Our Clients – Samuels Vehicle Hire
In 2004, Will Owen was a tour operator and guide. He led his high-end clients on luxury adventures, but when it came to the vehicles they’d journey in, there were no five-star minibuses for hire. Will faced a choice: buy an expensive luxury vehicle for himself that would sit idle in the off-season, or start a business providing the vehicles he and other tour operators needed.
Will and his wife, Rebecca, took the leap and started Samuels Vehicle Hire in 2010 with ten vehicles. Since then, the company has grown steadily and now boasts 80 vehicles in three locations across the country. Their customer base has expanded, too, providing luxury vehicle rental to big families, sports teams, celebrities, couples with lots of outdoor gear, and film crews.
Their Mercedes minibuses offer 8 to 20 seats. All their vehicles are less than five years old, have discrete branding, and the majority of their fleet are silver. Step inside and it’s all about the luxury. With a premium fit out with leather seats and a PA system, their offering is “as close to a chauffeur-style vehicle as possible but available to everyone in the New Zealand rental market,” Will explained.
That approach extends beyond the vehicle too, with Samuels offering to meet you and bring your vehicle to you whenever and whenever you’d like it. “Our staff are a close working unit. We know our customers well and provide a personalised service,” Will said. No more queuing in airports, nor worrying about additional costs piling on for insurance and the like. Samuels operates with complete transparency.
Four years ago, Will saw the comeback the tourism industry was making after COVID-19 and wanted to grow Samuels alongside that. To do that effectively, he needed an accountant with the skills, professionalism, and expertise to help him realise that goal. “I felt there was a real opportunity there, and I knew Leech & Partners was Canterbury’s best, so I reached out to Glen White,” Will said. “I’m very glad I did. It’s one of the best business decisions I’ve made.”
“Glen is personable and gets to know your business. He asks the hard questions and proposes ideas for growth. In the last two years alone, we purchased 55 vehicles, and Glen was instrumental in that, working closely with my finance broker and me. The wider team at Leech & Partners are great to work with too, helping my staff with Xero and automating our systems.”
“I love seeing the growth of this business,” Will said when asked what he loves about what he does. “Evolving our fleet, providing new features, and seeing the positive effects of all our efforts make it all worth it.”
