INDUSTRY PEOPLE
A DEMCO demolition processor working in Christchurch.
new attachment. From there, a contractor could feasibly
“We know from experience that customers are open to
become a one-stop shop.
a long-term plan when they know they can charge out
their time better.”
Being a family business is integral to the approach
Earthworm are making in the sector.
One of the areas that Rick works hard at is getting clients
to return. He explains that he’s playing a long
“We are a little bit different than other
“We know from experience game.
businesses of the same kind in that we can
that customers are open to
look at the family culture and apply those a long-term plan when they “I love seeing people come back for repeat
same values to the business world, also know they can charge out business. There’s so many contractors, of
course you are always selling to new people,
meaning that we are here for the long haul, their time better.”
but the returning client is the most satisfying
standing behind our product and helping
thing to see.
resolve any issues that may arise for the
customer.
“We have seen customers go away and try cheaper
product only to find it wasn’t quite right or that the quality
“The family values are more around good listening and
lets them down. We know, if we are patient, they’ll come
communication with our client base. We are not interested
back to us because they work out in the long run, we’re
in a business model that’s solely about dumping product
going to save them time and money.
and moving on.”
“Sometimes it starts hurting but eventually they come
It’s for this reason that Earthworm has remained as an
back.”
auger and rock-breaking specialist too. Earthworm offers
other types of attachments for example, those used for
The company, started in Gore, now operates from three
skid steer and demolition work, but the long-term vision
sites, Christchurch and Auckland being the other two
for the company is to stick to what they know best.
locations. They are reasonably large sites, but Rick has
kept the head office management in Gore, that great icon
“We also like to try to find out what the client might need
of Southland.
in the future, rather than just making a one-off quick sale.
We really try to build relationships with them and say
With a population of only 12,450 or so people, it’s
‘hey, you might want to look at getting this attachment
not the best location for distribution when the bulk
into the mix’.
of the population lives at the top of the North Island,
w w w. c a m m a g a z i n e . c o . n z
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