Whangarei-based firm Baigents Office Products Depot wins national dealer award

Co-owner operators Grant Stone, second row left, and Eddie Darvill, back left, with the Baigents Whangarei team.

Whangarei-based Baigents Office Products Depot (OPD) recently won the national OPD Dealer of the Year award.

It was the icing on the cake for owner-operators Grant Stone and Eddie Darvill following the best year they've had since taking over the business 10 years ago.

Covering from Warkworth to the top of the North, the stationery and office supplies store has been part of the Northland business landscape for 87 years, but this is the first time in the 25-year award history that Northland has won the award.

"Our business is not about us, it's about our team," Mr Stone said. "This award is about recognising our staff."

Mr Darvill likened the team effort to that of a Formula One motor racing team.

"In Formula One, Lewis Hamilton drives the car and gets the glory but if it wasn't for the guy putting air in the tyres or putting in the fuel, then Hamilton wouldn't be out there at all. We're the same - our team is key and this win is for them. That includes all our stakeholders. The support we get from our suppliers is unbelievable - they're just an extension of our business."

Both Mr Stone and Mr Darvill said they didn't do anything special for the award, which is based on standard performance indicators across all the 32 member OPD co-op group, and voting by suppliers.

"It means the business is on a good footing as the win is a result of what we are doing day-to-day," Mr Stone said. After the torrid times businesses faced from 2009 to 2012 things had to improve, Mr Darvill said. "We've been going along for the ride."

The recent growth in business activity meant Baigents had taken on two new team members during the past year to help cope.

"We're open to everyone, we have parking and people to help you - you don't need to look for service, service comes to you. I've never had such great feedback from customers as we get here," Mr Darvill said.

The Baigents OPD win was just the latest in a string of Whangarei businesses which have been nationally recognised in their relevant business categories.

For example Pierces Flooring Xtra taking out the top shop in New Zealand in August and Liquorland Tikipunga named regional winner in the 2016 Liquorland Franchise of the Year.

"Local businesses are consistently punching above their weight," he said.