elite cyclists – the enthusiastic ‘weekend warriors’ who make up the vast majority of New Zealand’s road cyclists. New Zealand Mountain Biker is New Zealand’s best-selling mountain biking magazine. Each issue contains a mix of practical and informative information, including trail stories, rider profiles, interviews, event coverage and overseas riding trips, along with sections on workshop, where to ride, skills and product reviews. To subscribe, advertise or find out more about any of the Spot On titles, contact chris@spoton.net.nz or visit the website at www.spoton.net.nz.

www.nhba.org.nz • FYI march 2012 • 9

business & pleasure

Associate member profiles While NHBA membership is open to all businesses in our catchment area, there is also the opportunity for businesses in the surrounding parts of Albany to join as Associate Members and take advantage of the benefits on offer. Some of our new associate members are:

City Nissan Takapuna Precision Automobiles

City Nissan Takapuna and Precision Automobiles are subsidiaries of the Sime Darby Motor Group. They are the proud suppliers of new Nissan, Peugeot, Chrysler Jeep and Dodge passenger and commercial vehicles. They are also suppliers of parts, and are able to service all makes and models of vehicles. City Nissan Takapuna and Precision Automobiles are conveniently located on Wairau Road and are open 7 days a week. Product, presentation, people and price enable both Precision Automobiles and City Nissan Takapuna to sell cars with a very high level of professionalism and customer satisfaction. They are also able to provide vehicle finance, insurance and aftercare product, making them the perfect one stop shop. Please contact the team on 444 6105 or visit us at 159 and 187 Wairau Road, Glenfield.

On Fire Design Ltd On Fire Design’s history catalogues a range of clients who changed, not for the sake of change, but to drive action. We aim to make brands more visible, more differentiated, more competitive. From briefing to creative development to production, we work with our clients every step of the way to ensure projects get done with clarity and cut-through, on time, on budget – and on fire. Just some of the things we serve hot are: • Brand and identity creation • Branding strategy • Advertising • Packaging design • Exhibition design • Graphic design • Online advertising • Email marketing • Website design • Website development • Facebook applications • Search engine optimisation Please contact Sam Allan on 480 2036.

10 • FYI march 2012 • www.nhba.org.nz

Rix Insurance Brokers Ltd Corey and Pam are Registered Financial Advisors with a combined 18 years insurance industry experience in NZ and the UK. We “walk the talk” – providing commitment to quality care and personalised service. Our clients trust us implicitly. We build open, honest relationships that lead to successful long-term outcomes. Throughout life, circumstances constantly change, so we meet with our clients annually to ensure insurance needs are up to date and relevant to their life situation. Personal insurance protection is about giving you and your family peace of mind, knowing that in the event of death, disability or serious illness you can maintain the lifestyle to which you are accustomed. It provides you with the security of knowing that everything you have worked hard for, like your house, car, boat, holiday home and savings, will be secure. Personal insurance products we specialise in include Life Cover, Trauma/ Critical Illness Cover, Total and Permanent Disability Cover, Mortgage Protection, Income Protection, Medical Cover and Premium Cover. 3 Kahikatea Close, Campbells Bay Phone 476 6112.

Strategic Sales Strategic Sales specialises in telemarketing, marketing campaigns, appointment setting, lead generation and market research. Strategic Sales tends to work with small to medium businesses who don’t always have the capacity to do their own marketing or research. These companies may also be intimidated by traditional market research or consultancy companies, which can be expensive, or require a large minimum investment. Strategic Sales is committed to the client and acquired everything it knows from hard work and listening. There is nothing that Strategic Sales will not undertake in the process of getting results. You can contact owner Kristen Dennis on 021 497 770.

NHBA WINECLUB

Here are the latest fantastic wine deals for NHBA members and staff, on offer at Wine and More. River Farm Marlborough Merlot 2010 River Farm Merlot is showing great promise and is already drinking very well. It is deeply coloured, with an inviting nose of rich earthy aromas complemented by blackcurrant, violet, chocolate and spice flavours. It is a big-bodied and complex wine, beautifully balanced with a long and generous mouth-feel. It will continue to develop in the bottle over the next ten years. RRP $30.00 NHBAWC price $19.00 River Farm Ben Morven Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 Very high quality fruit from low cropping vines picked at optimum ripeness has created a special and generous wine. The nose is inviting with tropical aromas and underlying herbaceousness and citrus, the colour is warm and bright. The wine palate weight, texture and complexity leads to a lingering, moreish finish. RRP $20.00 NHBAWC price $13.00 Mud House Swan Waipara Chardonnay 2009 Soft balanced aromas of orange blossom, stone fruit and biscuit oak. This elegant, highly-textured wine offers flavours of nectarine, lemon rind and nutty oak. A thread of minerality weaves its way through the palate, holding the wine’s beautiful focus. Drink now through 2017. RRP $26.00 NHBAWC price $16.00 Mixed cases are welcome. This offer is exclusive to the NHBA members and staff. It is not available online – if you wish to purchase in store you must mention FYI to get these prices, or you can phone 415 3568 or email david@wineandmore.co.nz with your order. FREE DELIVERY for all NHBA members and staff.

Information

Transpower Albany to Wairau Cable Section update George Pannill and Northwood Reserve Work in George Pannill Reserve is now 80% complete and reinstatement work is underway in some areas. Footpath reinstatement in Northwood Reserve between Bush Road and Syracuse Place is being carried out and once the concrete has dried this area will be reopened to the public. Short sections of the haul roads and joint bay pits will remain in place in both reserves to allow access for the cable pulling expected to start in June. Final reinstatement and any required tree replanting in both reserves will be done after all work in these areas is completed. Kristin Lane area Trenching across Kristin Lane starts in March. One traffic lane will be closed while we work across the road, and access through the walkway between Kristin Lane and Rosedale Road will be unavailable until work is finished in early April. Rosedale Road crossing The work on Rosedale Road is progressing well and is expected to be finished in late March. One lane access through this area means a stop/go system is in place during the daytime, and a priority give-way system after hours. Rosedale Plaza, 243 Rosedale Road We have excavated a trench in the western side of the car park at the plaza, which affects the car park entrance – please use the entrance on the eastern side while work is ongoing. Work is progressing well through this area, with reinstatement already underway. New trenching crew on board An additional crew has joined our team to carry out trenching work. They are currently working in Watercare and council land area between Jack Hinton Drive and Upper Harbour Drive. You may have noticed an entranceway has been created from Upper Harbour Drive to allow machinery and vehicles into the area. Please take care when driving past the entranceway as trucks will need to slow down before entering. Vanderbilt Parade and Stanford Street road crossings, and Brookfield Stream Reserve Haul roads are being constructed in Brookfield Stream Reserve between Vanderbilt Parade and Stanford Street in preparation for trenching work. We expect to cross Vanderbilt Parade in late March and Stanford Street in late April.

Albany Highway crossing We will be crossing Albany Highway after the Rosedale Road crossing is finished in late March. Keep an eye out for digital signage notifying motorists. This area has many underground services and requires a very careful approach. It will take our crews three to four weeks to install ducts across the highway, just north of the Princeton Parade intersection. Northern Busway We are carrying out cabling work in the busway from March 2012 to early 2013. Unfortunately this may cause a delay of one to four minutes to bus services so we suggest you allow for extra travelling time if you catch the bus. Only sections of the Busway will be affected at any one time and traffic management controls will be in place to minimise the impact on travellers. Find out more about the work on our website gridnewzealand.co.nz/expectdelays-northern-busway. Wairau substation Our new substation is being built on the existing Vector substation site at the southern end of Wairau Rd adjacent to the Takapuna Golf Course. The piling for the new building and transformer pad foundation has been completed and work constructing the substation building will begin in February with the excavation of the basement. We have built a retaining wall along the north-western boundary and fencing around the site is progressing well. Planting along the watercourse edge, which runs along the north-western boundary, will start soon. This work is being done in conjunction with local electricity distributor and infrastructure company Vector and will reinforce the power supply to North Shore homes and businesses. See www. gridnewzealand.co.nz/naan-wairau-rdsubstation for more information about this new substation.

Thank you to our Gold Sponsors for 2012

www.bnz.co.nz

www.coverstaffrecruitment.co.nz

www.davenportsharbour.co.nz

www.guardall.co.nz

www.ilg.co.nz

www.northshoregolfclub.co.nz

www.speedysigns.co.nz/Albany

www.thecaterers.co.nz The cable has arrived Seventeen cable drums with approximately 800 metres of 220 kV cable each are now in storage in readiness for installing in ducts between our Albany substation and our substation being built in Wairau Road.

Trade Colour Print

Keep updated through the Transport News page on www.nhba.org.nz.

www.visionaccounting.co.nz

www.nhba.org.nz • FYI march 2012 • 11

CRIME PREVENTION

Crime prevention update

Learn how to prevent crime and receive your free crime prevention tool kit

Anna Crane has now been in the Crime Prevention Specialist role for 6 weeks.

uring this time she has met with over 40 North Harbour Business Association members, delivering Crime Prevention Tool Kits, completing Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) surveys, and discussing any issues that members are facing. The immediate concerns that have been identified from these visits include cars being broken into, rubbish being dumped, and illegal street racers doing burnouts in our streets. These immediate concerns are matters that we will deliver against under the ‘Crime is Not Okay’ project, funded by the Ministry of Justice. Streets that are known to often have a particular issue include commercial roads that end in a dead end and are seen at night as having no guardianship, and therefore less risky for illegal street racers and people dumping rubbish.

Percentage Reduction in Burglaries Committed at Night 60 58 56 54 52 50 48 46 44 Reduction rate 2001–02 to 2007–08

Reduction rate 2007–08 to 2010–11

One principle of CPTED is to ensure that areas look owned and cared for, and remain graffiti free, so resolving these issues can have a greater impact, including reducing the risk of crime occurring in your street. Anna is presently working at targeting these issues and is keen to hear from anyone with information that could assist. The graph shows the recorded crime statistics for four different fiscal years. The North Harbour Business Association came into existence as a voluntary organisation in 2003, partly due to the number of

burglaries (particularly at night) that were occurring in the area. This can be seen in the graph, with a 50% reduction in night-time burglaries between 2001–2002 and 2007–2008. The area then became a Business Improvement District in July 2008, which gave us the financial resources to have a significant impact. Since then the numbers of night-time burglaries have reduced by a further 59% (for the 2010– 2011 fiscal year), and with the assistance of the Crime Prevention Initiative we are continuing to work at reducing these and other offences. One issue identified from these statistics is the number of cars being stolen or broken into. This will not be an easy issue to resolve. However, if we raise awareness of this issue and work together then we can reduce the number of these offences as well. Actions that we can take include reporting suspicious behaviour and ensuring that vehicles are always secure, with no valuables left in them. Also, members should mark any tools that remain in their vehicles with the SelectaDNA product from the Crime Prevention Tool Kit, and then label the vehicle with the SelectaDNA stickers advertising that this has been done. Additional DNA packs are available at a NHBA member special rate. Simply contact Anna for details. Presently car number plates are being stolen from cars in the North Shore, including the North Harbour area. If you see any people acting suspiciously around parked cars, please do not hesitate to contact the police by calling 111. Please try to give as much detail as possible. Anna is looking at how we can help your businesses further, including supplying access to training on crime prevention topics that are of real value to you. We are therefore running a short survey on our website, asking you to identify what crime prevention training you would be interested in. Please take the time to complete the survey on the Crime Prevention page at www.nhba.org.nz – it will ensure that we supply training that you are interested in.

Contact our Crime Prevention Specialist Anna Crane today to organise your CPTED survey in order to get your free Crime Prevention Tool Kit, or if you just want some advice about crime prevention. Call 968 2222 or 021 560 287, or email crimeprevention@nhba.org.nz.

12 • FYI march 2012 • www.nhba.org.nz

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he North Harbour Business Improvement District (BID) benefits from one of the lowest crime rates in the country due to shared security initiatives and the services of a full-time Crime Prevention Specialist, Anna Crane, whose role is co-funded by the Ministry of Justice. Anna is responsible for the management and implementation of a Crime Prevention Programme which offers all NHBA members a number of services, including NHBA-sponsored security patrols, CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) surveys and Crime Prevention Tool Kits. Come and meet Anna, along with your Community Constable Tane Dyer, and David Morrissey and Alice Baillie from SelectaDNA, and receive your free tool kit. The tool kit includes a number of useful items including MYtraca (a method for finding lost items of value with no serial number, such as keys), and a SelectaDNA kit, which is a DNA forensic property marking kit. We are holding two events, with one after hours, to meet members whose premises are of a mixed use format (residential/commercial), many of whom are in or around Airborne Road. 25

12:32:

Save the date The first is a lunch on Tuesday 27 March at 12:30pm (12.45pm start) at the offices of SelectaDNA, Unit 5, 25 Airborne Road. (Please RSVP for catering by Friday 24 March.) The second is nibbles and refreshments on Thursday 29 March at 6pm (6.15 start) at Brake Café, Unit 9, 18 Airborne Road. (Please RSVP by Tuesday 27 March.) Please RSVP to Anna, phone 968 2222 or 021 560 287, or by email to anna.crane@nhba.org.nz.

POLICE UPDATE

Police and communities working together Every viable business has to have a vision, a goal for the future and a plan about how it will get there. The New Zealand Police is no different. We have a very simple mission: To work in partnership with communities to prevent crime and road trauma, enhance public safety and maintain public order.

his can be condensed even further to a simple vision: Safer Communities Together. You may have seen this written on the side of a passing patrol car. It’s the ‘together’ part that says ‘hey, we can’t do this by ourselves’. We’ve recognised for a long time that we have to work together to build communities that not only are safe, but feel safe. The formal relationship between the Police and the NHBA is one such example where, by working together, we have lowered crime rates and increased safety in a community, in this case a business community. As part of this relationship the NHBA have asked me: from a strategic point of view, how are the Police going about the business of making communities that are safe and feel safe? We are changing the way we do our business, by putting prevention at the front of policing. We’re calling it Prevention First. Prevention First is about placing a greater emphasis on prevention. Responding to, investigating and resolving crime and crashes will remain critical elements of our approach, but the only way to achieve a sustainable reduction in crime, road trauma and antisocial behaviour is to focus on prevention. Preventing crime makes smart business sense. If we are sending fewer offenders to court, the justice system has the potential to make huge savings all the way down the chain, from first appearances to the cost of incarcerating criminals long term. Reduced numbers of victims means fewer costs on the health system, social services and insurance companies. We’re investing in technology to help us put prevention squarely in front of everything we do. We have rolled out smart devices that speed up interactions on the front line and reduce time spent on paper work, re-investing that time saving back into prevention work.

In every issue of FYI, Senior Sergeant Mark Fergus will be answering your questions relating to crime prevention and safety. If you would like to ask a question, please email crime prevention@nhba.org.nz.

Senior Sergeant Mark Fergus

Using crime analysis tools, we are rostering staff not to meet demand, but to beat demand, to be ahead of the game. We’re increasing public access to Police for reporting historic and non-emergency crime. Any good business will re-invest savings back into the business, and that is what Police are doing. As we spend less time responding to crime, we can focus increasing time into prevention of crime – it becomes a selfsustaining beneficial curve. What sort of activities are we doing to prevent crime? One such way is imposing bail conditions on criminals that reduce the opportunities to offend. These might include night-time curfews, non-association clauses between offenders, conditions not to consume alcohol, and anything else that we think might curb the criminals’ activity. The courts are very supportive. Then we follow this up with heavy monitoring of the bail conditions. Every week in North Shore alone we knock on 150 doors to check that offenders are complying. If they aren’t, they are arrested and put back before the court. So, how will we know we have succeeded? We don’t make a profit, despite what some may think about our traffic enforcement. One measure we have applied is a commitment to an overall reduction in crime in the 2014/15 year by 13% compared to 2008. That’s a lot less people suffering the trauma of being victims of crime, and it’s a goal we are well on our way to meeting. We can’t do this by ourselves – we are all in this together. Senior Sergeant Mark Fergus is the Community Policing Manager for North Shore Police. He has been in the Police for 25 years, and has been involved in many areas of policing, including Criminal Investigation Branch, Search and Rescue, and front line operational command.

How do I make a citizen’s arrest? The short answer is – please don’t make a citizens arrest, leave it to us! There is in law no specific power entitling any person to make a ‘citizen’s arrest’. Certain enactments provide a justification or protection from criminal responsibility, but these don’t amount to arrest powers and they are fraught with legal definitions and difficulties. Get it wrong, and it may be you that ends up in court, in hospital or worse. There are huge safety issues when you attempt to deprive someone of their liberty, including the high risk of violence, unknown weapons, unknown associates lurking nearby… the list goes on. If someone is stealing property, is it really worth your safety and even your life to get that stuff back? What I ask you to do instead of attempting a ‘citizen’s arrest’ is, first, take safe sensible steps to prevent further harm to persons. It may be as simple as sounding your car horn and yelling out that you are going to call the cops. Your mere presence may be enough to end an assault. Call 111 and let the Police know. Once the area is safe, render first aid and wait for the Police to arrive. Then, what we really need are good witnesses. Take mental, and even written, notes of the important details. What did the offender look like, what was he wearing, where did he go, what car was he in? The more detail you can pass on, the greater the chance of success later on. You may even use your cell-phone camera to record important details at the scene. A good witness can mean the difference between a successful prosecution or a criminal walking free for lack of evidence. Visit the Crime Prevention page at www.nhba.org.nz to find out the answers to two more questions: Why are police involved in traffic and not available to attend my burglary or any other crime when I call up? Why is the 0800 Crime Stoppers number answered in the UK?

www.nhba.org.nz • FYI march 2012 • 13

sector feature

ICT companies working for business Ultra-fast broadband, e-government, internet regulation, social media, and the ubiquitous cloud. There’s a lot to think about, and with all the hype we have high expectations of what new technology can do. Undoubtedly, it’s changing the way we work. More than ever before, mobility is the buzz-word as user-friendly smart devices and applications are integrated with cloud platforms and enterprise services.

n themselves, these new developments are exciting, and not just for IT specialists. But the real challenge is putting these new developments to work in a way that will bring tangible results for your business. Managing the technology to engage with customers (and connect with prospective customers) is crucial to build a thriving business. FYI talked to four local ICT companies about their operations and the opportunities and challenges ahead.

online inventory software

What are the main trends and market developments you’re seeing in the industry? Growth! The SaaS application industry is still very young. There has been a huge amount of early adoption over the past four years, but really we are still only beginning a long cycle as businesses adopt internet technologies to give them a competitive advantage. In light of these, what are your biggest challenges and opportunities going forward? Our biggest opportunity is international markets. The challenge we face is to find outstanding candidates in each geography and operation to fulfill the vision of Unleashed.

Unleashed Software What is your company’s particular area of expertise? Unleashed Software is a software development company in the Software as a Service (SaaS) industry, focusing on providing strong Inventory Management Solutions to the SME market. By focusing on inventory solutions, Unleashed has enabled very tight integrations with best of breed accounting software like Xero and eCommerce platforms like Magento. What benefits or disadvantages do you see in working from NZ, in terms of business growth and recruiting and retaining skilled staff? New Zealand has a growing ecosystem of SaaS companies being spearheaded by Xero and the international momentum they have created. This makes teaming up with smart businesses in their niches very easy from New Zealand. International support for the 35 countries Unleashed now sells in can also be addressed from New Zealand, it just means working some odd hours occasionally. New Zealand really does have a shortage of outstanding candidates. We are lucky to have six of the brightest minds in New Zealand working on our core product, but getting to this stage was a very long process to find the best possible people.

14 • FYI march 2012 • www.nhba.org.nz

Marops Ltd

much work from just Adelaide as we do from NZ. Australian companies seem more willing to try new technologies and ideas that we bring to them. What are the main trends and market developments you’re seeing in the industry? We have spread from our original market of technical training into health and safety training, as this seems to be an area of concern to large employers in this litigious world we live in. Financial cutbacks within the defence forces in NZ, Australia, and other western countries mean we are seeing less defence work this year, and also more competition from abroad as larger contractors who would have once ignored NZ are searching here for work.

What is your company’s particular area of expertise? Our expertise comes from a strange marriage of backgrounds that seem poles apart. We have combined the skills of ex defence-force training and operational management with film/tv, animation and computer games expertise. Using these skills, we build technologically complex training programmes and also build specialist hardware and software items for the defence, aviation, rail, electricity and gas sectors.

In light of these, what are your biggest challenges and opportunities going forward? Finding good quality staff, often at short notice, will be a challenge over the next year. In the past we have been a ‘service’ company developing tools as one-off bespoke projects. We have spotted opportunities this year to increase our ‘products’ that we develop in house and aim at particular markets.

What benefits or disadvantages do you see in working from NZ, in terms of business growth and recruiting and retaining skilled staff? Recruiting trained staff has been an issue for us. We recently ran an advertisement at all universities across the country for PhD graduates and all respondents were foreign nationals. Due to defence requirements of staff being NZ citizens we had to abandon the project as no NZ graduates could be found. A large part of our business comes from Australia. We established a presence in Adelaide 5 years ago and despite the distance and communication we get as

Revera What is your company’s particular area of expertise? Revera is a leading provider of utility computing infrastructure and enterprise data management solutions and services. Founded in 2002 and 100 percent locally owned, our success is built on a local network of synchronised data centres and a technology platform providing readily scalable enterprise computing infrastructure. Today, over 200 New Zealand businesses are plugged into what we call the Revera Homeland™.

sector feature

to the USA. They are supported by Kiwi technicians, who are better than most, and local customer service staff, so it’s easier to make changes or recover from failures. You pay in NZ dollars, and you can pick and choose the applications that you need, instead of packages that have to be purchased from overseas. There are many points of risk involved in overseas processing, and it is not cheaper than local processing – if it appears to be, it’s because you’re buying a cheaper product.

iCOS Group

What benefits or disadvantages do you see in working from NZ, in terms of business growth and recruiting and retaining skilled staff? Today, many businesses are buying their business applications and computing capacity from IT service providers. These services frequently fall under the heading of ‘cloud computing’ – a broad term describing IT services accessed via the internet from remote service providers. But many of these service providers are based in other countries, so when things go wrong, it’s hard for New Zealand customers to get their problems solved. In this regard, New Zealand ownership and operation work in Revera’s favour. Some staff positions are harder to fill than others. However, Revera generally doesn’t suffer as much as others, because we have paid special attention to our positive workplace culture. We also actively promote our employee and community brands, supporting staff and community events, and key sponsorships, including the Wellington Phoenix and the Kiwis rugby league team. What are the main trends and market developments you’re seeing in the industry? Competition is tough in all industry sectors. The IT sector comes with the added dimension of product and service definition vagaries. Customers should

be wary of so-called cloud computing providers, many of which have little or no experience in the specialised infrastructure required to keep services afloat. If they’re promoting cloud computing as something new, they simply don’t know the industry. The currently popular flavour – short-term rental of scalable servers and storage over the Internet – has been available in New Zealand for at least four years. We’re already renewing three-year contacts for these services. In light of these, what are your biggest challenges and opportunities going forward? Our current development is focused on a new flagship data centre in Wellington, to support our selection as a preferred supplier of computing infrastructure to government agencies over the next 10 years. This makes five modular data centres in the Revera fleet, including Auckland, Tawa, Christchurch and Hamilton. The other significant challenge – and opportunity – facing the entire IT services industry is cloud computing. The American-centric definition of cloud computing is: a delivery of all the applications required to run your business, via an Internet connection that runs all the way back to the USA. But local clouds have been operating in New Zealand for a decade. They are not dependent on a single pipe running from Takapuna

What is your company’s particular area of expertise? Transport software development. Our flagship product, iCOS LIVE, is a webbased transport and logistics management solution. Combined with smart devices, it offers a highly visible, real-time track-andtrace solution with complete visibility for transport operators, their customers, their suppliers and their agents, saving them all time and resources. It’s easy to use, highly affordable, globally accessible, leading edge, and hosted in the cloud. It’s integrated with Xero online accounting, or can be interfaced with other packages, along with Navman mobile data devices and Eroad RUC solution. What benefits or disadvantages do you see in working from NZ, in terms of business growth and recruiting and retaining skilled staff? Obviously due to the size of New Zealand there is a limited target market for business growth. However, this allows us to work closely with our customers to continue to enhance our product before going global. iCOS LIVE has been developed in Microsoft .NET and the latest web technologies. Recruiting staff is far easier than we found in the past – because iCOS LIVE is a leading-edge, continuallyevolving product, our staff remain passionate and committed. What are the main trends and market developments you’re seeing in the industry? More and more companies are trying to tighten the screws and drive efficiency within their organisations. In light of these, what are your biggest challenges and opportunities going forward? The opportunity for iCOS LIVE is that it does exactly this. Because it is sold as software, as a service it is highly affordable and globally accessible. The biggest challenge as we grow is to continue to offer the one-onone service that we pride ourselves on.

www.nhba.org.nz • FYI march 2012 • 15

GOLD SPONSORS

Securing your peace of mind

Local law firm makes it possible

The Guardall business was established in New Zealand more than 50 years ago.

Davenports Harbour is a law firm that works collaboratively with its clients to provide sound commercial solutions and the best possible outcomes.

lready a New Zealand leader in the security industry, their proven experience has now been further enhanced with Secom Australia Pty acquiring 80% of the Guardall business in April 2011. Secom Guardall is a fully-integrated security organisation, specialising in the design, supply, integration and maintenance of Intruder Alarms, CCTV systems, Access Control, Building Management Systems (BMS) and integration and Retail Point of Sale (POS) interface technology. Furthermore, they have a certified Grade B1 Alarm and remote CCTV monitoring station. Their staff can tailor customised security systems to meet the needs of any facility, no matter how complex. Since starting as a security provider for a leading New Zealand bank, they have built ongoing partnerships with large financial institutions, large format retail chains, and national footprint companies. The aim is to add value to the client’s business, practicing a personalised management approach, whereby the client is more than just a name and a number on a database. No matter what size the client, the experienced Secom Guardall team offers a complete turnkey solution – from system design, engineering, project management, installation and commissioning, through to alarm monitoring, CCTV monitoring, maintenance and servicing. Secom Guardall is a member of the New Zealand Security Association, and all their security staff are licensed with the Private Security Personnel Licensing Authority, through the Ministry of Justice. The company is in the process of gaining the Australian/New Zealand Quality Assurance Certification ISO 9001:2008, and their alarm monitoring system is certified to NZSA and Australian graded standards. Staff training and certification is a priority too. As well as supporting staff to gain specialist industry qualifications, Secom Guardall is participating in an apprentice programme, to continually develop high-quality technical support personnel. This commitment to quality reflects the philosophy of the company – to provide the highest possible standard of both product and service, and continue to raise the bar in the industry. For businesses, this guarantees an unmatched level of service and quality, with measurable, cost-effective results. In partnership with the NHBA, Secom Guardall is pleased to announce a special alarm monitoring offer, providing 24/7 monitoring from just $23 a month excluding GST.

CIAL SPE ER OFF

24/7 Alarm Monitoring

from just $23 a month

Electronic Protection by

available for a limited time to NHBA members

Email: monitoring@secomguardall.co.nz or call us today  Remote Access

IP Monitoring

Zone Reporting

Deleted User Monitoring

False Alarm Tracking

Centralised Alarm Handling Functions

Account Management Support

Phone Support

Video monitoring also available

protecting what matters

0800 007 100

riginally Davenports Harbour was established as a commercial, property and trust firm, and has since expanded its expertise to include franchising. The partners are Derek Dallow, who leads the commercial and property team, franchising specialist Scott Goodwin and trust expert Tammy McLeod. The firm has a practical commercial ‘can do’ attitude, and wants to help clients make their dreams possible by helping to find a way through legal and commercial obstacles. Derek and the Commercial/Property Team are involved with a wide range of commercial matters, ranging from general commercial and residential property transactions, subdivisions and developments, through to joint venture arrangements, banking and securities matters, business sale and purchase advice, leasing, general commercial contracts, business structuring and company matters. Tammy and the Trust Team provide high-level specialist advice on all aspects of trusts and estate planning, including asset protection, trust administration and review, tax planning, international trust/ tax haven structuring, wills and powers of attorney and relationship property arrangements and agreements. A special focus for Tammy is reviewing existing trust deeds and structures that clients may have prepared themselves or had prepared by other lawyers and accountants, to make sure that clients obtain the maximum benefits of these structures. Scott and the Franchising Team provide practical commercial advice for innovative and ambitious companies wishing to develop and exploit their business opportunities in NZ and internationally. The team is well known in the industry and has established connections with other franchising experts. Hand in hand with the franchising work is a thorough understanding of intellectual property matters for all businesses, and the team has a key focus on unlocking hidden value in businesses by identifying and protecting their intellectual property. For more information visit the Davenports Harbour website at www.davenportsharbour.co.nz, phone 915 4380, or email info@ davenportsharbour.co.nz.

Davenports Gold Sponsor offer to all NHBA members Davenports Harbour is the only law firm in Auckland that recognises that 80% of the value of a business is in its intangible assets. It is ready to help North Harbour businesses discover their full asset value. To take advantage of this offer, please contact partner Derek Dallow in the first instance.

trade colour print

Contact us PO Box 303 126, North Harbour 0752 I Mobile: 021 212 4942 I Phone: (09) 968 2222 Email: gm@nhba.org.nz I Web: www.nhba.org.nz