When property developer Dennis Family Homes needed help to take their current display homes to the next level, their Marketing Manager, Melissa Munro, knew exactly who to call.
“We had made a conscious decision to move into a more sophisticated direction when it came to our sales offices.” says Melissa.
“We knew we needed someone to help us step up and get ahead of the market by creating a wow factor.
“And that’s why we enlisted the help of Fiona from Diva Works.”
A business who meets our core values
Dennis Family Homes are a large property developer in the greenfield market in Melbourne, specialising in substantial land developments of up to 20,000 blocks in a project with a slow release timelines of up to ten to fifteen years.
Despite that scale Dennis Family Homes remains a family-owned and operated business which values honesty, integrity, passion, caring, vision and quality.
“I knew Diva Works were the perfect business to take our current display homes to the next level,” says Melissa, “while also meeting every single one of our core company values.”
A reputation based on a strong work ethic and an absence of ego
The project was the Modeina. A premium infill estate which offers potential residents modern suburban living at its finest.
This was 2012, and already by that time Fiona had built a strong and tenacious reputation for herself and her company, Diva works.
Fiona’s reputation was based on a strong work ethic and an absence of ego. She had the ability to manage a site, a team and a project to deliver what you could only see in your minds eye – only better and with more sparkle.
“I needed someone who would tell it to me straight,” says Melissa. “Someone who would understand my challenges without having to be told. Someone who just, you know… gets it!
“What I found was all of that and more…and it was the beginning of a friendship and a trusted business partnership that continues to this day.”
Since that first project Diva Works have delivered more than 10 sales offices for the Dennis team over the years and there are no signs of either side slowing down.
Accomplishing goals together
The Modeina sales office was as exquisite as the project itself. It ticked all of the boxes and continues to help drive that project today.
This was achieved through exceptional design and the bringing to life of the developmental concepts that the project hoped to create as the land rolled out in the years to come… all encapsulated in one stunning sales suite.
What Melissa also saw was the method in which Fiona handled her role, and in turn the site.
“Some designers have blinkers on and only have a vision for what they wish to create. But Fiona had been around long enough to know that the job only really gets done if everyone involved accomplishes their goals together.”
“This involves working with – and around – the other contractors on site. Knowing when to push for an idea and when to simply pick your battles. Understanding the importance and the role that rapidly evolving technology plays in sales suites and how her designs today can make life easier for future upgrades tomorrow.”
A clear understanding of the pressures and demands of life on and off site
What Melissa also noticed was Fiona’s clear understanding of not only the pressures and demands of life onsite… but also of life itself!
“In 2015,” recalls Melissa, “I was quite heavily pregnant with a sales office that needed to be delivered that Saturday.
“It was only a few days away and we had already promoted the release, so there was no turning back now. I was also up virtually every night from 2am – 4am with pregnancy insomnia! Never to be one for wasting time I’d use those hours as an email brain-dump to Fiona on all the ideas I had.
“What I couldn’t believe was that I would get replies immediately! At 4am! I had finally found someone as mad and as passionate as me!”
For Melissa this was one of the many assets that Fiona possessed that made her such a perfect fit for her and Dennis Corporation – she understood and appreciated all of the aspects that are present when putting a sales office together… both on and off site.
Some of these lay well outside of where the sales office is physically located.
No Power? No Worries!
Collaborative 4am brain-dumps aside, there was still a sales office to deliver and Saturday was almost here.
Sadly what wasn’t yet there was electricity.
“It was the middle of winter and Melbourne was being Melbourne,” laughs Melissa.
“It was 7 degrees and pouring rain on site on the Friday afternoon. Fiona and I were working on the site which was still without power.
“We were hours away from our deadline the very next morning. I was still pregnant and maybe going a little mad walking around the site in just socks. Lack of sleep will do that to you!”
“But Fiona had it under control.”
Melissa is still a little unsure of how, but Fiona was able to wave her sparkly magic wand and at the 11th hour power was installed into the site.
“It didn’t make it any warmer!” says Melissa, “but she certainly saved the day. If I had a dollar for every time Fiona and the Diva Works team have done that for Dennis Family homes!
“Fiona and Diva Works always go beyond the call of duty and work through the night when needed. It’s just what they do.”
We won’t do a project without the Diva Works team
From that day forward Melissa knew she had more than a professional contractor at her disposal but also a dedicated friend who would always just “get it”.
Over the next seven years both Diva Works and the Dennis Family Corporation have continued to grow rapidly together. These days Fiona’s trusted team manage a large amount of the Dennis contracts.
Likewise, Melissa’s department has evolved from the one-woman-band of yesteryear to a large team to which she now oversees. While Melissa and Fiona still chat and discuss concepts at key meetings, each of their teams now handle the reins.
“The rest of Fiona’s team all have the same values as her,” says Melissa, “It’s like a tribe of Fiona mini me’s on site!
“It doesn’t matter if it’s Fiona or anyone else from her team… I’ve never heard anyone say anything negative about any of them over the years. None of the other contractors ever ‘push back’ on a Diva Works team member.”
It’s for this reason that Melissa feels ultimately confident in sharing her projects with anyone who Fiona brings on board to team Diva Works.
“I won’t do a project without them. Wherever I go I’ll be taking them along with me!”.
Would you like to work with a partner that “gets you” like Fiona understood Melissa?
Modeina
The Dennis Family enlisted Diva Works’ expertise for their Modeina project in 2012, and the Melbourne property development company never looked back. Diva Works encapsulated the client’s vision for modern suburban living in the Modeina sales office, including elements like a faux turf feature wall and plenty of wholesome imagery to ensure the space had a community-focused feel.
