Transportation Ops: Where Is the Competition?
by Mike Starling
Generally, the competition’s Transportation function and service performance can be summed up in one of two ways:
1) They are kicking your proverbial ass!
2) They look just like you and every other transportation department in your industry segment.
At the Strategic level, in order to differentiate YOUR transportation operations (and your company) from the competition, Transportation needs to be viewed by company management (and you) as a strategic function capable of delivering competitive advantage through your service performance AND in its ability to contribute directly or indirectly to improving operating cash flow.
Can you do that?
Don’t believe me? Take a look at any of the top food service distributors who operate their own or leased fleets and how the various strategies and tactics employed to “shelter income” contribute directly to improved operational cash flow.
Don’t think that’s part of their transportation strategy? THINK AGAIN!
Don’t think they view transportation as a strategic function? THINK AGAIN!
Don’t think the leaders in your industry segment are doing the same thing?
THINK AGAIN!
Could you use some help with elevating your Transportation operation to become a strategic function within your organization? Want to get a leg up on the competition? Want to understand how transportation can contribute to improving your company’s operating cash flow via “sheltered income”? Then seek experienced outside assistance to help you assess the options and adjust your transportation strategy and tactics to make it happen!
Tactically you can assess the competition by the way they handle specific transportation operational executions situations and answering the question “who is a clever boy now?” If it’s the competition and not you, then you have a problem!
Do your customers tell you, “Hey, I wish you’d step up to the plate and provide me with transportation service like your competitor does"? Or does your driver come to you at the end of his delivery run and say “Hey, did you ever consider changing our policy or procedure to simplify things, like I see other carriers doing?”
The point here is that the competition is often in plain sight! What you may not be able to see is how situations are handled better in other industry segments while the “mainstream thought” in your industry segment is still operating old-school style.
Here is where outside experienced transportation coaches can take from one industry practice and apply in another industry segment to help you get ahead of the competition in a given tactical situation or scenario.
Seriously consider widening your perspective to transcend the boundaries of your comfy industry segment’s accepted transportation practices by engaging outside resources. Resources who have the depth of experience that could quickly change you and your operation from just one of the pack, to the leader in your transportation service performance arena.
So which would you rather be?
The one kicking ass? Or the recipient of the competitor's boot?
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