Meet Our Colleagues
Employee Profile - Helen Hockley - Depot Administrator
What do you like best about working at Ardent?
The team I work with are the best and to add to that there is a huge network of support from other depots that I can tap into if needed. I’ve been provided with several training sessions which have really helped me to get to know the company and understand my job. It’s a busy, fast paced office but we still have time for a bit of fun and I’m loving my change of career.
Describe your role at Ardent:
Depot Administrator is a diverse role that keeps me engaged and motivated throughout each day. I’m off-hiring machines, creating purchase orders, managing mobile fitters, arranging services, as well as completing the more general day to day office routines. I’ve been doing the job for 5 months now and I’m still learning new skills and procedures.
What is the biggest challenge of your job?
My role requires a broad depth of understanding of the systems used within the business. This was quite daunting as there’s a lot to take in and remember. I received excellent training and my induction was handled brilliantly by the depot. Limited duties to begin with, followed by increased duties and responsibilities as and when my confidence and skills grew. This has made joining the Ardent Team far less stressful than I imagined
What do you find most satisfying about your role?
I love to learn new skills and I enjoy feeling a sense of achievement at the end of the day. I feel like a valued member of the team even though I’m still learning.
Employee Profile – Andy Munro – Asset Manager
What do you like best about working at Ardent?
At Ardent everyone shares the same vision and is dedicated to making Ardent Hire Solutions the premieres UK hire company.
Describe your role at Ardent:
During a typical day I provide day-to-day management of all depot operations ensuring customer expectations are fulfilled in a timely and cost effective manner whilst ensuring compliance to all procedures and legislation.
What is the biggest challenge of your job?
My role requires me to liaise with lots of colleagues all over the business to ensure a customer’s order is met. It could mean seeking assistance from my colleagues in Glasgow, and sometimes communication can be difficult. It is not as easy as getting up from my desk and walking into another office. We are lucky at Ardent that everyone understands that the customer comes first.
What do you find most satisfying about your role?
I feel that I am a people person and I am most satisfied when interacting with customers, making sure, I am able to meet their needs and giving them the best possible customer service experience. I also like that I have a great degree of control and freedom within my job role.
Employee Profile – David Gingell - Senior Sales
What do you like best about working at Ardent?
It’s evident how we differentiate ourselves in the marketplace. We have a really unique solution to most other plant hire companies and being able to sell products like our award-winning “Site Manager” really sets us apart.
I love the ambition of the business and the “Pace, Passion and Performance” which is highlighted to me when dealing with all parts of the business daily.
Having worked in this industry for 15 years it’s refreshing to be working for a dynamic business like Ardent who are changing people’s beliefs and behaviours and really striving to do something different.
Describe your role at Ardent:
I manage some of our larger accounts within Ardent, the likes of HSS, Travis Perkins, Grafton Group and many others. I am the overall custodian and interface between these businesses and ours. This means negotiating new contracts, supporting our operations teams to ensure we deliver to the customers expectations. Supporting my sales colleagues across the UK to help sell Ardent Hire into these larger accounts. Working with our accounts colleagues to ensure we gain swift payment from these accounts and reporting all back to our board members.
What is the biggest challenge of your job?
With so much competition in the marketplace it can be difficult when challenged with price. It is extremely satisfying when you can challenge your customer back explaining all the features and benefits of using Ardent compared to other Plant Hire companies in the UK and they see the benefits and choose to work with Ardent over the vast amount of competition.
What do you find most satisfying about your role?
Meeting different people – In my role I am very rarely in the same place twice, this gives me a great opportunity to meet and build relationships with lots of different people.
Problem Solving – We often encounter problems which can seem insurmountable initially but by working closely with our operations teams we repeatedly find solutions.
Gaining customer satisfaction – This is the most important thing and means our customers return to us when they next have a need to hire.
Employee Profile – John Nash - BDM
What do you like best about working at Ardent?
The challenges that my role offers and the fantastic support that I receive from the Board, The Depot staff, The Hire desk, Operations, the BDMs and all at Ipswich and Enfield. The opportunity I have been given to promote and develop our New Roto range, just proves that the SMT have and are willing to give employees the chance to develop their careers with Ardent.
Describe your role at Ardent:
National BDM, Roto Telehandlers.
Where do I start? Not only am I focused on promoting this range of Telehandlers on a National basis with the support of my fellow BDMs, with customer Visits, Demonstration days and site surveys, but I also have to put my operational Hat on and get involved with the geographical placement of the machines, assist with transport moves, Training for all staff Via our colleagues at Manitou. I have to communicate closely with the Depots and transport coordinators in ensuring the machines are R4R and put through PDI before we deliver.
What is the biggest challenge of your job?
Getting form, A – B can be somewhat difficult with our busy transport Network. Everyone knows I am not a big fan of the train, so I tend to drive everywhere, and a good number of site surveys are carried out in City centres and London can be a bit slow at times. I tend to get a pretty busy diary very quickly and on occasions feel a bit guilty of not getting to spend enough time with my work colleagues.
What do you find most satisfying about your role?
Naturally getting ORDERS. I enjoy the selling of these machines as a new concept to many clients. The battle when we are up against our competitors is always enjoyable. Mostly the support from my work colleagues when sometimes we are up against it with timing and when machines are required. I have not once been let down and that is a credit to all involved. The most satisfying achievement recently was hitting 100% Utilisation on our Roto fleet. Put a big smile on Jeremy's face.
