Melb’s new tram operator
25 June, 2009
Long days creating innovative X-factor strategies that would impress the Department of Transport has paid off with client KDR being awarded the enviable Melbourne tram contract.
Markstone Group was initially appointed to provide advice on government relations and communications around the EOI period for both trains and trams mid last year.
Markstone Director Terry Cuddy took the role of positioning this international company and consolidating its values and philosophy in a Melbourne context.
In September 2008, KDR became one of two groups selected to bid for the operation of Melbourne trams.
The tender documents became available two months later and Markstone Group continued its engagement with KDR to assist the client in understanding the Melbourne transport environment, challenges and issues that were emerging daily.
A very intense period followed and between mid-January and the end of April, Mr Cuddy was spending 16 hour days at the KDR makeshift headquarters on the outskirts of Melbourne’s CBD.
Part of Markstone Group’s role during this time was to entrench itself in the tender effort, and provide a team of expert writers, proofreaders and editors.
“A lot of effort went in to ensuring we reflected to government that KDR understood the quintessential relationship trams have with Melbourne in all its different forms – arts, sports, business, tourism,” Mr Cuddy said.
“The image we conveyed was trams were the feel good form of travel in Melbourne.
Most tram travelers see the experience as more about the destination, and not about the journey.”
The past year has been an incredible journey itself for Markstone Group, with the first four months of the year intensely exciting.
“It was very much a multi functional team,” Mr Cuddy said.
“On one hand we were inside the room writing, sub editing and editing, and providing advice on the development of the bid.
“And then outside the room we were dealing with the multiplicity of bid including outside meetings to determine corporate structure and dealing with a whole gamut of issues like rolling stock concerns.”
In classic Markstone Group modes operandi, some of the advice it provided was done so with a certain element of risk.
“There was risk taken in certain elements of the presentation of the bid where we had provided advice and where there were some people who were not convinced,” Mr Cuddy said.
“We used a lot of imagery and metaphors to demonstrate Melbourne’s icons and how they are important to Melbourne and to show we understand this city.
Since the end of this story has been widely publicised with KDR the new operators of the Melbourne tram system starting 1 December, any perceived risk certainly paid off.
