Nothing could be further from the truth than the belief held by some that taking family into business is a recipe for disaster, say brothers Brian and Neil Robertson – and they should know. As owners of Robertson Freight, a R40 million-plus a year turnover clearing and forwarding business in Cape Town, they are extremely proud of their staff complement, 85% of which comprises family. From managing director Brian Robertson and director Neil Robertson to accounts manager Cheryl Robertson (Brian’s) wife, children and brother and sister-in-law, it’s a truly family affair. Well entrenched in the industry and with a sound client base importing and exporting many diverse commodities, Robertson Freight is availing itself fully of the many opportunities that exist in an ever-increasing global market…and the results speak for themselves. Many of Robertson Freight’s clients have been with the company since it started up in 1999, a goodly number of new client referrals coming from existing clients – a clear sign of the trust they place in the company. "We’ve been through tougher times" is the response that one typically hears when speaking to clients about how they plan to deal with the tough times that we are currently experiencing, says Neil Robertson. “The IMF recently released its global economic forecast for 2009, and the picture was pretty bleak. Things are not likely to pick up anytime soon and, when they do, it's probably going to be more gradual than we would like. “This is not the time to bury one’s head in the sand and hope for the best. The smaller operators have to become proactive and work relentlessly with their clients to complement each other’s business,” he said. “Our aim is to provide our many loyal clients with a top-class, professional service – over the past nine years we have achieved that 100%-plus,” he added.
