SPECIAL PEOPLE
I arrived at Mainfreight’s door five years ago in 2002 completely by accident. I was fresh out of University and keen to start my career. Like a lot of Graduates I had no idea what it was that I wanted to do in my career. Completing a Bachelor of Commerce didn’t qualify me instantly for any particular role, so instead of what ‘job’ appealed to me, I started looking for companies that I wanted to work for.
What sold me on the job was that Mainfreight has a very strong culture. Sitting in an office waiting to be interviewed, through the driveway would pour immaculate blue trucks with black tyres. Team members walking through the depot in pristine uniforms, driving blue “Mainfreight Forklifts”. A bubbly receptionist who was delighted when the phone rang every 5 seconds, and was just as happy to greet the next caller as the last.
My first role in Mainfreight was in Customer Service at Mainfreight Transport. Even though I was ‘starting from the ground up’ I was astounded by the responsibility I, and the other team members had, and the number of decisions that I was allowed to make – decisions which didn’t and don’t need to be passed through five sets of managers first. We delight the customer first and then asked questions later.
After six months I was then given the opportunity to be Customer Services Team Leader. While my experience grew, so did my thirst for knowledge.
I was lucky to have a lot of ‘old hands’ around me, who knew the business from the ground up and shared their knowledge and skills with me. Each of the teams that I worked in, I was then given the opportunity to lead.
During my time in Christchurch I was offered many different roles in many different branches in different cities. Mainfreight promotes from within, we grow our people organically, and because of that there are so many opportunities for people with entrepreneurial, energetic and motivated attitudes and personalities; there are no boundaries to what your next role in Mainfreight will be.
Twelve months ago I accepted a role in the Mainfreight Australian Human Resources Team. Predominately training in Logistics, Mainfreight again has allowed me to increase my knowledge in the business. My role includes people development, recruitment and training. The most special part of my role is meeting and spending time with our team all over Australia, helping them develop their strengths, and helping them push the bar to ensure we are always doing our jobs better than the day before. I love what I do, but Mainfreight being Mainfreight, I know it isn’t the last thing I will be doing!!!