Question

Topic: Strategy

Third Party Logistics Provider In Singapore

Posted by Anonymous on 8/3/2005 at 4:41 AM ET 500 Points
Managing a Japanese Third Party Logistics Company in Singapore in Air/Sea Import/Export, Malaysian Trucking and Logistics/Supply Chain Management Solutions.

In Singapore, we are competing with both USA/European MNCs as well as local companies providing the services mentioned above.

My question is what kind of branding and competitive advantage strategy can be use to made our company services known to the singapore market and compete with our industrial colleagues (competitors) from a Business to Business avenue.

Now our company is only depending on our current japanese customers, which is not safe as they are also now looking at cost effective alternatives....

Your advice would be appreciated.

p.s. Last year, our P & L stands at: SING$2 Million deficit.

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RESPONSES

  • Posted by ReadCopy on 8/3/2005 at 10:08 AM Member
    There is some great advice here: https://www.marketingprofs.com/ea/qst_question.asp?qstID=8883#56767

  • Posted by ReadCopy on 8/3/2005 at 10:13 AM Accepted
    In general you need to full understand:

    market segments (buying practices, customer profiles, trends, size, location etc)

    Positioning (your competitions positioning, your positioning and your position)

    Differentiators (price, quality, customer service, leadership, heritage etc etc)

    All this starts to indicate what your brand personality, what your brand structure should look like, and how you manage your brand.

    You should also now start to understand what your brand promise is.
    Now you need to deliver on this promise, and thats what your brand is all about!

    Hope this helps

    Good Luck
  • Posted by ReadCopy on 8/4/2005 at 9:57 AM Member
    The most cost effective way is for you to fully understand your existing customers.
    If you analyse them and fully understand them, you quickly build a profile of what a perfect customer would look like.

    Then search the market for customers that look like your best ones today! Easier said than done I know.

    ACCOUNT PLANNING:
    Make you for your biggest customers you have some account planning in place, so you know what that particular customer wants and how to get it.
    This will help you focus on individual accounts and help the business focus its resources on your top customers.

    WEBSITE:
    Make sure you have one and that its compelling, get feedback from potential customers, or some device to get emails and addresses for prospects.

    TESTIMONIALS:
    Get existing customers that are happy with your service to provide testimonials on just how good you are, these can be reproduced on your website, and other promotional material.

    HOSPITALITY:
    Use hospitality wisely, it can be expensive, but extremely cost effective if you use it well and it brings in business. If you can tie it to "cost of sale" it might be able to come from a sales budget rather than marketing budget.

    PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL:
    Look closely at your promotional material and make sure your sales team are proud to use it.

    Good Luck
  • Posted by Mushfique Manzoor on 8/17/2005 at 5:10 AM Accepted
    hi david

    great response from Andrew. from my experience i would add the following on his input.

    1. most of the logistics providers/freight forwarders are always concentrated by industry. some are specialist for Ready-Made Garments (RMG), some are experts in moving Odd-Size Cargo, some only do business in Flower/Books industry etc.

    2. You currently have Japanese clients but you have not mentioned whether you have any specialization for a specific industry. i suggest you to be specialized in a select number of industries, this will also develop your "niche".

    3. alternatively, you can be specialized in regions of world i.e. EU countries, North America etc. are you already specialized in Japan market?? are your all Japanese clients sending their exports to and from Japan?? if yes, then i ask you to add mainland China on top of China to leverage your Japan connection.

    4. In logistics industry, "Ring-Fencing Ability" is an important differentiating factor among competitors. you have to have the necessary infrustructure to meet all kinds of needs of your customers like Air-Sea and Sea-Air Consolidation etc. if you can demonstrate the the capability of arranging a Charter Flight for a client, that will increase your credibility and also you can be sure your client will remain loyal (trust me, we have done that here for a client and he hasnt left us since).

    5. you have to integrate your current capacities like trucking facility to provide better service to clients.

    6. Network and relationships are very important for branding your company. contratry to some comment, Branding can be done in B2B environment but that happens, IMHO, by riding on someone's back. you can do it by 2 ways

    6.a) you become the exclusive agent/representative of any world-renowned logistics company like BAX Global or DHL Danzas etc. as a result of this you will get nomination business from these parents.

    6.b) if you can get the business of renowned clients like Carrefour or Walmart or IBM etc.

    once you have got any of the two you can capitalize on that experience/exposure and relationship to get new business and build your brand.

    Once you have the above mentioned and add with those mentioned by Andrew, i am sure you can leverage your current situation.

    btw, pls check the following link to a recent article in Marketingprofs.com on B2B business marketing.

    https://www.marketingprofs.com/5/thull5.asp

    hope this helps.

    cheers!!
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