Rory Brickhill and Andre Assam, Operations Manager and Manager of Clearing & Forwarding respectively, visited India recently.
We caught up with them to find out more about what global companies expect from their Clearing & Forwarding partners and why Trade Ocean travelled half way across the globe to keep a valued client happy.
Together, Rory and Andre have over 45 years of experience in the Clearing & Forwarding sector.
Andre, who did you visit? Why?
We visited a company involved in Antarctic research, a Trade Ocean client of many years. I think that the reason they have stayed with Trade Ocean for so long is that in all of the areas of our business – be that Ship’s Agency or Clearing & Forwarding – we take ownership of every shipment. Trade Ocean’s strap line of taking ownership is more than just good branding – it is a way of life and an ethos that our employees live by.
Travelling all the way to India to visit a valued Clearing & Forwarding client illustrates our attitude towards our clients – we were able to resolve small problems before it became an issue and generally found solutions to improve our service.
Rory, what concerns international clients about the Clearing & Forwarding sector in South Africa? And how can we improve it?
There are probably far too many companies offering Clearing & Forwarding services. They all offer “exceptional service” but unfortunately few can back that up. If the Clearing & Forwarding industry could be better regulated there would be fewer opportunities for fly-by-night agents.
Too many are inexperienced and give the industry a bad name. A company like Trade Ocean has an industry track record of 40 years and we have a vastly experienced team. The Clearing & Forwarding industry is about having a passion for service – it is not about making a quick buck.
Trade Ocean’s Clearing & Forwarding team did not have much time for leisure but managed to get some shopping done and enjoy a tour of the cathedrals in the Goa area.