Anyone perusing the website of Service Freight Systems will find inviting touches on virtually every single page. The “People” page is particularly impressive; diverse biographies feature smiling faces and personable descriptions that include what everyone wishes he or she had as a superpower. President Randy Stanbury and Vice President Rob Ten Brinke are not buoyed up at the top above their employees; instead, they’re among their peers. That speaks pretty authentically to how Service Freight System carries on its business.
The services offered by Service Freight Systems boil down to time, skills, procurement and peace-of-mind. As a leading, customizable third-party logistics (3PL) agent, Service Freight Systems streamlines distribution and transportation processes for many businesses. Some companies may choose to handle these responsibilities themselves, but, in doing so, they risk shouldering too much stress and endangering their daily operations. Their costs can also go much higher because of wasted manpower hours trying to source equipment without the expertise, as well, not having the buying power.
“We have the resources to find the right truck at the right time going to the right place for the right amount of money,” explained Ten Brinke. “We also have the backup support to see the process through.”
“Our edge is that we keep people in the loop and up to date 100% of the time,” he added. “We provide proactive communication. In fact, with Service Freight Systems, we’ll over communicate because there are a variety of things that need to happen. Many companies say this and almost none of them actually do it.”
Often, companies try to leave much of the work handled by Service Freight Systems to computer systems; even more often, these computer systems fail to see certain human components or are unable to take into account certain scheduling conflicts.
“Computer systems don’t see scheduling errors, bad weather areas, unrealistic timeframes for deliveries and so on, but we spot these challenges and we will correct that in advance,” he continued. “We have people here trained to be on top of the supply chain cycle, if you will, with each load that they can anticipate problems before they occur. They’ll communicate with the client, the shipper, the receiver, whoever it is, and have options available proactively to be able to keep it going and be on time.”
He went on to highlight the company’s openness and honesty. If there’s ever a problem, glitch, or possible place for improvement, Service Freight Systems will have the appropriate discussion.
“Honesty is the cornerstone of all success, without which confidence and ability to perform shall cease to exist,” said Mary Kay Ash, the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, in a sentiment that mirrors the values of Service Freight Systems. Not having honesty, especially in the face of difficulty, can sabotage customer trust and a company’s reputation.
Another core aspect to the company’s success is its positive relationship with employees and clients.
“You know, our team goes way above and beyond for both our clients and suppliers everyday, but what people really like is the fact that we’re always happy and that’s something you can’t fake. “I often hear from clients that they just love calling our office because the vibe is so positive and happy,” stated Ten Brinke, invoking a quote by fellow Service Freight Systems employee Shelly Van Poppe, who is the Director of Supply Chain Services.
Employees are shown compassion, three weeks of vacation time from the get-go, the latest iPhones (for rapid communication purposes), regular company events that include canoe trips, a Christmas Extravaganza, a frequently restocked company kitchen, regular paid lunches on Fridays, half-days off on birthdays, extra days off at Christmas that don’t count against their vacation, and the list goes on.
This attention to detail and the human aspect of work carries over to the company’s client care.
“[Our reputation] has just kind of taken on a life of its own where people just say, ‘Hey, you should talk to these guys. They’re fun,’ ” mused Ten Brinke.
“We’ll go to the moon and back for our customers,” commented Kelly Browning,
Logistics Manager.
To learn more about Service Freight Systems visit http://www.servicefreight.com or call (800) 693-9119 ext. 221 and speak with Rob Ten Brinke directly.