In this issue we have interviewed Mr Fergus McArdle from Height For Hire, Ireland.
Height for Hire specialises in the hire of quality powered access machinery.
At Height for Hire, we understand the importance of safe working practices and procedures in the working at height industry .
That is why we have been using our extensive experience and expertise as the leading supplier of MEWPs, spider machines, truck mounts and self drive van mounts in Ireland and the UK to offer our customers a safe, efficient and quality service that allows them to protect their people and property.
We rigorously train and upskill our operators. We also offer a range of training courses to make sure our customers’ operators are expertly trained and in full compliance with regulations as set out by the awarding bodies.
2. When did you start?
Height for Hire started in Drogheda, Co. Louth with one 40ft vehicle-mounted machine in 1978. During the eighties, Height for Hire expanded its fleet and opened a second depot in Limerick. The nineties saw the company move its headquarters to Dublin and open up depots in the UK, trading as Easi UpLifts in Belfast and Glasgow. Over the last decade, the company continued its UK expansion, opening depots in Banbury, Newcastle, London and Manchester. Easi UpLifts started trading as Height for Hire Ltd in the UK on the 1st of July 2015, having successfully acquired the Height for Hire name in the UK earlier this year.
3. How did your company evolve in recent years?
We have recognised the importance of getting closer to the customer. We are committed and flexible to constantly keep evolving. We pride ourselves on leading the access industry by keeping updated on industry trends, best practices and adding value to our customers’ experience, with safety as core to our business activity.
4. Where do you work?
We operate from 17 locations throughout Ireland (7), the UK (5) and Central Europe, namely Slovakia and Hungary (5).
5. What is your attitude regarding your competitors? Do you present to the market an image of company that understands the nature of the competition and that is proactive?
Good competition is healthy; it develops the market and provides consumers with choice, which is always a good thing as limiting consumer’s freedom of choice stalls innovation. Competition often results in lower prices and higher performance products and services. We pride ourselves on the quality of our machines and the service we provide to the access industry.
6. How has the market evolved recently?
Technology is evolving rapidly. The price of transporting machinery to remote customers has become more challenging. We believe that the companies who recognise and confront these challenges head on will become the dominant market players in the future.
7. How is the service for your customers being handled?
We all know that access machinery is the safest and most efficient way to work at height. Our vision is to communicate this message through the use of satellite locations aided by technology, bringing self-drive products like the CTE Zed 20.2 to a more diverse and dispersed customer base than ever before.
8. How big is your fleet?
2000 machines.
9. What types of machines do you own?
We supply all the major brands including CTE,Genie, JLG, Bronto Skylift, Ruthmann, Omme Lift, Teupen, Hinowa, TCA Lift and France Elevateur
10. What is your “recipe for success” – which values are important in your daily work?
Our core values are:
1. We are Disciplined.
2. We are Committed.
3. We Find a Way.
11. How many CTE platforms do you own?
We currently have 58.
12. What characteristics make CTE platforms winners?
We like to work with people who share our core values. CTE also “find a way” and their strong customer-focused approach to doing business has led them to develop market-leading, simple, reliable and robust products, ideal for expanding the self drive market.
13. What do your customers want in a platform? What is driving their choice, today?
As a company, our vision is not only to provide an excellent service for mature users of powered access, but to also develop new markets and users. We believe that our four USPs will help us achieve our company vision in both new and existing markets.
Our four USPs are:
1. We have a wider range of products in comparison to others within the industry.
2. We have better uptime, by renewing our assets more frequently than competitors.
3. We are compliant through our in-house digital record keeping system, SRM.
4. We are happy to help, constantly engaging with customers through our Net Promoter Score feedback system.
