The Power of Human Connections in the Logistics Industry | EP 10
Welcome to the Veritas Vantage Podcast!
In today’s episode, your hosts Brian Hastings and Justin Maines delve into the significance of fostering strong human relationships in the logistics sector, emphasizing the enduring value of client and carrier relationships amid increasing technological advancements and automation. Brian and Justin discuss the transformative potential of genuine connections and personal engagement in distinguishing a business from a competitive market, sharing personal anecdotes and insights to illustrate how prioritizing relationships over transactions can lead to long-term success and growth.
Get ready for discussions on Logistics and Leadership!
The Logistics & Leadership Podcast, powered by Veritas Logistics, redefines logistics and personal growth. Hosted by industry veterans and supply chain leaders Brian Hastings and Justin Maines, it shares their journey from humble beginnings to a $50 million company. Discover invaluable lessons in logistics, mental toughness, and embracing the entrepreneurial spirit. The show delves into personal and professional development, routine, and the power of betting on oneself. From inspiring stories to practical insights, this podcast is a must for aspiring entrepreneurs, logistics professionals, and anyone seeking to push limits and achieve success.
Timestamps:
(00:21) - The Heart of the Industry: Client and Carrier Relationships
(00:48) - The Unchanging Need for Human Interaction Amidst Technological Advances
(01:12) - The True Passion Behind Logistics: Building Relationships
(02:29) - The Impact of Relationships on Business Growth and Differentiation
(05:48) - Investing in Relationships: The Key to Long-Term Success
(06:48) - Navigating Challenges and Leveraging Relationships for Business Continuity
(09:23 )- Embracing Automation Without Losing the Human Touch
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Transcript
Human to human connection is a thing of the past.
Speaker A:On today's episode, we're going to talk about customer and carrier relationships and how to get out of that transactional rut that you're currently in.
Speaker A:Client care relationships are the backbone of our industry.
Speaker A:With the day to day becoming more transactional with more technology and more technological advances, how do we keep that human connection between the two parties?
Speaker A:How do we continue to develop that over time?
Speaker B:Whether people know it or not, they still crave that human interaction, the relationship, the genuine conversations.
Speaker B:Yes, you're exactly right.
Speaker B:Technology and automation, it's coming.
Speaker B:Robots, AI, it's coming.
Speaker B:But people still thrive and desire that connection, that human connection.
Speaker B:So regardless of AI and regardless of what, you know, place technology has in our industry and in every industry in general, there's still going to be a large space for that, that relationship.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:And if I were to be very transparent when we're talking about logistics and what we do, I don't know if I should even say this, but I don't even care about like logistics.
Speaker B:It's what I do.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:What I absolutely love is the relationships.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker B:I started my career in logistics and that's what I started to learn and it's what I became good at.
Speaker B:And like, yes, I do enjoy it, but I'm not extremely passionate about it.
Speaker B:Passion comes through the relationship side of things.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:Without those relationships, you.
Speaker B:We're not in business.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:And whether they start transactional, ultimately we want to move those to the relationship side of things because if they're not there, then you're very replaceable.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:Whether it's a carrier side, client side, it doesn't really matter.
Speaker B:You're replaceable.
Speaker A:To me, that's the funnest part about the job is the relationship side of it.
Speaker A:Whether that's customer or carrier side, like talking about what the customer needs and solving a problem for them and then delivering and executing on that problem is to me that's one of the greatest satisfactions in our business.
Speaker A:Also with the carrier side that we're able to give them shipments and help them out and treat them with a level of respect.
Speaker A:I think that is huge for us.
Speaker A:And know as far as our backbone, man, that, that that's who we have to be.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And if you think of, of how many similar companies are out in our industry.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know, brokers, 25,000.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:25,000 plus.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Might be 24,000 after all the shutdowns.
Speaker B:God bless them, but let's say 25,000.
Speaker B:Broker brokerages.
Speaker B:In the US all saying the same things, all promising the same things.
Speaker B:How do you convince a shipper why they should be using you compared to the 25,000 other companies that are calling them?
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:That's one conversation that you can have in terms of the sales side.
Speaker B:But on the service side, in the relationship side, that's where you build a long term partnership.
Speaker A:Right, Agreed.
Speaker B:And it starts.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:With transactions.
Speaker B:You convince them, give me an opportunity.
Speaker B:Here's what I'm promising you, here's how I'm going to execute, here's what we can do long term for you.
Speaker B:And that relationship grows.
Speaker B:And would love to share some stories and hear your thoughts on how have relationships, whether it's client or a carrier.
Speaker B:How have relationships helped Veritas grow year over year since, since we were established?
Speaker A:Yeah, I mean there's.
Speaker A:We've seen it, you know, with some of our biggest clients and most the clients that we, you know, we call it ltv.
Speaker A:So long term value and those folks that have been with us for the longest time, we have the best relationships with.
Speaker A:And there's no, to me, there's no coincidence.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:We have the best relationships with those people that we've been doing business with them the longest and we move the most amount of shipments with, with the people that we have the best relationships with.
Speaker A:And what does that mean?
Speaker A:Like, does that mean that, you know, we are going to their kids weddings or does that mean we're going to their kids birthdays?
Speaker A:Probably not, but it's actually caring and investing our time in the lives of those people.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:And I think it also spins on the carrier side too.
Speaker A:So customer side, carrier side, how do we invest our time and get to know these people who are, you know, working alongside us each and every day.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And you mentioned, you know, the relationships with clients versus carriers.
Speaker B:We kind of view them as the same, same deal.
Speaker B:You know, we approach them the same way, we treat them the same.
Speaker B:And what we've always been about and what our, what our culture is about is just people investing in people.
Speaker B:It doesn't matter where their place is on the totem pole, so to speak.
Speaker B:But you know, we treat every single person the same, with the same amount of respect.
Speaker B:So when we talk about relationships and genuinely caring about the people aspect, some things and stories come to mind.
Speaker B:We had a carrier last year.
Speaker B:We had a carrier that their house burned down and so we created a GoFundMe for them and we had another driver whose son passed away where we sent flowers to the wedding and you Know, hell, we just, we just had a carrier this past week who's an ex NFL football player, passed away in our rep because that is such a strong part piece of our culture.
Speaker B:Our rep is like truly upset.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:And wanted to do something for his family.
Speaker B:Which we will absolutely do.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:Because it's the relationships and that's how you separate yourself from everyone else.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:I think you nailed it, man.
Speaker A:Is understanding.
Speaker A:If you know people, I think short sighted people, they look at, you know, how much money can I make this week or next week or next month?
Speaker A:And it's not about that.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Like to me, if we, you know, for all of our listeners that are out there, I think if we can give you any advice from our experience and hell, we've been doing this a long time.
Speaker A:Invest in the relationship.
Speaker A:The money will come later, I promise you.
Speaker A:Like we've seen it time and time and time again.
Speaker A:And if it doesn't, well, that customer shitty and you probably don't need to be doing business with them anyway.
Speaker A:But if the customer values what you bring to the table, that's going to pay dividends down the road.
Speaker A:And it's not about the short term game, it's about the long term success.
Speaker A:And how do we grow that and how do we get more and more clients that are like that, that align with our vision and values?
Speaker A:Same thing with our carriers.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:How do we get our carriers to align with our vision and values?
Speaker A:And it's hard.
Speaker A:It's not an easy task, especially if you're a smaller brokerage.
Speaker A:I mean we're 20, 22, 23 people deep and we constantly have to work on that.
Speaker A:Especially from the client perspective also with the carrier side, each and every week.
Speaker B:On the client side, the relationship is extremely important.
Speaker B:That's top priority.
Speaker B:But in terms of service and consistency and executing on the client's needs, when push comes to shove and let's say you have a claim or a truck flips over or you have a tough week and maybe three late shipments occur on the same day, I'm assuming it.
Speaker A:Might have happened a couple of times.
Speaker B:Too many to count.
Speaker B:But you know, you get put on the shelf because of poor performance.
Speaker B:Let's say one week out of the year, your head's on the chopping block.
Speaker B:But you've been so strong the previous 51 weeks that they're going to go to bat for you, they're going to put you right back in the field because you outperform, you care more, you out service, you out execute all the Other competition in one particular story I want to share is, you know this snack food company that we partnered with, when we partnered, partnered with them the last few years.
Speaker B:They started small.
Speaker B:We've been able to grow with them, which has been incredible to watch.
Speaker B:But you know, they were acquired by a large company, well known brand.
Speaker B:This company that acquired the, you know, our client wanted to cut all carriers.
Speaker B:They wanted to do things their way, which you know, completely understand.
Speaker B:Those things happen in our industry.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:All the time.
Speaker A:Too often to name.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And so when situations like that happen, you are on, you are at the point where you are getting cut out and what you think is your livelihood and your well being and your book.
Speaker A:Of business revenue coming in.
Speaker B:You're either looking for another job or you're putting the headset back on.
Speaker B:You're banging out some calls because you're thinking you're losing this client when the relationship is in place.
Speaker B:And you are so connected to that client and those people that are working at that organization, they are having conversations internally stating and this happens because it happened to us.
Speaker B:You may cut everyone but you're not cutting veritas logistics.
Speaker B:Without that relationship.
Speaker B:We're sitting on the bench and we're going back to work because we just lost our biggest client.
Speaker B:So the relationship is extremely important.
Speaker B:We have grown more with that client in the past year since that acquisition because of our relationship and our ability to execute and consistently bring that same level, high level of service which is now their standard.
Speaker B:And with that same standard has opened up more doors at the same company and we continue to do that over and over.
Speaker B:The point is without those relationships, you're not getting those opportunities, you're not opening up those other doors and you're not succeeding to the point where you need to be.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:When we look at customer relationships and we're, you know, we're looking at it today where we see a ton of automation, right.
Speaker A:So it's Kroger delivery where you don't have to talk to anybody, you don't have to, you know, meet anybody.
Speaker A:They just set it on your doorstep.
Speaker A:You order it from an app, they set it on your doorstep.
Speaker A:It's easy.
Speaker A:Uber DoorDash or Uber Eats Doordash.
Speaker A:Like you order food from a restaurant, you don't have to have any type of human interaction with our industry.
Speaker A:These client relationships and these carrier relationships, they are what's going to keep you in business for, for the long run.
Speaker A:When I quit, right.
Speaker A:Like back in, during that time, I thought I was going to get a million job opportunities.
Speaker A:I'm a high performing salesperson, I've led some teams and I was just going to get a job offer after job offer.
Speaker A:100k plus 100k plus 150 plus.
Speaker A:That did not happen.
