OPERATIONS: GARY RICHIED – Page 6
While this has been pretty much the norm for the first two months of the year, there are two things that stand out. The weather has been much colder than usual, even for February, and our interstate business has never been hotter. So we are in semi hibernation mode in dealing with the extreme cold, of which we have no control, and being thankful for the opportunities our sales force is converting into more and more interstate relocation’s.
The best thing that can be said about the interstate business is that it supplies work for all of our Service Providers. From the packers, whose job it is to get the shipment ready for transport, to the local movers who provide assistance in the way of picking up shipments for SIT, or picking up shipments as a shuttle where access is an issue, or simply providing help to the contractors that make up our interstate fleet. The interstate fleet of over 20 units that provides transportation and delivery to customers moving out of state. We have been able to increase our interstate hauling by over 40% in the first two months and we all know how welcome an increase of that size is at this time of the year.
We are also taking the opportunity we have to work indoors with advanced training for all of our employees and contractors. Company policies are reviewed in detail so that everyone is fully aware of what is expected of them, and procedures are physically rehearsed in order to insure uniformity in service we deliver.
Looking forward to March and April with guarded optimism that not only our interstate business will continue to thrive but that the other segments of our business will begin to step out of the deep freeze of winter and get us on the right path for summer.
My vision for this year is to maintain our work force over the next month to end the first quarter in a strong position and then begin to build on what we have to significantly increase our work force. This will give us the additional number of well trained, experienced local crews to service more of the opportunities that we are afforded every summer. It will also allow us to add to our already substantial interstate fleet to meet the ever growing demands of Allied and NorthAmerican.
With safety always being our number one priority, and the only thing that comes before the need for quality, it is the quality of the service we provide that determines our success or failure with our customers. This being acknowledged I am quoting Willa Foster who said “Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives”.
Next week as we begin our Lenten services on Ash Wednesday, we are presented with a great opportunity for prayer, self-sacrifice, and additional praise and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ as we prepare for the celebration of His death and Resurrection.
Peace and Prayers
Gary