Appliance business branches out into mobile technology

Appliance Repair Care cellphone technican Mason Glenny and managing director Njela Turia.

Appliance Repair Care has undergone a raft of changes, aimed at putting their customers at the heart of the business, since Njela and Pahia Turia bought the company.

Mrs Turia, who is the managing director and works in the business, said the couple bought both Appliance Repair Care (ARC) and Home Appliance Doctors two years ago and merged the companies.

Originally based in Ridgway St, the Turias bought ARC's current Bell St premises, opposite Tylee Cottage, in November last year.

"We now get lots of people calling in on their way past but when we were in Ridgway St it was a more industrial area with not so much passing traffic," Mrs Turia said.

"Over the last two years we have been trying to develop our processes and systems to ensure all our customers have a great experience with us, right from how we answer the phone to our technicians visiting them right through to our invoicing.

"Our biggest recent change has been our online job management system which our customers tell us they really like. Our whole goal is to be able to get out to our customers on the day they contact us and the online system makes everything much easier."

The company's latest initiative is a cellphone and tablet repair service. They also sell cellphone accessories.

ARC employs five appliance technicians. As well as working in Whanganui, they travel weekly to Marton and Bulls and also go to Waverley. There are also two cellphone technicians, a delivery/service person, administrative staff and a part-time small appliance technician who mainly works on vacuum cleaners and coffee machines.

"Whanganui has a high level of lime in the water and it really damages appliances," Mrs Turia said.

"We tell our customers to make sure they service and maintain their appliances and clean them out regularly, especially coffee machines."

ARC is the only authorised service centre in Whanganui for all major brands. They do domestic appliance repairs and sell some secondhand appliances. ARC also delivers and installs appliances under warranty from major retailers.

The commercial side of the business is growing and includes work on commercial ovens, dishwashers and some refrigeration. ARC specialises in ovens.

"We also do test and tag services," Mrs Turia said.

"Any appliance that has a cord on it and that is portable has to be tagged to verify that the appliance is electrically safe. We do test and tag work for builders, hairdressers, schools and most of our commercial customers."

ARC's fresh approach to business resulted in several awards in July's inaugural Te Manu Atatu Maori Business Awards, winning the technology and innovation category and being highly commended in the service and trade section.

The Turias hope to further expand the business in the future but are keeping those plans under wraps for now.