There is currently a lot of debate as well as many challenges surrounding freight rates at the moment. Our competitors are starting the year as you would expect, aggressive to win business at or below cost and then over the year find a way to make profit. It seems 2010 is continuing in the same manner as 2009 with focus from our clients on their costs.
What should we do?
· Continue to provide great service. We always have a chance if you are doing this no matter what rates are offered. Think what else can you do today? Things like getting back even quicker on client requests, make your clients life easier by giving them the answer before they ask the question.
· Find ways to add extra value. Utilise, in conjunction with your management, the review process to add value. Importantly make sure we are engaging with our client in true partnership style.
· Engage with your management and our procurement team who in turn should ensure we ‘engage don’t enrage’ with origins. Work as a team locally and globally.
· Know your client. If you client has the offer of a fantastic ‘special’ rate make sure you work with them as there could be hidden dangers, but in the end you have to do whatever is best for the client.
· Most of all use common sense; it covers a multitude of areas.
Labels: Freight, Minimum Service Standard, Rate Increases, shipping
# posted by Andy Martin @ Thursday, February 04, 2010
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During a recent meeting, I was told that BBC News are following a container around world for a year to tell stories of globalisation and the world economy. The box is an ambitious and unique year-long project for BBC News to tell the story of international trade and globalisation by tracking a standard shipping container around the world. It is a project which plans to deliver content for television, radio and online audiences - telling the individual stories behind what makes the global economy tick.
The Box has already carried Whisky from Scotland to Shanghai China, Ningbo to Los Angeles with goods for a chain of homeware stores and is currently in Brazil.
Labels: BBC News, Container, International Trade, shipping
# posted by Andy Martin @ Friday, March 06, 2009
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