“Logistics is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.”
That’s how Peter Chrisfield describes his role as a PACK & SEND franchisee! Peter took ownership of PACK & SEND South Brisbane in October 2015 and loves the diversity of the business, his clients, and their freight.
“Everyday can be a surprise, you never know what the next interesting piece of freight will be.” Peter’s customers consist of an array of one-off clients and a regular corporate client base. He explains that PACK & SEND South Brisbane's proven reliability and comprehensive service results in them having a high customer retention rate.
There are really no limits to the various complex items Peter has supplied logistics solutions for. Here are just a few of the incredible tasks PACK & SEND South Brisbane has been involved in:
- Regular express air freight of immigration applications to Nairobi (48 hours to ship to the capital of Kenya!)
- Bulk lithium ion battery shipments for a drone filming company. This client couldn’t find a solution anywhere else! It involved air freight to Hong Kong, customs clearance in China, collection from The Kimberley, WA, and delivery to Barossa, SA. Later this year Peter and his team will take on the challenge of providing this solution to Antarctica!
- Exporting second-hand V8 Holden engines to the UK
- Importing a 6-metre-long wing part for a Piper aircraft to Australia from Massachusetts, USA, clearing customs and arriving to the client at Archerfield Airport, all within 4 days!
- Shipping artwork for prominent Australian artists, Gordon Hookey, Dale Harding and Bonita Ely, to Documenta 14. This event has been described as the Olympic games for modern contemporary art. The shipments included:
- 15 custom crates and 1 full shipping container shipped by sea to Hamburg, Germany, then by road to Kassel.
- Crates sent by air freight to Kassel, Frankfurt, and Athens, Greece.
Peter often updates his LinkedIn profile and his readers regularly engage with his photo series of complex jobs depicting them from start to finish. This has often resulted in customers connecting with Peter, providing referrals, and helping to grow his business. The best advice he has for LinkedIn is to simply, “have a go” and “keep at it”. He suggests that although you might not receive much engagement at the start, as you learn and make connections, this will improve!
As for advice on starting a new franchise business, Peter says it is all about using the connections available to you, “Make them your friend as well as colleague, this will ensure you get the most benefit from your Head Office Team.” The PACK & SEND head office is always readily available to support and assist their franchisees. Peter also interacts with other franchisees and is constantly ready to lend a hand and provide advice.
In conclusion, Peter muses, “We will never cease learning in the always developing field of complex logistics. And with around a hundred stores in Australia, and new stores opening in New Zealand and the United Kingdom regularly, we have a massive knowledge base and skill set second to none in the industry.
In closing, without doubt, it is the personalised care and attention, combined with building true meaningful relationships with all our clients that sets us apart.”