Internal Communication a Key Element to Improved Service
RC CSTA
Although the main focus within the air-cargo industry has been around the
need to better communicate with industry partners, there is also the need
to improve the communication network existing within each individual
air-cargo operation.
There are 3 principle departments that are integral parts of any
air-cargo operation, who are responsible for the development and
maintainability of service. Sales, Customer Service and Cargo Operations
are these 3 departments. Each of these departments having specific
responsibilities, yet rely on one another to complete an internal handling
chain.
Sales is obviously responsible for generating cargo. Customer Service's
job is to provide a communication link to customers. Cargo Operations is
responsible for the physical handling of cargo and dissemination of
information conceding handling. It's been my experience that some of the
more progressive cargo businesses provide reciprocal or cross communication
between departments, which is important when looking to provide a quality
service. Unfortunately some of the more traditional cargo operations has
distinct segregation between departments, therefore limiting the amount of
substantive communication.
It is important for Operations & Customer Service personnel to know that
what type of commitment has been made to the customer so that they can
better prepare to meet the expected needs promised by sales. On the other
side Cargo Operations needs to communicate to Sales conditions that may
effect the handling of a shipment. Traditionally Sales and Customer Service
are concerned about the generation of cargo while Operations is concerned
about maintaining schedules. However good internal communication and the
constant sharing of information helps to promote a better understanding of
the needs of all concerned.
Through development of good internal communications new services can be
explored. Operations having the ability to know the physical capabilities
of cargo handling can assist Sales in providing insight as to how specific
requirements of a customer can be achieved.
The bottom line is that the more cargo handled is best for that air-cargo
company. Therefore it's important to make sure that there is a uniform
understanding that although there may be departmental boundaries that
exist, a sales customer is a company customer and the revenue provides for
that companies existence.
Having a background in customer service and operations, I've seen how poor
internal communications may lead to a lack of understanding that can hurt a
company's generation of business. A service that I offer as a cargo
consultant which I refer to as "Cargo Load Engineering" is the utilization
of operation skills to help sell a service.
Example:
A shipper of a large piece of machinery moving via air, must assemble,
test, dissable,and pack at origin. Then the cargo is shipped, un-packed
re-assemble and then tested again at destination. Working with the shipper,
operations personnel having load planning experience, can assist a shipper
in discussing what pieces should be removed so to minimize what needs to be
diss-assembled at origin and re-assembled at destination. Although there
may be minimal significance for the cargo carrier providing the service
since the weight will be the same, the reduced handling to the shipper is
the value added service.
This type of philosophy is really what is the basis for the new air-cargo
industry catch word " Logistics". If you look closely at what logistics is
considered you can see that it's the international of operational services
to help develop value added service's to sell.
Although the logistics explanation is simplistic in nature, in principle
it has evolved through a cooperative understanding between Sales & Service.
This is just one area where we can see how internal communications can
be an important tool in the cultivation of new business.
"Innovation Through Communication"
Robert F. Caton
President
CSTA Cargo Shipping Transportation Analysts
Phone 516-862-1259
Fax 516-862-1443
Bus E-mail cs...@mail.idt.net
Per E-mail RCC...@aol.com
"To Provide the Highest Quality Service You Must Have The Best Information "