Switch of careers sees couple lead successful cleaning professionals
Kelly and Tim O’Leary.
She’s stepped out of her principal’s shoes to focus on spending more time with their two young children.
But Kelly O’Leary remembers only too well the importance of having a clean and healthy school and how quickly things can go downhill when problems occur with the cleaners.
As well as being a fulltime mum, Kelly has had a big career change and is now working alongside her husband Tim, who earlier this year took over as CrestClean’s Hawke’s Bay Regional Manager.
In her new role as Customer & Operations Manager with their business, Kelly is keen to be involved with schools to offer help and advice and to ensure their cleaning needs are being fully met.
Kelly recalls some stressful times when as the principal of a busy Wellington primary school her day could often turn to custard if the cleaners failed to show.
“We would have a cleaner who didn’t contact their manager to let them know they were unable to come in. I was discovering this about 5.30 when I was due to leave that the cleaning hadn’t been done.
“I understand the system and I understand how schools work and what principals want,” says Kelly, who grew up in Hawke’s Bay.
“Clean schools mean healthy children and healthy teachers. Having a clean school also presents a really good image. This is a place of business and learning and we set high standards here and having a clean school is part of that.”
For Tim, joining CrestClean was also a change of direction. He has lived in Hawke’s Bay since 2015 and has worked at management level in several different fields.
Previously he was employed by Turfrey in Hawke’s Bay as the company’s Commercial Manager, responsible for establishing new branches, staff management and nationwide recruitment.
His experience also includes working as the National Business Development Manager for Macaulay Metals.
“My bread and butter is sales and business development and relationship management,” he says.
He’s enjoyed meeting new and existing customers and helping them achieve a cleaning solution that meets their specific requirements.
“We have a great base here in Hawke’s Bay with some very skilled cleaning professionals who are highly trained. It’s about being the best and consistently delivering a quality service every time.
“Our customers do what they do and they are good at it. What they want from a cleaning company is a solution that solves a problem with a minimum of fuss and no issues,” he says.
“They want to be focusing on their work not the cleaning. That’s where we come in by providing the expertise.”
“I enjoy helping people to help themselves. Not only from a professional point for view but from a personal point of view as well. I enjoy seeing people succeed. That’s what spins my wheels.”
