Jones Family Investments announces new GM

Jones Family Investments (JFI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mike Julius as General Manager of Service for JFI as the company continues to invest strongly in the appliance sector.

Mike’s role will be to set up and develop a nationwide service business that will enable the JFI business of Kitchen Things and Applico to deliver, install and service appliances for their entire life-cycle and to offer a streamlined solution to the industry for after-sales service.

JFI has also invested in Christchurch-based Appliance Works, owned by Mike and his wife Cathy, enabling JFI to move forward with its plan of a nationwide service offer, while ensuring Appliance Works and the other service companies under JFI service continue to service its current customer base and the wider retail appliance industry.

This investment combined with JFI’s Wellington based service company Tharcold and a new contact centre to be launched later this year, will make JFI the major player in both the appliance and service sectors.

JFI Executive Chairman Mark Jones says that he is delighted that Mike is joining the business and his pedigree in service will be an asset to the company.

"The appliance service industry in general has not received significant investment for many years," said Mark. "We have been doing thorough research over the last twelve months mapping the customer journey to ensure that our offer delivers the level of service that our customers expect.

"We have found that service in general is an ongoing frustration for customers, having to arrange different servicemen to install or repair appliances, depending on the category and whether electrical or gas.

"As a business heavily invested in our industry, we accept the responsibility to confront these challenges and it is for this reason we are making this significant commitment. "Working with Mike to develop our service offer, it is our intention that we will break new ground in this sector and deliver the complete solution to our customers. We love the fact that Mike is an excellent manager of business," he said.

Mike brings with him 20 years experience in sales and business management. After completing his BCom (Finance) at Otago University he held sales management positions in New Zealand and Australia in the print and packaging industry before moving in to small business ownership in fields including medical practices and internet sales.

It was while running these businesses that Mike gained a clear appreciation for the simple service mantra, to "turn up on time and communicate with your customers - most of your competitors won’t". This simple philosophy has held him and his businesses in good stead for many years.

Mike has three young boys aged 6, 4 & 1 years old and he is a very keen sportsman, of the armchair variety.

"With Mike Julius as General Manager Service, Nick Elgin as General Manager Kitchen Things New Zealand Ltd, Craig Hider as General Manager Applico Ltd and the JFI executive team, my daughter Rachel Louie and I have confidence that we have a formidable senior management team that can deliver the family vision and add significant value to the industry," said Mark.