New CEO Drives Customer Focus

Reputation is everything and Sequal Lumber has certainly made giant strides in the past 12 months.

Under the guidance of new CEO David Turner Sequal has worked hard to create a new team culture and place their customers at the forefront of everything they do.

“The business used to be very production focused rather than customer focused,” Turner explains. “So our focus is on what’s best for the customer and we work our way back from there.

“Our reputation has grown a lot in the last year. We are now regarded as an extremely reliable supplier who delivers high quality products that our customers want, when they want it.”

New Roles Developed

Sequal Lumber has recently created two new positions within its 45-strong workforce to help look after its customers.

  • External Relationship Manager – this person ensures that each and every client is happy with the production quality, specifications and delivery of their order. By actively engaging their customers post sale, Sequal Lumber is able to immediately resolve any issues that might arise.
  • Logistics Manager – this coordinator has significantly improved the accuracy of Sequal Lumber’s deliveries, ensuring orders arrive on time and minimizing logistical costs.

Creating A New Team Culture

A number of smaller changes have also been implemented throughout Sequal Lumber’s workforce to create a culture where the customer’s needs are the number one priority.

“We have introduced an active bonus programme that rewards performance,” Turner explains. “Our people now have the freedom to make decisions and be rewarded when they make the right ones”.

Passion For Building The Business

Turner has spent the past decade working in the banking industry in Hong Kong and Singapore but returned home to New Zealand in early 2012. He has been a shareholder in Sequal Lumber since the company first began in 2008 and is excited to bring his skills and enthusiasm to his new role as CEO.

“Having an owner run the business is always good. Being financially committed gives me that drive and passion which you need to make any business a success”.

“We don’t want to build a business that’s based on exploiting our labour force or our environment. We want to create a key competitive advantage by focusing on our customers and having a global perspective. And given that I have lived offshore in Asia for the past decade, that is something I think I understand.”

Reputation is everything and Sequal Lumber has certainly made giant strides in the past 12 months.

 

Under the guidance of new CEO David Turner, Sequal has worked hard to create a new team culture and place their customers at the forefront of everything they do.

 

“The business used to be very production focused rather than customer focused,” Turner explains. “So our focus is on what’s best for the customer and we work our way back from there.

“Our reputation has grown a lot in the last year. We are now regarded as an extremely reliable supplier who delivers high quality products that our customers want, when they want it.”

 

New Roles Developed

Sequal Lumber has recently created two new positions within its 45-strong workforce to help look after its customers.

  • External Relationship Manager – this person ensures that each and every client is happy with the production quality, specifications and delivery of their order. By actively engaging their customers post sale, Sequal Lumber is able to immediately resolve any issues that might arise.

  • Logistics Manager – this coordinator has significantly improved the accuracy of Sequal Lumber’s deliveries, ensuring orders arrive on time and minimizing logistical costs.

Creating A New Team Culture

A number of smaller changes have also been implemented throughout Sequal Lumber’s workforce to create a culture where the customer’s needs are the number one priority.

 

“We have introduced an active bonus programme that rewards performance,” Turner explains. “Our people now have the freedom to make decisions and be rewarded when they make the right ones”.

Passion For Building The Business

Turner has spent the past decade working in the banking industry in Hong Kong and Singapore but returned home to New Zealand in early 2012. He has been a shareholder in Sequal Lumber since the company first began in 2008 and is excited to bring his skills and enthusiasm to his new role as CEO.

 

“Having an owner run the business is always good. Being financially committed gives me that drive and passion which you need to make any business a success”.

 

“We don’t want to build a business that’s based on exploiting our labour force or our environment. We want to create a key competitive advantage by focusing on our customers and having a global perspective. And given that I have lived offshore in Asia for the past decade, that is something I think I understand.”

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