Q&A: Luke George

18 June 2021

Luke George is MD of Dorset Hire Services and its sister brand Somerset Hire Services, which have depots in Shaftesbury, Evercreech and, most recently, Frome. The extensive hire fleet ranges from power tools to 14-tonne excavators. And like many industry professionals, Luke didn’t exactly plan a career in hire... 

How’s business at the moment? 

Very busy! 

Are any markets particularly strong?

We have seen a surge in the DIY market as people look for things they can do during lockdown restrictions. Up until last year the trend had been more and more handymen/women and contractors being employed to do smaller jobs, but I feel DIY has had a bit of a renaissance with people having more time on their hands. 

What are some of the most recent additions you’ve made to the hire fleet? 

After establishing a fleet of the hire basics we have been looking at adding more ‘specialist’ equipment to the fleet. Things like powered access equipment or tracked chippers. These items take a bit more work to maintain but customers really appreciate that we are willing to invest in expanding what is available to hire.

What are the last three items you put out on hire? 

A 6-tonne excavator, a lawn aerator - and a dehumidifier to an unfortunate customer who had drilled through a water pipe!

What do you think are the main challenges facing the industry? 

Currently in the short term I think the biggest challenge is one of supply born out of the perfect storm of Covid and Brexit. We are facing machine cost pressures from suppliers and lead times on equipment that are measured in months. Our industry has had to learn to run lean because margins are so tight. A just-in-time model used to be the norm, where spare parts could be relied on to turn up next day, and if we needed an extra digger you could almost guarantee it would be in the yard by the following Monday. Now we are being asked to order plant for 6/9/12 months’ time in an era where one government press conference can lead to the temporary closure of your business.

How about long term challenges? 

Meeting climate change rules and regulations is going to be the hardest thing to achieve. The automotive world is having to change rapidly to meet new restrictions and think up until now the plant industry has been sat waiting to see how it’s going to filter down to them. Hopefully the manufacturers are working away in the background to facilitate the changes needed…

What’s the oddest or most challenging hire request you’ve ever received?

In 17 years of hire, I’ve done some weird and wonderful things. We’ve delivered diggers to France, we’ve taken machines apart to get them into buildings and reassembled them, but the one type of hire that always stresses me out is supplying equipment for weddings! I hate the stress involved in event hire and happily shy away from that challenge. I really don’t know how the event hire companies do it every day.

What frustrates you? 

I’m not sure there’s enough space here! The one thing that really frustrates me is when larger companies start panicking and dropping rates to silly levels. There’s way too much of ‘we’ll beat any price’ going on without thinking about the actual cost of what we do. Rates for plant are at the same level as they were when I started out in hire. At some point there needs to be a correction… but we’ve all been saying that for years. 

What was your favourite school subject?

I was a bit of a geek at school and loved maths and IT. I trained to be a software engineer, eventually gaining an HND in the subject. I was going to do a third year and complete my degree, but a temporary job changed all that... 

Is that when you got into the hire industry? 

I took a summer job after qualifying and it never ended! A good friend of the family, Rick Biddiscombe, who was then director of hire at Frome Hire Centre [later acquired by Sydenhams Hire Centres], offered me a couple of months’ work to try and repay some student debts. As soon as I was in, I was hooked. I enjoyed the banter with customers, the challenge of solving problems and the fact that I could use my knowledge to introduce systems to make the business more streamlined. 

What happened next? 

I became a branch manager at the age of 21 and – after a brief spell away to go travelling round Europe – I was fortunate enough to come back and work at the Sydenhams depot in Warminster. Then I set up a new branch for them in Gillingham and, after five years, I felt I’d progressed as far as I could. So I began thinking about opening my own business. 

How did you start? 

Five years ago I set up Dorset Hire Services working from a shed on a farm with two diggers and a laptop. Business grew quickly and within four months I found our current premises in Shaftesbury. Two years ago I acquired The Hire Shed business in Shepton Mallet, which we relocated to Evercreech – creating Somerset Hire Services – and in May this year we opened in Frome. It’s been hard work but we’ve now got 13 staff, nearly 800 fleet items and a loyal customer base.

If things had been different, what other career might you have chosen?

I’m sure I would’ve gone on to become a web or software designer.

What’s the best piece of advice that you’ve ever been given, or that you would pass on to others?

Can I flip the question on its head and give you the worst bit of advice? That would be, ‘Don’t get too big too soon.’ I really don’t understand that. Does anyone ever turn down an order because they don’t want to get too big too soon!? In fact, I hate all the clichés that people throw at you when you start a business. The world has changed and anyone now has the opportunity to start a business from their bedroom with a laptop.

Do you follow a particular sport and/or team? 

I’m the ultimate sit-on-the-fence sports fan. I really enjoy watching sport and motorsport but I’ve never picked a favourite team weirdly. I think I’m more of a fan of the underdog, so I always want the weaker team to win.

What’s your favourite music? 

After reaching my mid-30s I have reached that stage where I’m saying things like, “Music these days is rubbish,” and “This is just noise” - all the things my parents used to say to me! So I listen to things like the oldies station Kisstory and music from the ‘00s as that was my decade.

What new skill would you like to learn?

I like to run my business from top to bottom. You’ll find me driving a truck and trailer one minute and then doing a VAT return the next. I think the one skill I wish I had was more advanced knowledge of the accountancy world, so I would be tempted to do a course to improve my knowledge of that.

What’s the secret of success? 

If you do more positive things than negative, then you’ll have a positive result. Simple formula but it works.

What would you do if you won the lottery?

I would set up an angel investment company and look to help people who are starting out in business and need finance or support. There are many individuals out there with great ideas but who are too scared to have a go.

Any future plans? 

It’s been five years since I started Dorset Hire Services and I’m sat here now with three shops and satisfied with how things are going… But I know what I’m like and I’m sure we’ll be seeing more Dorset Hire or Somerset Hire branches in the future. 

● Read more about the new Frome depot here.