Gazing skywards
Katherine Corich trained as a pilot; Daniel Robertson as an electrical engineer. Both chucked it in to follow entrepreneurial instincts they couldn’t ignore.
Wednesday, February 02 2011 || Features || BY Matt Philp
Tim Alpe of Jucy Rentals was “always doomed” to be an entrepreneur. Becoming a successful one, however, was more about smarts than fate.
Alpe was last month named Ernst & Young 2010 Entrepreneur of the Year in recognition of his achievement in growing the vehicle hire company he and his brother Dan founded in 2001 using a bunch of second-hand Daewoos, into a $30 million Australasian tourism brand.
For Alpe it all began when he was a kid washing the family’s Maui vans and soaking up his father Chris’ attitude to business. “He’s incredibly entrepreneurial and he instilled in us a desire to create, to set ourselves apart. It had to rub off.”
That said, his first foray into business turned out to be in the corporate world, running a division of Tourism Holdings Limited (THL), which had bought Maui from the Alpe family in the late 1980s. Alpe says he’s grateful that he got to learn corporate disciplines, “but those five years also taught me I didn’t want to be in that environment”. By 2001, he says, “we were desperate to get out there and create something for ourselves”.
The Entrepreneur of the Year judges commented that what they loved about Jucy — and you will surely have seen one of the company’s purple and green machines on the road — was the strength of its brand. Alpe says they grew that brand by embracing new technology, using the web and social media, playing up the slightly “edgy” qualities of Jucy. “The goal was always to create a brand that set us apart from the 200 other car rental operators in New Zealand.”
With an Auckland hotel and a campervan-making business now in the portfolio, plus 400 Jucy campervans travelling Australia’s highways, the aim is to keep building that brand in new areas, says Alpe. “There are other markets out there for us to Jucify.”
Customer service? What customer service? Will not reply to any messages. Down right lie on there website about delivery times. Waiting 2 months for 2 items that were said to be 24 hour shipping. Cannot get any response from them I just want a refund!!!!!
Posted by Ashley at 12:28 on September 23, 2011
Anyone can start a business, but the real skill is developing a business that does not mislead the public and one that delivers a quality product. His company is failing in both, and many people are beginning to realise that a cheap product means low quality service and unreliable. Daniel does not appear to have any business ethics.
Posted by Jeremy Limpens at 02:03 on September 13, 2011
I've today (7th September 2011) attempted to purchase a book via Fishpond at the advertised price. The advertisement stated that the order (in fact all orders) were shipping free.
However at checkout time and in spite of the "free shipping" quoted in the advertisement (on the web site) the system nonetheless charged shipping.
Now, frustratingly I cannot contact anyone about this!!!
Posted by Peter Bankers at 02:24 on September 7, 2011
I am a very disgruntled Fishpond Customer! I ordered an item that was brought in from the States as a wedding gift for a friend. The item took 3 weeks to arrive (fair enough) but when it was delivered to my friend it was a completely different item. After 2 emails and 3 phone calls to Fishpond (who don't advertise a phone number) I still have received no communication from them....terrible, terrible service.
I will never buy anything from them again and will recommend my friends don't either. Good luck Daniel, but eventually this will catch up with your business and it will fail. I recommend www.bookdepository.co.uk - free shipping anywhere in the world and great service!
Posted by Kate Garton at 04:32 on May 5, 2011
Daniel's FISHPOND is great to buy from, but there can be problems such as ever-increasing delays and no response to enquiries (despite claim of a response in 24-48 hours).
I once worked with the CEO, Daniel Robertson, and so I know that he is VERY competent but he is NOT AVAILABLE - his email is not listed.
Is this lack of availability common amongst our new generation of young, successful entrepreneurs? If that is true then I am very disappointed!
Posted by Peter Parsonage at 11:39 on March 5, 2011
I wish I had found these reviews before I purchased from Fishpond. Their customer service is non-existent and I too have discovered that stated delivery despatch times are not reliable. Unfortunately I have purchased a second hand book from one of their 'sellers'. I am fairly certain I will not see the book ... still uncertain as to whether I will receive a refund.
Posted by Anonymous at 09:00 on December 16, 2011
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