The two quotes below which appeared in recent editions of FTW were attributed to respective representatives of the organisations concerned :
The first (FTW Special Feature on Transport into Africa, June 2000) -
We still find that the African market is intimidating to exporters (said Roland Raath, m.d. of Cargocare Freight), in areas as varied as travel, payment and the like.
To help overcome these problems, Cargocare has established free export training, particularly aimed at new exporters.
The second (FTW 30 June 2000 edition) -
A call for shippers and
forwarding agents to go back to basics in order to improve current inadequate methods of providing information for shipping instructions has been made by Safmarine's sales manager Sandy Long.
Our staff is spending 80% of their time correcting information received in order to get a bill of lading she says.
Based on the above, which of the two organisations is going to have the better chance of retaining its customers - the one that goes out of its way to train them (for free, nogal) or the one that spends its time surveying levels of customer error in search of evidence to chastise them like a bunch of schoolchildren?
The point is this. It is we, the international service providers (carriers, forwarders, banks, underwriters etc.) who are, or who should be, the experts in the finer details of this highly complex environment and it is our organisations which are paid to facilitate the processes for our clients by providing the systems and the training to make things easier for them.
If all traders could push paper competently (and had the time and inclination to do so) then many of us wouldn't have jobs.
Surely to goodness by
now the mighty Safmarine should have invented a shipper proof CD ROM or other electronic widget for the completion and emailing of 100% accurate documentation?
Surely by now that same organisation would have cottoned on to the fact that it makes for better business to have people on the road sorting traders' problems out than having people in the office correcting mistakes?
With examples like this abounding it is small wonder that the prices users are prepared to pay for our services (or complete lack of them) are on a continuous downward spiral.
Name withheld
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