Client Service Excellence Award - Team
2007
Wellington Civil Wind Farm Team, New Zealand
The Wellington Civil Wind Farm Team of Len Wiles (Asset Management Engineer), Gareth McKay (Civil Engineer), John Allen (Senior Engineer), Mark Edwards (Team Leader Road Design), Ken Way (Engineer), Wynne Eaton (CAD Technician) and Simon Grundy (Assistant Engineer) for excellent service delivery to Meridian on Project Hayes, West Wind and other wind farm projects.
Key inputs include provision of feasibility and scoping assessments (internal site and external roads) for a number of north island wind farm sites. The team has had to think beyond the square in defining site/project scopes in terms of workable access and layouts in conjunction with Meridian’s wind team. Timelines have been incredibly challenging and recently Len, Ken, and Wynne have been working extended hours including evenings and weekends to liaise with the public and provide road realignment/optimisation inputs for a main access upgrade along the public Ohariu Valley Road. This work currently involves assessment of effects inputs for three wind farms, preparation and delivery of evidence at hearings to support the project development process, and feasibility assessments and technical advice to the client.
Despite stiff competition from Beca the excellent client relations maintained by Len and Gareth have kept us in a sole consultancy relationship with Meridian for the initial civil scoping and feasibility stages and we continually receiving positive feedback on their performance and their dedication to supporting the client.
At detailed design we have been actively involved with West Wind working in collaboration with Higgins and Beca for Meridian. Site works are progressing ahead of schedule with the first two turbine foundation pours completed.
Aldi Shopping Centre Team, Brisbane, Australia
As a client, Aldi has very high expectations of service delivery by its Consultants and Contractors and as a result, it is very difficult to maintain the relationship unless the level of service provided is of the highest value.
We have a highly committed team lead by Shane Suffolk (Civil Work Group Manager – Commercial) and Andrew Barnes that has been part of the Aldi business since its entry into the Queensland shopping centre market about 8 years ago.
Over that time we have conducted numerous site investigations that have resulted in the construction of 15 new stores with many more in the pipeline.
Our primary role in addition to the design documentation and construction phase services is to assist up front in the identification of suitable sites and then aid the Planning process to obtain development approvals all to a very tight timeframe.
Our team works with three different Architectural firms who share that workload and is the only Consultant who has remained in the team for the entire project.
2006
The Busway Project Team, New Zealand
The Busway Team Project, led by Richard Fallas (right), Auckland has brought together many varied disciplines including Civil, Architectural, Mechanical, Electrical and Environmental. Considerable focus and effort has been put into the project management and coordination of the commission throughout all phases of design and implementation and the project has met time, budget and quality targets. Based on the teams’ excellent service delivery, both Transit NZ and North Shore City Council have extended the scope of services to include overall project management and other value added services. The team has developed excellent working relationships and exhibit a very strong team spirit. Excellent client relationships at all levels have facilitated a high level of understanding of client needs and the production of quality deliverables for what is a landmark project for us.
Shane Eyles, Barry Cure and Scott Verevis, Whangarei, New Zealand
Tireless effort has been put into providing a quality service to Whangarei District Council, and in positioning themselves with them. There is no better way of demonstrating “client service excellence” than by the client giving us price premium and negotiated work. You are achieving this:
- Seal Extension 3+1+1 contract – this is an extraordinary achievement.
- Reseals Contract, also won at a significant price premium
- Assisted with winning the WDC Bridge Maintenance 3+1+1 work.
To be in this position of commanding price premium is an outstanding achievement and is a reflection of their consistently high-quality service, excellent understanding of the client’s needs, and a very good working relationship with WDC.
Wellington Inner City Bypass Construction Supervision Team
Clearly this has been a tremendously high profile project and Keith Atkinson (right) from Wellington and his team have acted in a highly professional manner under somewhat difficult conditions at times. This project has involved archaeological investigations, historic building relocation and restoration, major retaining walls, large storm water pipeline, extensive traffic signal design and construction, and urban design works. Keith and his team have focussed on delivering service excellence and have achieved excellent relationships with Transit and Wellington City Council and while there has been recent press over traffic congestion, the quality was delivered to meet the client brief. The Team won Transit’s Best Major Projects Award in 2006, which is well deserved.
2005
Dunedin Roading Team, New Zealand
Our Dunedin Roading Team for the Tumai to Waikouaiti Project under-estimated the capital cost for the project, realising this only very late in the piece. Rather than hoping the problem would go away, the team, (comprising Dave Eaton, Phil Woodmansey, Tim Browne and Ian Walsh) owned up to the client, Transit NZ, and then had to work very quickly to produce an estimate update. The client was initially very critical of the lateness of the advice, but eventually congratulated the team on its behaviour and the eventual outcome. To quote from a communication from Transit NZ…“This is the first time in my memory that a consultant has had the wherewithal to blow the whistle when they knew they had a problem, even though it was probably very painful to do so.”
Telecom Cell Site Team, New Zealand
The Telecom Cell Site Team of Derek Barnston (Whangarei), Brian Shakes (Auckland), Robin Brill (Tauranga), Kevin Alekna (Wellington) and John Ballingall (Christchurch), or “The Tight Five” as they have become known, provide a range of services to Telecom for the planning, design, implementation and project management of the rollout of mobile (cellular) sites throughout New Zealand. Since 1991 this has involved over 800 cell sites. The Team has built a very high level of team spirit and take pride in supporting one another. They set up their own internet user group in the early 1990s and continue to keep in regular contact to raise issues, ask questions, seek the input of their colleagues in solution development, and share work to smooth local peaks and troughs across regional lines for the benefit of their client. In their relationship with the Telecom (and more recently Lucent) project managers, they have become trusted friends as well as work colleagues. They have provided personal as well as professional help, they have been technical mentors for their clients, they have attended their weddings, family funerals and offered a room for those shifting house or travelling through town. They have consistently demonstrated a strong willingness to “go the extra mile” in developing strong relationships with their clients.