The prodigious opportunities that exist for Network Group supplier members to further expand their businesses were explored in-depth at the 2011 Network Group Conference. Themed ‘X Marks the Spot… Discover the Gold within your business’, the event was held on Hamilton Island (Queensland) late May.
Among the 80 strong delegate attendance were international experts in restoration technology and local insurance industry executives.
Conference presenters included Barb Jackson (Total Contenz US); Phil Rosebrook (Business Mentors US); Lance Meikle (Alps Network, financial planners); and Warren Barnhill (BMR, builder). They were complemented by Network director Duncan Bennett and Network suppliers Peter Moloney (Dry Force), Owen Boak (Elements), Goldy Sodhi (Quibet), Colin Powell (East Coast Restorations), and Gary Bourke (PHJ Services).
The Conference presentations covered insurance industry developments; developing business skills; working at life:work balance; OH&S and risk management; restoration technology; tapping business opportunities; and internal Network machinations.
“As with our previous conferences we ensured that this was another fast-paced, information packed, two days. We brought together our two key supplier groups of Restorers and Glaziers and presented a mix of general and industry specific content,” explained Network Group director Ashley Easterby.
In his opening update address, Easterby covered the hectic but highly successful past 12 months including renewal of contracts; the final fit out and features of Network’s headquarters; exploring new business; software upgrades; and business-to-business solutions with key partner Suncorp.
Operations manager Mark Brittain maintained the buoyant tenor with his presentations that largely crystal balled the Group’s future initiatives. He was in the happy position of announcing a five year contract with Suncorp that started 1 June 2011.
Brittain also covered new business opportunities; access to training; and took time out to emphasise the need for suppliers to work with each other to deliver the best possible service while also deriving maximum revenues and margins.
Naturally, the traditionally most enjoyable social aspects of the Network Conference were again in play with a ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ conference dinner.
“Network has an ethos of ongoing supplier and head office management improvement. Conferences such as this greatly enhance the two-way communications while also involving other partners, notably the insurance industry.
“We constantly assess best practice in the local and international marketplaces and bring it to our operation. It’s the supplier member service providers who put that practice in place on-site and we appreciate their sterling efforts, especially through what has been a frenetic time of floods,” Brittain extolled.
Network Restorers is always looking for likeminded suppliers and can be emailed at admin@networkrestorers.com for more info.