Brown and Hurley Kenworth DAF Yatala crowned DAF Dealer of the Year

Brown and Hurley Kenworth DAF Yatala (Queensland) has been named the 2015 DAF Dealer of the Year for its outstanding market share performance, technical service and customer support.

Mike Dozier, Managing Director of PACCAR Australia, presented the Dealer of the Year trophy to Paul Hurley, the Dealer Principal of Brown and Hurley Kenworth DAF Yatala during the prestigious annual PACCAR awards night, which was held on 15th February at Pier One, Sydney Harbour.

“Brown and Hurley Kenworth DAF Yatala has made a significant contribution to DAF’s collective market share, and the dealership continues to exceed technical workmanship and customer needs,” said Mike.

“In 2015 they provided outstanding facilities support for the DAF product. They achieved their quotas and a high sales turnover for new and old customers, and increased parts growth and warranty claims processing. They stood out with their qualified technicians that have prerequisite product training, and the dealership was remarkable in ticking all the boxes for overall support in customer service.”

This is the third time the dealership has been recognised with this important industry accolade, having also won DAF Dealer of the Year in 2010 and 2011.

Dealer Principal Paul Hurley said in the last seven years the dealership has finished in the top three or four contenders, even when they didn’t win the coveted prize. After accepting the award, he reminded everyone that running the business wasn’t about trying to win these awards or revel in the accolades.

“You run your business to try and serve your customers as best you can and I guess these awards are reward for the staff putting in the hard yards over the year – that’s the way I look at it. It’s also a reflection of the great support we see from our customers, not only this year but ever since we came to this site,” said Hurley.

In the early- to mid-2000s, Brown and Hurley was struggling to deliver their outstanding levels of customer service from existing capacity, so the directors made the decision to build a new facility at Yatala, 40 kilometres south of Brisbane. When they opened their doors in 2008, part of the long-term goal was to cover the three motorways from the north, south and west into Brisbane.

“It’s been a good area here for DAF,” Hurley explains. “Probably one of our bigger segments for the DAF products has been the CF85. And the introduction of the LF trucks has been a real boon for our medium-duty metropolitan distributor customers. The love it! One of the growth areas in the business has been out of the Brisbane port with vocational work from Brisbane to the Gold Coast. In terms of application, lots of rigid crane trucks have been part of our success this year, as well as tautliners involved in the beer distribution sector.”

Every successful business is about finding new customers to ensure expansion. This year the Brown and Hurley Group had around 70 percent in customer return sales and 30 percent new sales. Hurley pointed out that there has been a bit of a cycle effect in place which has attributed to a stand-out year.

“We had a really strong year back in 2010, so I guess it’s that five to six-year cycle of trucks needing to be replaced again. We’ve also been able to find new customers along the way while keeping the rest of the DAF family happy.”

Those who have dropped in for a service will know that their 28 service bay operation is open from 6:30 in the morning until 9:30 at night, which offers a real convenience for the customer, so they can do their day’s work and bring their truck in for servicing during the evening.

“We’ve got a lot of very good DAF technicians here. We have two Dutch technicians and another five English guys in the workshop who immigrated to Australia, and they all grew up on the DAF product back in their home towns. They’ve got a lot of service experience and tend to be able to diagnose quickly and keep the trucks on the road. I certainly think this helps us in our efforts to service the DAF product,” says Hurley.

In all things new at the dealership this year, Brown and Hurley Kenworth DAF Yatala added a new marketing manager who is based at the branch. They also introduced a second set of mobile hoists for mechanical repairs and a new line of MX engine parts in a further effort to service their customers.
“The big achievers are our salesmen who get the right trucks out there and our service team who keep the trucks on the road so that our customers can continue earning their money. Importantly, our directors of the company give us great facilities to work with.”

The company was started by Hurley’s grandfather Jack and his business partner Alan Brown, who Jack met in the Australian Army during the second world war in 1946. This year the dealership celebrates 70 years of business. Both families are still active in the management of the company. Rob Brown (Alan’s son) is currently the managing director of the service division and Kevin Hurley is the managing director of the sales division.

While this year Brown and Hurley Kenworth DAF Yatala won the DAF award, last year they celebrated 50 years of being proud dealers for PACCAR Australia through their Kenworth brand, so the long association between the two businesses has a rich and rewarding history.

DAF Trucks Australia, a division of PACCAR Australia, distributes a range of medium and heavy-duty trucks throughout Australia. PACCAR Inc, a Six Sigma company, is a global technology leader in the design, manufacture and customer support of high-quality light, medium and heavy-duty trucks under the Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF brands. PACCAR also designs and manufactures advanced diesel engines, provides financial services and information technology, and distributes truck parts related to its principal business.

RELEASE ENDS

For further information:

Kate Sykes
Marketing Services Manager
PACCAR Australia
Tel: (03) 9721 1500