Q&A: Steve Booker
1 April 2022
Steve Booker is MD of Kentec Tool Hire which recently moved to larger premises in Tonbridge, and he is also a trainer with its sibling business Kentec Training.
How’s the hire side of the business? Are any products proving particularly popular?
The hire business is still very busy and we are still seeing the high-cost capital plant and specialist equipment the most popular for obvious reasons. Most of the small plant and equipment for which there is greatest demand is being purchased instead of hired these days.
And how’s the training operation? What courses or subjects are in demand?
The training operation is very busy and we are now facilitating over 170 courses across a vast range of sectors. However, our most popular courses are still focused on work at height such as those from PASMA, IPAF and the Ladder Association.
What are some of the most recent additions you’ve made to the hire fleet?
Our latest purchases have mainly been to increase existing hire lines like dehumidifiers, heaters and cement mixers.
If someone was to ask you to cut your hire rates, how would you respond?
We are always reluctant to cut rates as the long-term effects are so detrimental to our profits. We focus on the quality of service that we offer, be it prompt delivery and collection or the general reduction in breakdowns, due to our trained and experienced fitting team. Price cutting is the very last resort!
What’s the oddest or most challenging hire request you’ve ever received?
The oddest hire request was for our fitting team to attend a site to ensure that, if there was a breakdown, it could be resolved immediately; however, as expected, they were not needed – but they enjoyed a day out. The most challenging hires are always around special events where there is a need to cross-hire in large quantities of equipment, as well as the logistics, like being asked to arrange to fence off and secure the entire Tonbridge high street for a parade.
What frustrates you?
The way some customers treat our plant and equipment. Paying for the hire of kit does not mean it can be mistreated, abused and left dirty without consequences.
What were your favourite school subjects?
Physics, maths and metalwork.
How did you get into the industry?
Kentec is a family business started by my father, John, back in 1978 and I was given a simple choice that if I wanted pocket money I had to earn it in the hire centre.
If things had been different, what other career might you have chosen?
I was planning to join the Police when I was 18 but the family business hooked me and I have been here ever since.
What’s the best piece of advice that you’ve ever been given, or that you would pass on to others?
The best advice I will always try to pass on that made the biggest change in my own way of thinking is not to be fearful of fear. So many chances to succeed are thwarted by the brain imagining all that could go wrong, along with some things that would never go wrong, to result in an opportunity missed.
Tell me a surprising fact about yourself or the business.
I am a qualified NLP Practitioner.
What’s that?
Neuro-linguistic programming. An NLP Practitioner is a highly useful and resourceful coach who uses the methodology of NLP in a professional way to help others. Just like coaching, it helps people find a way to meet their potential and overcome their limiting beliefs. As your personality developed in life, you created your model of the world made up from your experiences and feedback from those around you. And as a result, you built a set of ‘personal’ beliefs, rules and reality. Some of these beliefs are powerful and useful to you, but others may have created limitations and self-doubt that hold you back from meeting the true potential and life you deserve.
Are you or the business doing anything particular to go green?
We are always looking for ways in which we can reduce our carbon footprint through fuel management, waste recycling and work-focused efficiency. We should all be looking toward a greener tomorrow.
Do you follow a particular sport and/or team?
I have always been a fan of F1 motor sport.
What new skill would you like to learn?
At work, I am currently working my way through my Health and Safety diploma. Personally, I have played guitar for several years. However, my wife Kandy bought me a five-string banjo recently as a new challenge – time will tell if I can master this instrument.
What’s the secret of success?
Not being afraid to take a chance and trusting in your ability to overcome almost any issue that arises.
What would you do if you won the lottery?
Make sure my three children were set financially so they could reach their true potential.
Finally, is there anything you would like to add about the current trading outlook?
I feel positive about the current situation, although it will be challenging given the recent events in Ukraine and the effect that is having on fuel and resources.
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