In a fiercely competitive
market where margins are
constantly under pressure,
delivering the optimal mix
of price and service is a
challenge.
“Something will need to
give in the market,” says
airfreight general manager
of neutral
consolidator
CFR Freight,
Stephen
Bishop, “and
that starts
with operators
not constantly undercutting
each other in order to offer
the lowest price.”
But while price is a key
element, it’s
only part of
the equation,
says Bishop.
“It’s more
about meeting
customer
expectations at
every level.
“On imports,
for example,
capacity
remains a
challenge – but with the
assistance of our
partners within our
AirCargoGroup
network, we have
several hard block
agreements on
our major import
routes to cater for
this.”
For the future,
investment in
IT is high on the
agenda.
“We still
operate in a
largely antiquated industry
where there is an overreliance
on paperwork,
with multiple manual
capturing of
information
– test
weights on
shipments,
tracking
of cargo,
posting and
release of
cargo etc.
At CFR
Freight,
we have
invested heavily in IT
development with a view
to integrating more
with clients and service
providers.”
Ultimately, consolidation
of cargo is based on
the simple principle of
providing the best mix of
price and cost. “Through
investment in IT and
quality staff, and increasing
our buying power we’re
confident that we will
get better at this simple
principle every day.”
