b'KENNARDS HIRE Since 1948TAKING HIRE HIGHER | 32RED APRONS SMILE! YOURE ON CAMERA!In 1980, Prue remembers Andy coming back from a tripAndy recalls another bright idea that had unintended all fired up about the idea of having Kennards Hire staffconsequences. There was a time when customers were at every branch wear matching red aprons. He figuredstealing items by using false identification. They would theyd be practical for keeping employees clothes cleanplonk down a small cash deposit and disappear with when working with machinery, and serve as a sorta new and very cheap piece of equipment. To combat of uniform. So he placed a huge order and excitedlytheft, Kennards Hire imported a camera that stood at distributed the aprons to the branches. But as it turnedthe check-out counter. The camera would take a picture out, not a single person would wear them.of the customer in one half of the frame, and the contract in the other. Prue laughs as she recalls, We had hundreds of them, so we rebranded them as BBQ aprons and includedWhat we hadnt taken into account was how the them in the staff Christmas hampers along with hamscustomers would react, says Andy. Customers werent and other goodies.given warning that their photo was being taken, and upon finding out, many would object vehemently, some Of course, Kennards Hire staff now have smartangrily demanding their money back before storming uniforms, but back in the day, the guys werent off in a huff. ABC News got wind of it and interviewed having a bar of it. Andy under false pretences. It did stop the theft, but was terrible for our reputation, he says, admitting that the idea was a mistake that led to losing many customers.The KennardsNeville KennardQuality ControlKennards Hire 1973 1974Hire Equipmentbecomes theChecks (QCC)acquires Shed Hire catalogue goesfoundingchanges to Qualityat Rydalmere.full-colour, anpresident of theof Operations Australian first. Hire AssociationManagement Australia(QOM).Mini Storage is(later renamed pioneered atthe Hire andWally Kennard Moorebank. Rental Industrydies.Association).'