Queanbeyan Branch Secures Walter Kennard Group Branch of the Year

The Queanbeyan Branch of Kennards Hire has been crowned the Walter Kennard Group Branch of the Year at the company’s esteemed Group Quality of Management (QOM) Awards on 29 August at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. 

The highly contested annual awards celebrate the family-owned company’s branches’ exceptional commitment to delivering every customer the best service, equipment, and hire centre experience. The QOM Awards are a cornerstone of Kennards Hire's unwavering commitment to excellence, originally initiated in 1967 when the company only had two branches. 

Competing against over 200 Kennards Hire branches across Australia and New Zealand, the Queanbeyan Branch has been recognised for its unwavering dedication to excellence, securing the prestigious Walter Kennard Group Branch of the Year accolade. The branch also took out 1st place in the People & Safety and Equipment categories in its hometown QOM Awards event on 31 July, held at QT Canberra, prior to placing first in ACT’s Branch of the Year Award category. The ability to receive the hotly contested Branch of the Year Award, is a testament to the team’s professionalism in safety, people, equipment quality, showroom appearance and financial performance.

Chris Kenny, Queanbeyan Branch Manager, said, "Receiving the Walter Kennard Group Branch of the Year Award is a remarkable achievement. Being recognised as the top branch among over 200 branches, in two countries, is truly significant. This honour reflects the dedication of our team and our commitment to excellence. We take great pride in our work, emphasising safety and consistently delivering high-quality service and products to every customer who walks through the door. The Kennards Hire culture plays a crucial role in shaping how our team responds to customer needs, motivating everyone to go above and beyond to ensure every detail is handled perfectly.”

The annual QOM Award winners are determined by unannounced, audits three times a year. All branches across the Kennards Hire network undergo this rigorous process which serves to maintain and improve branch consistency, equipment quality and commitment to customer excellence. The QOM auditing program was initiated by Andy and Neville Kennard back in 1967-68, when the second Kennards Hire branch opened.

This year there were 10 QOM Awards events, attended by Kennards Hire employees across Australia and New Zealand.  The full list of regional winners can be found below.