5 minute read
DELIVERING CAREER SUCCESS
Mark Little, CEO Aramex New Zealand
Aramex looks for talent from within as courier franchisees develop into managers
Looking for a business opportunity that offers you a career path to the future? That’s exactly what Aramex has developed, identifying and encouraging those franchisees who are ready to progress and realise their true potential as part of the franchise’s operations management team.
Aramex New Zealand CEO Mark Little has seen that progression play out many times over the past 10 years. He personally worked his way through six different roles in the company to reach his current level, and is proud to see others do the same.
That includes people like Alex Chang, a former courier franchisee in East Tamaki, who progressed steadily through the business to become head of Aramex North Shore and has just taken up the role of National Franchise Service Delivery Manager.
‘Funnily enough, Alex was my local courier when I was a customer of Aramex back in the day,’ recalls Mark. ‘It’s great to see him putting his knowledge and ability to such good use.’
Then there is Danny Murphy, who began his career as a courier franchisee in eastern Christchurch in 2011. He transitioned into an operations role within the local depot, quickly became operations manager, and steadily progressed to his current role of Franchise Support Manager for Aramex in the South Island and Wellington.
‘At Aramex, we believe that someone at the coalface who knows our business, knows the importance of retaining customers, and knows how to train couriers, has to be the best person to nurture others,’ Mark explains. ‘They know the operational side of the business better than anyone.’
Alex Chang - a journey of growth
On his journey from courier franchisee to National Franchise Service Delivery Manager, Alex Chang has enjoyed a number of challenging roles within Aramex. Today, he supports and advises courier franchisees and regional franchisees on issues such as investment, compliance, growth and territory management. He also helps improve efficiency and growth by reviewing current business models, income, revenue, costs and making realignments.
Alex’s advice for other courier franchisees interested in moving to an Aramex network employee role is to be confident in themselves. ‘Don’t miss any opportunity to continue your career at Aramex,’ he says.
‘Gaining new knowledge and management skills will provide another level of business success and can certainly help you pursue a new career with the same company.’
Danny Murphy - recognising his abilities
Having started out as a courier franchisee with Fastway Couriers (which later became Aramex), Danny Murphy soon found his career took off. He’s had experience in operations and sales, served as a business manager for five years, and was the General Manager for Aramex in Christchurch before taking up his current role as Franchise Support Manager.
Today, he oversees the operations of branches in Wellington, Dunedin, Cromwell, Christchurch and Canterbury, and provides support to the Invercargill, Nelson, and West Coast branches. ‘My goal is to drive franchisees’ businesses forward, ensuring streamlined processes, structure, and alignment with future direction.’
Danny says his time as a courier franchisee taught him a lot about time management and prioritising tasks, and has proven invaluable in his current role, helping him to deal with tasks as they come. ‘Skills such as maintaining an open mind and moving forward are crucial.’
Danny’s advice for courier franchisees looking to progress to a management role is to learn about the complexity of the courier business beyond parcel deliveries.
‘Seek insights from experienced colleagues, be pro-active, and ask questions to understand the decision-making process. Also, prioritise decisions that benefit the overall business, think strategically, and plan with a forward-thinking approach by setting end-goals and working backwards.’
Tapping the talent pool
Mark Little says that he’s constantly looking for talent from within. ‘In my view, the best talent is the talent you’ve already got. Both Alex and Danny had grown their businesses substantially; they had entrepreneurial mindsets and the necessary skillset; they knew how the business flows, and they brought those business lessons with them to help others do the same.
‘Applying those lessons helps make the whole Aramex business incredibly stable. We don’t have a glass-tower big-city corporate office – our people all work out of various Aramex depots spread right throughout the country, including Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, as well as in Australia, so we can share the knowledge.
‘It means that when we progress our people, we still have hands-on training for the next person to move up to new roles. Everyone says that being in business is about looking after your people, and that’s so true – the longevity of staff, particularly in middle-level roles and upwards, suggests that we’re getting it right.
‘It also means that there are excellent progression opportunities for those who want it in both Australia and New Zealand,’ he says. ‘Join us as a courier franchisee and you can certainly build a good, profitable business, but that’s just the start. If you want more, then your talents will be recognised and you can build a whole career in a fast-growing industry. Give us a call to find out more.’
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Aramex www.aramex.co.nz/franchising
Contact
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