G7N Interviews Jose Luis Lomelà - Lom Logistics' General Manager
Mexican experts in commerce with Asia and South America: Lom Logistics, as a fresh member of G7 Networks, are proud to offer their personalized services and cargo projects to all G7N Members all over the World. With an unstoppable 24/7 quality customer service, Lom Logistics is committed to give the best services to clients.
Dedication, integration and innovation are part of their business' philosophy; excellence in service at its best! General Manager, Jose Luis Lomeli, shared with us the experiences he have had while working for Lom Logistics, his projects and how much impact the logistics industry in Mexico has in the world. Keep on reading to learn more about it.
How is it like to be the General Manager of Lom Logistics?
JL - More than a boss I consider myself as a leader and friend of my co-workers. All the time I care about my team so we can have a well-balanced working environment; at the time of doing any operation, from human resources, passing through administration, sales, pricing, operations and at last me so I can supervise in a detailed way every movement in our circle. Occasionally it’s hard to cope and to manage the stress this profession demands, but the higher the mountain it brings us more challenges from which we learn from.
Being the General Manager is a fun and risky activity, there’s nothing better than to do your work with happiness and optimism.
Logistics is an exciting career, what motivated you to choose it?
JL - The logistics, more than a career, I see it as a door to different scenarios within the business world and the connection between all the beings that inhabit this planet. If we see it from a more historical side thanks to trade and logistics, we have been able to move forward as civilization, acquiring both knowledge and different types of tools and merchandise that makes us “easier day by dayâ€. I like challenges and tell me, when being a kid, who didn’t want to travel by boat? Or by plane? Cross the sea and the borders, although I have not had the opportunity to travel around the world, what I have and thanks to this beautiful work, the opportunity to bring all kinds of shipments from one country to another and meet extraordinary people who love the world of logistics and international trade.
Please share with us your beginnings as a company and how have you been able to go through the challenges of the business?
JL - The beginning was difficult despite the fact that I already had knowledge and experience working in Kuehne + Nagel. Starting a new company is never easy; first building trust to offer us as a young company in the market and capturing customers was especially the most difficult, however we were building trust and working with quality and performance; this is how we began to form a bigger team full of dreams and high expectations. As in every business, there are highs and lows, losses or discontent, but nothing that is not resolved with more effort and work. Thanks to our good work we have been able to generate business with countries such as China, Italy, Spain, India, Germany, and many Latin American countries such as Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Panama, Honduras, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala and Uruguay. Until reaching the point of connecting with G7N.
List 5 main words that come to your mind whenever you hear “Logistics in Latin Americaâ€.
JL - Opportunity, Business, Progress, Challenge, Competitiveness.
How the improvements on transportation of shipments have impacted Lom Logistics?
JL - In this business, technological advances are setting aside personalized service and making the business cold, that is, there are many digital platforms that in many cases hinder direct dealing with an operating agent and when they have problems these platforms cause unnecessary expenses that sometimes the client does not want to pay. We as a freight agency assume that responsibility but we cannot leave everything to the technologies, in the end, they are created by a human being and the personalized service is fundamental so that a client or supplier feels being heard and can be satisfied with our work.
Which season of the year is the toughest in your job and why?
JL - January and February are difficult months and not only on this side of the hemisphere, but also everywhere. We agree that the year changes generate new tariffs, taxes and the entry of new technologies. Every year we are in the renovation and that is expensive, that’s why many customers and suppliers stay at the stand by preferring to see how the economy and business progress in order to generate an effective strategy that does not affect the entire supply chain.
Which has been one of the most challenging situations when dealing with big shipments?
JL - The credits are undoubtedly one of the obstacles to generate a shipment or business. We as a growing company cannot afford such large credits. Working with suppliers and “smaller†customers, we can afford a reasonable credit and have, as previously mentioned, a more efficient and personalized service. All this for the client ending up satisfied and eager to continue forging and strengthening our business. In general we can handle any kind of shipment, from small to big size; limit doesn’t exist for us.
Which added value does Lom Logistics contribute to the logistics business in Mexico and Latin America?
There is no doubt that the personalized service is the key factor. It should be noted that most of our work is done through telephone calls, mail tracking until late at night or as the client demands, always leaving any operation cleared and untethered. It is satisfying to know that a client has the confidence of going to sleep and waking up with a clean and well performed service.
If you could change anything about the freight forwarding industry, what would it be?
JL - I would be that large companies, as shipping companies and as clients, support medium and small freight agents with the same competitiveness that large companies have, that is, give more growth opportunity inside and outside our country. I know that it is difficult to trust someone who is just beginning but believe me that when this is the case, what you want best is to grow together with all the clients that give us the opportunity to work with them.
Are there any new technologies in particular that you company has embraced? If yes, please specify.
JL - We have transmissions that are required from customs. Own new technologies we don’t have; we use all the digital platforms that shipping companies and suppliers provide us.
Has the recent US Trade War impact Lom Logistics business?
JL - It is relative, since most of our movements are in South America, Asia and Europe. The war as you call is more has more friction with large companies and corporations that invest a lot of capital in business that due to competition sometimes result in failure, that is why as I mentioned earlier we prefer to work with medium and small clients to have more competitive rates and services in that branch and be able to satisfy the client.
Different commodities - Handling & Packaging