CORE VALUE
One of the CORE VALUES at Primary Freight is our commitment to continued education for the development of our staff. This commitment has enabled us to develop a strong group of managers and staff who continue to grow while working at Primary Freight. One great example is Ms. Karen Liu, who, through years of development and education, has become the VP of Import Operations. We have attached an article that was written about her that highlighted her growth and our company’s commitment to further educating our teams.
http://www.inboundlogistics.com/articles/features/0610_feature04.shtml
It is this commitment and our commitment to building a strong work place that has enabled Primary Freight to grow over these last 12 years and work though the tough times. Our current Team Building message is “Tough times don’t last …people do!”. This reflects the attitude of our staff and our ability to work through the toughest times. It is this perseverance and commitment that has made Primary Freight the company it is today.
Kathy Hogan
Building Relationships – Making Opportunities
I feel a deep sense of pride to have been given the opportunity to join the Primary Freight team years ago. We work to build relationships with our coworkers and treat each other as family, developing trust along the way. Each member of our team works to achieve important goals. These goals are defined to bring success to the company, security for our positions, wage increases and bonuses, etc. I see clearly now how building relationships with those I work with and for brings opportunity on an ongoing basis for everyone on our team.
But this theme extends far beyond the walls of Primary Freight. With the global economic crisis we are facing, businesses are suffering in every sector both within and outside our industry. However, we have maintained our core customers and agents as chief supporters, and this is no doubt due to the trust-based relationships we have built and maintained during both prosperous and difficult times.
How have we done this? We recognize that opportunity comes everyday to build a stronger and more meaningful relationship with our customers. Instead of sending a fax or email to confirm the status of an order, we pick up the phone. We proactively reach out to customers to determine how they feel about the status of their project and openly inquire about questions and concerns. Most importantly, we identify and resolve any concerns our customers have immediately, with sincerity. This is true relationship-building, and this is the Primary Freight Experience. I believe that this level of customer service is what makes our business unique, and will continue to fuel our success through the global economic storm.
Relationships of this quality cannot be built in one day, but a single phone call can begin a relationship that may last an entire career. The opportunities that come from these relationships are something to really look forward to in 2010 and beyond.
Karen Liu
Vice President – Import Operations
Celebrating my Anniversary!
Hey everyone, join with me in celebrating my one (1) year anniversary with Primary Freight!
I know to most of you who’ve been here 8, 9, or 10 years it’s no big deal. Well, to me it IS A BIG DEAL.
Why? First of all, a little background….my career has a number of stops at very successful companies in the transportation industry. You name it, steamship lines, truckers, cargo warehouses, distribution centers, air cargo sheds. As my wife says, I’ve been around the block…..(watch what you’re thinking!). Every company has been an experience of over 6 years and in all cases I only left due to my roots here in Southern California. During this time, I’ve worked for some of the most demanding bosses, from family owned business to Fortune 500 companies. This has allowed me to gain a unique perspective on different business styles, cultures, boards of directors, investor groups, etc. Each had it’s own unique style of internal company management, decision making, and politics.
Coming to Primary, I was replacing an icon…..a woman loved by all, who helped nurture the company through different periods of growth and opportunity. My goal was to find a company where I could have a strong impact on helping to grow the business, make it more profitable, and assist in getting it to whatever new heights it subscribed. My only concern, what type of culture would I find.
With Primary I was pleasantly surprised. Immediately, I discovered why we were voted “Best in the West” and why our company is recognized as one of the most employee friendly environments to work in Southern California. The atmosphere inside the company is supportive, warm, and friendly. In our Town Hall meetings we regularly provide company updates to the staff and encourage feedback. With our 3 tier monthly management groups, we solicit open ideas and exchange of thoughts, while cooperating together across department lines. In time of personal tragedy, we dig deep to help our staff, whether it be monetary or emotional support. We regularly team build through a varied set of exercises planned throughout the year. From a business perspective, we deal with our customers, vendors, and agents on a professional level and always above board, with honesty and respect.
You don’t need to ask what I feel about Primary…..as one of my former bosses told me “when I stroll through the office, tell your staff not to greet me and look up, it interrupts their work!”.
Ernie Donner
Financial Controller
PRIMARY FREIGHT SERVICES, INC.
Welcome to a brand new year.
You are probably hearing that a lot right now. Although most people make the phrase “Happy New Year” sound cheerful, I think many are hoping that 2009 was just an economic nightmare from which they will soon wake up.
Having gone through a year full of ups and downs at Primary Freight Services, we have no choice but to stay optimistic and hope for a successful 2010. Optimism is the key word that I am preaching to my staff for 2010. Many opportunities are out there for the taking with hard work and dedication.
Customer Service is the key to all of our successes in 2010. We need to go back to the old-fashioned values of maintaining close relationships with our current contacts and getting in front of potential new customers. A new age of technology is upon us, specifically with all of the different ways of connecting with people across the globe. The internet has opened up numerous channels of communication that can be used with just a click of the mouse. But with all of these exciting advancements, we need to ensure that we do not lose our people skills. While emails and Facebook messages are commonplace in today’s market, a friendly “hello” and a cup of coffee go a long way in building strong relationships with potential new customers.
As I sign off for my first message of 2010…Remember that a little goes a long way. Keep smiling when you answer the phone!
Bob Strom
General Manager
Primary Freight Services
Optimism is essential to achievement….
Our new quote going into the New Year is, “Optimism is essential to achievement, and is also the foundation of courage and true progress.” By Nicholas M. Butler This quote epitomizes how we feel moving into 2010. Many organizations this year dealt with challenges; we are no exception. However as we move forward into 2010 there is a sense of cautious optimism that is building within our walls and it is not based on hype. This renewed optimism is based on signs that things are truly getting better throughout the world.
Our business partners throughout the world are witnessing their economies improving. Exports in the United States are growing and there is hope that imports will continue to improve in the New Year. So yes, we are optimistic for 2010 and we will be creative and strategic so that Primary Freight Services will continue to shine. We hope that all of you feel the same way and wish you prosperity in the New Year.
Happy Holidays from all of us at Primary Freight Services.
Optimistic developments
Given the current economic climate it is no wonder that all companies are looking for not only value, but high levels of customer service to ensure that goods are delivered in a timely and cost efficient manner.
Many customers find that their orders no longer equate to full container volumes, but that they can still satisfy their clients and generate positive cash flow and profit by turning to LCL providers such as Primary Freight Services. With weekly export services to Australia, and the Far East, Primary’s LCL service is both cost effiecient and timely. Providing shippers with a a wide range of options including door to door service, warehousing and distribution, and technology solutions, there is no reason to forego an order due to logistics. Give it to the experts and watch your profits grow!
Create Raving Fan’s
We are all acutely aware of the economic challenges facing all industries today. Although many of these challenges are grand in scale, if we take the time to analyze them at the customer level we find that these are also times of great opportunity.
In this regard I’d like to bring your attention to a recent opinion piece by Christopher Gillis in the American Shipper (link below). In a nutshell, Mr. Gillis outlines the many benefits that NVO’s bring to their customers which are: 1) responsiveness, 2) multiple areas of expertise (consolidation/ocean/air/warehousing/domestic), 3) competitiveness, 4) flexibility, 5) versatility, and 6) did I already mention responsiveness?
In these challenging times it is important to know and understand your customers needs, and by being responsive, and on point with service and price, you not only benefit your customer but you make them your loyal and devoted fans.
Logistically Speaking
Primary Freight is excited to announce the launch of our new blog, Cargo Shorts: Thoughts from Outside the Box. Although we provide services in ocean and air freight, we have much more to share with our colleagues, acquaintences, clients and everyone else in the blogosphere. From thoughts on doing business internationally to the dynamics of our workplace, we hope you’ll enjoy this glance into our lives here at Primary Freight.
