Staying calm, remaining focused in the face of adversity, and being adaptable to adequately respond to situations as they arise are all requirements for operational strategising, says Arend du Preez, CEO of sub-Saharan transporter Crossroads.
“The coronavirus is posing a huge challenge to the freight sector and we don’t know how long this could last. The best we can do is to stay prepared and respond as swiftly as possible to challenges because I don’t think we have seen the worst yet. It’s still coming.” At this stage of the pandemic, market reaction is placing the biggest strain on service providers, Du Preez says.
“Clients are enforcing rules that are impractical and not in line with what the World Health Organization (WHO) is prescribing.” He emphasises that these measures, industry’s perceived over-reaction on top of health authority requirements, are having a massive impact on cross-border freight.
“If trucks stop the economy stops.”As for Crossroads, the company is stringently enforcing WHO corona-curbing measures to add to the good faith and trust they have established with their clients over the nine decades they have been in operation. “Our crisis management procedures involved putting disaster plans in place and most of the measures required by the WHO have been implemented.”
In respect of road haulage as it stands, Du Preez reckons there will be some sort of a reset.“I don’t think much will change because of the geographical nature of cross-border freight. The way we structure our businesses, I think that will have to change. This crisis brings opportunity and includes things like the fourth industrial revolution.
Companies that will benefit from the disruption we’re currently experiencing are those best suited to dynamically adapt to change.”We are currently one of the few cross-border operators that has a national consignor bond.– Willnes Eybers“
