One of the most important changes I expect to see in our industry is a better focus on how we conduct our business. I anticipate a landscape with a better understanding of the requirements and synergies that organizations can share to improve results. Establishing partnerships and fine-tuning the services we offer to any particular client will create many advantages for all parties involved.
We are clearly becoming much better at the operations and logistics of marine transportation. Improvements on the personal side of the business now must follow suit. Consultative selling, flexible processes, and the ability to identify and troubleshoot problems quickly and effectively will become a separator when choosing whom to conduct business with. Hopefully, it also will allow for revenue margins to increase for the operators that can create this environment in their organizations.
Achieving this type of success will require freeing up resources. The most valuable resource will be the people who will be challenged to uphold these standards. This will require an investment in the right people who understand and wish to move in this direction. It also will be imperative to create the time necessary to establish and maintain this level of service.
This is where the focus of how and whom we conduct business with will be key. It will require aggressive professionalism to communicate quickly the key drivers, pressure points, and to discover the benefits of where potential clients and one’s own organizational goals cross paths. Business partnerships then can grow together and become much more sustainable and predictable. In the end, these elements also will support further improvements in the operational side of our industry.
Lastly, doing business the right way with the right people is more rewarding.