Motor Trader visited the Cairns branch of RGM Maintenance recently to talk to the woman in charge, After Sales Manager Tammy Perazza.
Words by Lara Wilde.
How long have you been established?
TP: RGM Maintenance opened its doors in Brisbane in 2002. The business quickly expanded throughout Queensland and the Northern Territory. In June of 2017, the Cairns Branch was opened when the business bought out WestCo Trucks and became the Daimler Trucks Sales, Service and parts Dealership.
Tell us about the products and services?
TP: The Cairns branch of RGM Maintenance focusses on new truck sales and sales of parts for Freightliner, Fuso and Mercedes trucks. We also provide a comprehensive workshop for repairs and servicing with a 24-hour breakdown assistance service for our clients. Our clients range from Government Departments such as the Queensland Ambulance Service, to the Australian Defence Force, to local commercial businesses. We run a fleet of 17 trucks with Qube at the Arriga Sugar Mill outside of Mossman for MSF Sugar. The maintenance of the fleet involves having a full-time mechanic on site and providing a 24-hours-a-day, 7-days a week mechanic service on call.
What is your background in the industry?
TP: Born and bred in Cairns, I have spent my career working with the large heavy vehicle industry. I began my career in the mines, spending 10 years in Mount Isa working with Caterpillar. During those 10 years I did a little bit of everything from special projects through to service advisor.
Are you still hands on in the business today?
TP: I began my role at the Cairns branch of RGM Maintenance six years ago and I love working for the company. We are a small team and so when someone is away it is all hands on deck. I am very much engaged in a hands-on capacity across all facets of the business, stepping in when I am needed. The only job I don’t step into is when a trade-qualified mechanic is required.
Who is in your current team?
TP: We have a close-knit team in the Cairns branch with only one RGM Maintenance branch that is smaller than ours. We have eight heavy vehicle fitters / mechanics. Three of our mechanics are currently completing their apprenticeships. We have three salesmen and two people in parts. There are two staff providing admin support and then myself as the After Sales Manager.
Our staff work closely together and feel more like family than co-workers. For example, our admin lady Marisa owned the business with her husband in 2009 before selling it to WestCo Trucks, who then sold it to RGM Maintenance. Marisa still works in our office and is considered to be everyone’s mum. Today, her son Scott also works in the business as a mechanic. Scott did his trade in our workshop 13 years ago as a 16-year-old and is now an integral part of our team.
What training do you do with staff?
TP: Freightliner, Fuso and Mercedes provide training in Melbourne and Sydney for mechanics to get hands on in their brand-specialist workshops to learn the latest techniques on their vehicles. We send staff there for a week or more where they can work in a state-of-the-art workshop. We do that as much as possible because then those staff bring that knowledge back and share it with everyone else.
What are your greatest challenges?
TP: The greatest challenge I have is finding quality staff, in particular trade-qualified mechanics. It can be hard to compete with the mines for great people, but we believe that our work culture will often make up for salary. When I am looking for staff, I will always choose people who fit our culture and team. If I can’t find people who fit, we will run short-handed until we do.
It is critical to us that we find the best people to suit our team.
What do you see as the greatest advancement in technology for your business?
TP: Electric trucks are going to be a massive gamechanger for our industry. Both Fuso and Mercedes have electric trucks about to hit the market in our area. I have doubts about the technology and access to charging stations for long-distance freight vehicles, but for those staying close to base electric advancements will be staggering. For example, we are working with Coles to deliver the first fully electric fleet in Far North Queensland. Both Freightliner and Mercedes have sent electric trucks to us to learn on and we are enrolling our staff in all of the training available.
How much importance do you place on social media for your business?
TP: We have a Townsville-based marketing team who take care of the social media for RGM Maintenance state-wide. The Facebook page is fairly active and gives a personal touch to our team and business. We love sharing stories of our people and our clients.
Do you sponsor any local events?
TP: We sponsor one off events in Cairns but no regular events. For example, last year we sponsored a vehicle in the Long Drive For Drought. We don’t have a Cairns-specific marketing plan for Cairns, so we do individual activities that a customer or staff member is passionate about. It isn’t so much a marketing strategy as it is an opportunity for us to give back to our community.
What are your plans for the Cairns branch of RGM Maintenance in the next few years?
TP: My goal is to grow the workshop and build the team of staff with at least 10 to 12 mechanics in the workshop. I am recruiting new people and investing in them with training and professional development to onboard them into the team and get them up to speed as soon as possible.
What advice would you give to a young Tammy starting out in the industry?
TP: Learn from the people who know more than you and absorb as much as you can. Don’t be afraid of having a go even if you are a woman in a male-dominated industry. If all else fails, fake it ‘til you make it.
Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (April 2024)
10 April 2024