I have just returned from a business trip to Asia, calling on agents and suppliers in Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan and attending the FETA Freight Systems International (FFSI) meeting in Seoul.
Ronald Spahr and cherry blossoms in Japan
Things move quickly in the Asian region so it’s always good to catch up with our local partners and to see that they are all flourishing, enabling us to offer our clients flexible and attractive solutions.
The FFSI meeting provided a fabulous opportunity to get reacquainted with freight forwarding friends from 26 countries. Our network is over 30 years old and was formed to help us compete with the multinationals – creating a strong, strategic network of alliances with the principles of expertise, willingness and customer service at our core. Our motto is “forwarding is done by people, not computers”.
These meetings are much like speed dating: every 30 minutes you have a pre-arranged meeting with another agent from another part of the world. We discuss generic matters, ways we can improve our relationships, new services, opportunities and general gossip. It’s always great to hear news from other parts of the world, particularly given Australia’s geographical isolation. These sessions are ideal for us at ICE to keep our fingers on the pulse of the forwarding world and ensure that our worldwide partners are aware of the work we do and the customer-oriented way we do it.
Korean fridge for their national dish: kimchi
During these regular meetings, achievements are recognised through peer-voted awards. I’m very proud to report that we won second prize in Overall Performance in the Area of Operations. A great achievement in an extremely competitive field.
I’m looking forward to the next FFSI meeting which will take place later this year in Bangkok and provide us with an opportunity to follow up on the commitments made in Seoul.
Until next time,
Ronald Spahr,
Managing Director, ICE
Managing Director, ICE
