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Maidstone depot opened for business on November 1st and is headed up by General Manager Dean Groves. Originally from Kent, Dean, who successfully kick-started Portsmouth depot early this year, is excited about the challenge of his second new depot: "Maidstone will be a great asset to GAP’s depot network and I’m looking forward to getting my teeth in here and establishing the GAP brand in Kent. We have a lot of important customers in the area and we’re looking forward to being able to provide a first class service for them" he commented. Supporting Dean will be Leslie Freathy, Sales Representative; Stacey Chapman, Hire & Sales Co-ordinator; Alan Barber, Foreman; and David Jones, HGV Driver. Maidstone’s location is seen as crucial to filling a vital GAP in the Group’s depot network, covering Kent, East Sussex and Surrey with a combined population of over 2.2 million people. The depot itself is just yards from Junction 6 of the M20 allowing easy access to customers with ample space for parking. The depot is 4,000 square feet in size with a yard of 20,000 square feet. A wide range of brand new tools and plant have been supplied to the depot ready for hire. From saws to dumpers, drills to excavators, the team at Maidstone can supply you with the kit you require at competitive rates, backed up with the very best of service. Colchester A further two depots are soon to open this Winter. Inverness depot is scheduled to open in January, with Oxford opening in March. Improved Customer Service Now with more than 50 depots, GAP Group is on course to achieve their goal of 60 depots by the end of 2006. New Premises for Bradford Depot To stay up-to-date with all the latest developments and to obtain depot contact details and directions, check out www.gap-group.co.uk.
A new National Account Manager position has been added to the existing team. Neil Bravery has recently joined the Group to support Steve Cooper and Mike Pirozek. A further new position will be filled in early 2005. In addition, four new Key Account Managers have been appointed to support the growing key account customer base. Keith Steele will cover GAP’s North East of England region, David Green for the Midlands and Alan Holmes for the South East. The successor to the North West position will be announced in mid-December. They will join Neil Dunning, Key Account Manager for Scotland to complete the team of five. Meanwhile, Ian Campbell has been promoted from North East Key Account Manager to Group Key Account Manager- a new post created to oversee GAP’s five Key Account Managers and deliver further improved levels of service. Colin Haxton, UK Sales Director, excited about the expansion commented: "over 70% of GAP’s turnover now comes from National and Key accounts. To add further support to the team and ensure first class customer service, we have expanded our Sales Team". Asked if Mr Haxton foresees any further opportunities for growth, he responded: "Certainly. Revenue from National Accounts has more than doubled in the past three years. As GAP continues to expand by opening further depots, the company will become even more attractive to National and Regional Customers". National Accounts Team: Pictured L-R are Mike Pirozek, Colin Haxton, Steve Cooper and Neil Bravery.
November saw the official launch of the state-of-the-art XDA paperless delivery system. Handheld electronic devices are in the process of being issued to delivery drivers in GAP’s Scottish region. Moving away from traditional paper delivery slips, customers now sign electronically. As the devices are uploaded to GAP’s hire system, an email is automatically sent to the customer informing them of their deliveries and collections. The system is a being heralded as the industry’s next big technological move forward with GAP playing the pioneering card yet again. After successful trials of the system earlier this year in Leeds and latterly in Motherwell, Scotland will undertake phase one of the roll out, followed by the North East, North West, Midlands and Southern regions commencing in the New Year. There are two major benefits to customers. The first is the prevention of lost documentation, saving the customer time and money. The second is that customers can access GAP’s extranet, viewing at a glance which items are out on hire, hire rates, and outstanding invoices to name but a few. Previous contracts will also be shown. To reassure customers during the initial stages, the traditional paper delivery slips will also be issued in addition to the new format. "Godsend" GAP’s Hire & Sales Co-ordinators will also benefit from the technology. "We can spend up to five or six hours a week looking for proof of delivery slips for customers" commented Jacquie Welsh, HSC at Motherwell depot. "The XDAs will mean we can find that information in seconds". Whilst the system has only just been implemented at the Motherwell depot, Steven Anderson, General Manager explains he and his staff are excited about the new system and its potential. "We’ve had a few initial teething problems but these have now been ironed out and customers seem impressed with the new IT capability. Our delivery drivers and HSCs have also taken well to the system". He went on to say that "the size of the investment from GAP into this new technology has been very impressive and it indicates something I think of the company’s vision and growth". Leslie Sawyers, GAP’s Systems Administrator explained that the IT team have faced a number of challenges to get the project off the ground. "The initial issues surrounded getting the two software systems – eResult and Mobile Engineer – to work together and to customise their systems to GAP’s" he explained. "More recently we have been working together with our staff to ease any concerns and ensure they are fully up to speed with the new system. We have been working hard to ensure that the roll-out goes as smoothly as possible. The six-figure sum that has been invested in the project can make things appear a little daunting, but we are all very excited about the potential of this new system and believe it will drive GAP forward even further". If you wish to learn more about the XDA system, or if you are a customer with any concerns over its impact on your business, please do not hesitate to contact Head Office.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - GAP DOCK AT PORTSMOUTH With a surrounding population of nearly half a million people in Havant, Gosport, Fareham and Portsmouth City, Portsmouth is an excellent base for the South Coast. The depot is yards from Junction 12 of the M27, thereby allowing easy access to Southampton, Eastleigh and the New Forest wih another 500,000 people to serve. The state-of-the-art premises on the North Harbour Spur is 5,800
square feet in size with a yard of Providing the very best facilities, Depot General Manager To get in touch with the depot, contact: |
The brand new 2005 GAP catalogue is set to hit the shelves in January. The annual publication has had a complete overhaul in terms of its layout, style and size. There are over 150 pages packed with the very best quality tools and unmanned plant from GAP’s massive range. From saws to dumpers, drills to excavators, GAP have total tool and plant hire capability – what else would you expect from the UK’s largest independent tool and plant hirer?
The GAP is growing larger still as the half century depot barrier is smashed: new depots in Maidstone and Colchester have now opened, with Inverness and Oxford to open shortly, taking the tally to fifty-one and counting.
After recently announcing the opening of five new depots, GAP is increasing its Sales team to support the growth.
Over the course of the past twelve months, GAP’s IT Department has been busy working away on the company’s latest innovation. A groundbreaking innovation that in fact it will transform how business is conducted within the hire industry.
Basking
in 25c temperatures, GAP recently piped its way to another successful
year at SED. 
Above
all however, SED proved highly successful for the Group. UK Sales
Director, Colin Haxton, explains that “this year we have built on the
outstanding reception we received in 2003. GAP has been established
for 35 years and has established a network of 47 depots throughout
the country, including recent openings around London and Portsmouth,
with several more planned for the south of England.
SED is a fantastic platform for us to let people know
who we are and what our capabilities are as a National
Hirer”. The show also acted as a great meeting place for both
new and existing customers.
GAP has reached the English Channel!