2010 Survivor Series, 2011 Opportunity

by From the Top on 2011-01-16

2010 was a roller coaster year for the Global Logistics Industry, the recession definitely threw up some interesting curve balls and yet we continue to adapt and ride out some difficult times.

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Throughout the year I have talked with some major industry players and in doing so, two common threads appeared.

Firstly, most companies consolidated and concentrated on internal processes. Although business development still played an important part , there definitely was a shift and change of focus. Most companies took the opportunity to restructure and key personnel took on more responsibility whilst poor performers were shown the door.

IT infrastructure was reviewed; companies looked more closely at their variable costs, customer service’s processes were audited, risk was averted and employees became more diverse.

Company Executives felt they were in a series of “Survivor” in that they were going to get voted off after the next challenge. Those who competed hard and strategized well survive another day, and look forward to more challenges to come.

The second common thread appeared whereby some companies chose to become more diverse. The ability to add value to existing services meant that they had a better chance of developing new business, but it also adds more value to their existing clients.

Furthermore, large corporate businesses took the opportunity to acquire struggling smaller companies in order to strengthen their own position in the market. Smart business practice or exploitation, you decide.

2011 should be about partnering and collaboration. Find a company that can complement what you are already doing; engage with that company in the hope that you can share resource and leverage off each other’s strengths.

Be smarter about how you approach business in 2011, although never lose focus on why we do what we do.

Lastly, I’ll leave you with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi which should be your mantra for 2011:

“A customer is the most important visitor on our premises; he is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so”

Nigel Lewis
CEO – Global Logistics Media Group

www.globallogisticsmedia.com