DEVELOPMENT OF A MOTOR TRANSPORT ENTERPRISE
The need for continuous and targeted development of ATP is determined by the fact that cost-effective transformations of ATP are a prerequisite for extending its life cycle.
Every ATP goes through certain stages of change. Sometimes the cause of these changes is determined by the external environment. Thus, the massive disaggregation of domestic ATPs in the 90s. XX century occurred in connection with the general economic situation in the country. In other cases, enterprise managers themselves come to the idea of the need for innovation, for example, they recognize the need to purchase cars that would allow them to master international transportation, and/or the need to expand the marketing function in a certain situation in the transport services market. Changes, if combined by area of implementation, may concern:
Equipment used in transport operations and technologies for the production of transport services. Such changes affect the methods of organizing transportation and the technical impact on rolling stock, affect the composition and structure of the vehicle fleet and other fixed assets, etc. The changes also involve updating the knowledge and skills of workers, corresponding to technical and technological innovations;
List and structure of transport and other services provided by ATP. This can be either changes in the quality parameters of already mastered transport services, or the provision of new services for a given transport service or its entry into a new market segment, etc.;
Structures of the organization of ATP management. The changes here concern not only the size of the ATP or its type organizational structure, but also employee remuneration systems, labor relations organization, control and information systems, financial statements and planning methods, etc.;
Corporate culture. Here we are talking about changes in attitudes, expectations, behavior of employees, changes in the norms and rules adopted at the ATP, etc.;
Other changes.
Justification and choice of strategy for the development of ATP. Changes carried out in the ATP must comply with the ATP strategy (see Fig. 3.5), the development of which is the responsibility of employees at the highest levels of management. In the current economic conditions, justification of the development strategy of ATP is one of the leading tasks of managing its production and financial activities.
It should be borne in mind that often the development strategy of ATP is determined without the help modern methods, as a result of which the strategy is replaced by a long-term development plan for the ATP. Such a substitution is unjustified, since long-term planning in connection with the rapid dynamics external environment at present it often turns out to be untenable.
The ATP development strategy involves the use of such a form of managed development as innovation. Those changes that occur in the ATP against the will of managers do not belong to innovations. A simple increase in quality or quantity according to any specific characteristic (for example, an increase in the number of drivers, updating the same type of rolling stock, etc.) is also not considered an innovation. Innovation can be called that purposeful change that introduces new relatively stable elements into the ATP. This is a sign of the transition of the ATP as a system from one state to another (more stable).
The justification for the development strategy is carried out on the basis of an analysis of the external environment of the ATP and internal factors the effectiveness of its activities, taking into account their interrelations and the synergistic effect caused by these interrelations.
In this tutorial, we do not detail the content and methods of analysis preceding the development of a strategy, since they are the subject of consideration academic discipline"Strategic Planning". The literature on these issues is presented quite widely. In addition, in Chap. 7 given general description organization of analytical work at the enterprise. Without dwelling on the analysis procedure, we nevertheless emphasize that the correct choice of ATP development strategy largely depends on the quality of its comprehensive diagnostics.
The enterprise development strategy should reflect not only the focus in solving its main problems, but also the real capabilities of the ATP (financial, organizational, personnel), and also take into account the most likely changes in the external and internal environment. The characteristic features of the strategy are its continuity and transformation, which determines the need for constant management of the development of ATP.
In addition to the general development strategy for the ATP, a large ATP can also develop:
business strategy, aimed at providing effective strategies for the development of certain types of activities, for example
Measures: container transport; expeditionary activities; international transport, etc.;
operational strategy, installed for main structural units, for example, for a geographically separated branch of ATP;
functional strategy, formed for each functional area of a certain area of activity of the ATP. So, this could be a logistics strategy developed by ATP, a financial strategy, a marketing strategy, a personnel strategy, a strategy for information and analytical support for enterprise management, etc.
The development of ATP in accordance with its chosen strategy can occur in the form organizational redesign, which is achieved by the following interrelated actions:
Determining the prospects and goals for the development of the ATP, developing indicators for achieving these goals and a general program of necessary actions to transform the ATP;
restructuring(structural reform) - carrying out a set of measures for the comprehensive restructuring of the ATP in accordance with the strategy for its development. This is a chain of interconnected organizational innovations designed to enable an enterprise to acquire the ability to adequately respond to dynamic changes in the external environment and achieve current and long-term competitiveness;
Establishment of clear procedures for improving the communication of the ATP with the external environment, which makes it possible to increase the adaptability of the ATP through intra-organizational restructuring;
Providing ATP workers with new knowledge, new skills and tasks, forming a positive view of workers about the benefits expected as a result of restructuring and labor remuneration systems.
The restructuring of the ATP can be considered a highly effective lever for increasing the competitiveness of the ATP, since it involves improving the structure and functions of management; technical and technological transformations; change in the financial and economic policy of the ATP. The implementation of the ATP restructuring program is directly related to its innovativeness - the ability to master innovations in the technical, technological, managerial and other areas of the ATP's financial and economic activities. Typically, restructuring involves restructuring the assets of the ATP.
Determining the priority of restructuring tasks and the order of their solution. Despite the fact that the restructuring should be comprehensive, during its course it is necessary to establish the priority of the tasks to be solved and determine the order of implementation of projects. Such an assessment can be carried out on the basis of an analysis of development objectives
ATP identified as a result of its diagnosis. Such tasks may include updating rolling stock; use of subcontractual relations; transition to another type of organizational structure; merger with another transport company; use of progressive methods of organizing transportation; development by the enterprise of production of other services (other products); implementation of a transportation quality management system or a general quality management system; decentralization of management and formation of responsibility centers; changing the logistics scheme; optimization of administrative load; implementation of adequate information technology; introduction of standards of conduct for ATP workers, etc.
Having compiled a general list of restructuring tasks, this list should be streamlined - to eliminate duplication of tasks, their mutual inclusion, and also to equalize the scale of tasks. Statements of tasks that do not meet these requirements should be excluded from their general list. In this way, comparability, interconnection and at the same time some autonomy of tasks are achieved.
The updated list of restructuring tasks should be subject to expert assessment, as a result of which the rank (significance) of each task is established and tasks that are most relevant for ATP in at the moment his existence. Tasks that do not require immediate resolution can either be excluded from the list or placed on the next priority task list.
The most pressing restructuring tasks are then assessed from the standpoint of the likelihood of their successful solution. Here, both the financial capabilities of the ATP and the degree of its competence in solving individual problems are taken into account, i.e., how possible is it to overcome the influence of external factors. At this stage, tasks are selected again, i.e. their list is shrinking again.
Those tasks that are successfully formulated and at the same time assessed as particularly relevant, and can also be solved mainly by the ATP itself, are considered further from the point of view of the ATP strategy: it becomes clear to what extent the solution to these problems corresponds strategic goals. The restructuring program includes those tasks that satisfy this requirement.
Such a multi-stage selection of tasks makes it possible to ensure the effectiveness of the measures provided for by the ATP restructuring program and to avoid the scattering of the enterprise’s forces and resources.
Restructuring (reforming the structure) may include any changes in the range of services produced by the ATP: a change in the structure of its capital; business education
Non-units; procedures for mergers of enterprises, etc. Therefore, restructuring is not only an economic, organizational and managerial category, but also a legal one.
Most often, restructuring includes four main stages:
1) diagnostics financial situation ATP, analysis of its technical and economic status, assessment of strengths and weaknesses, marketing research in the transport services market, ranking problems, identifying the main tasks of restructuring;
2) clarifying the enterprise development strategy, taking into account the diagnostic results and identifying individual strategic subgoals. Formation of an organizational concept for the development of ATP;
3) designing changes in the composition and organizational structure of management and in the composition and structure of the management personnel of the ATP. If radical changes are expected (reorganization of the enterprise), then it is necessary to develop a detailed project for these changes, providing for solving issues of personnel selection, legal support, engineering and information support activities of new structural units, internal pricing, financial control, etc.;
4) development and implementation of a program of measures to restructure the enterprise in accordance with the conclusions adopted during the first two stages. The program indicates not only specific activities, but also the deadlines for their implementation, responsible executors, as well as the necessary financial resources.
Overcoming the socio-psychological problems of reforming the ATP. It is worth highlighting a group of social factors in the development of ATP. Particular attention to social factors is explained as follows.
The need to find general solutions to economic and social problems that arise in the process of human labor activity within the framework of a certain ATP is determined by the fact that the economic phenomena of ATP should be analyzed and designed taking into account the interests of both workers and ATP, and not only in connection with the final results of production financial activities of ATP.
When designing solutions aimed at developing ATP, they most often proceed from the premise that all employees unconditionally share this goal and subordinate their other interests to it.
However, there are factors that complement, clarify, limit or even replace the goal of ATP development for a specific employee (group of employees). Some of these factors are listed below.
1. In an effort to maintain good relationships and not offend employees, employees may refuse to strictly adhere to those procedures that ensure the development of ATP. Thus, a transportation manager can deliberately weaken control over the activities of drivers, based on the desire not to enter into conflict with them, and give the opportunity to assign volumes of work, work “on the side,” etc.
2. Some performers may refrain from proposals and actions aimed at developing the ATP, since otherwise this will violate the order established and promoted by the leader. This applies, for example, to the widely used practice of involving drivers in repair and maintenance work, which is an economically irrational, but, unfortunately, a traditional solution for many ATPs.
3. The desire of employees to avoid risk may cause a refusal to implement certain development methods, even if these methods have been sufficiently tested and have proven themselves in the practice of other enterprises. On road transport This desire is especially typical for small businesses that prefer to avoid risk.
4. The interests of employees can be directed primarily to their own wages, and this interest is often stronger than the interest in the profit of the ATP, the income of its owners, etc.
5. It is possible that interest in the development of ATP fades into the background due to the desire of a certain group of leaders (managers) to maintain control in their hands. In particular, the struggle for power, the desire to improve status, etc. may lead to the adoption of decisions that are contrary to the goals of development of the ATP.
6. Such seemingly unexpected factors as the manager’s desire to implement charitable activities or the desire to be in harmony with one’s own conscience, as well as the desire of workers for special skills, self-valuable demonstration of their professional capabilities, etc. These factors may very likely come into conflict with individual decisions.
7. Even if there is a conscious desire of employees to develop ATP, this goal may still not be fully achieved due to the insufficient level of their professional competence, which may not be realized by employees or is not fully realized by them.
So, it can be noted that each of the problems of ATP restructuring is associated with making quite complex decisions, with overcoming not only information uncertainty, but
And the traditional underestimation of the socio-psychological problems of reform. However, if these problems are neglected during the transformation, then the structural reform (restructuring) of the ATP will not achieve the goal, and the enterprise will not move into a qualitatively new, highly efficient state.
General economic effect restructuring consists of four components: the effect from the point of view of the owner (manager) of the enterprise, from the point of view of creditors, from the point of view of the budget and social effect.
As a rule, the development of an enterprise requires investment of funds, and here the problem of enterprise investment comes to the fore, briefly presented in the next subsection and discussed in more detail in Chapter. 14.
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A. Chandler, the author of one of the pioneering works in the field of strategic planning, believes that strategy is the determination of the main long-term goals and objectives of an enterprise and the approval of a course of action, the distribution of resources necessary to achieve these goals.
This definition represents a classic view of the very essence of strategy. Here we are faced with a pragmatic and useful definition of the essence of the strategic planning and management process. First of all, in this case, it is necessary to determine the long-term development goals of the company. These goals should be constant and not change as long as external conditions and (or) internal changes will not force management to reconsider the long-term guidelines for the company's development. There can be nothing more destructive for an enterprise than a constant change in development goals or hesitation by top management in determining future orientation. Frequent changes in the development goals of an enterprise can end in failure, since actions will become incomprehensible to both external partners (suppliers, consumers, investors) and its employees. At the same time, the stability of goal setting does not imply the same stability in courses of action aimed at achieving the goals. Ultimately, courses of action are concretized in the form of certain action programs, which are most often focused on a shorter period than long-term goals, which is why they can be adjusted, which allows for greater efficiency in the implementation of strategic guidelines for the development of the enterprise.
Resource support for strategic decisions as the third element of the conceptual triad of A. Chandler’s definition (goals - courses of action (programs) - resources) acts as restrictions on the implementation of this process. Indeed, finding some correspondence between goals and programs that ensure their implementation, on the one hand, and the distribution of human, financial, technological and other types of resources, on the other hand, realize one of the requirements of the strategic process - its stability.
The famous question “Which directions economic activity needs to be developed?”, proposed by scientists from the Harvard group led by K. Andrews and R. Krinstensen, significantly complements and develops A. Chandler’s definition of strategy.
It's about segmentation business activity enterprise, defined in Western literature as the structure of entrepreneurship. This question is considered in the context of other two questions: “What areas of economic activity are we involved in, but should not be involved in?” and “What areas of business activity are we not involved in, but should be involved in?” Despite the legitimacy of the formulation, practical answers are fraught with enormous difficulties. This is due to the lack of clear criteria for the problems of predicting the effectiveness of a type of business in the long term and the isolation of the very direction of economic activity (for example, industry or market affiliation). At the same time, the answer essentially determines both the strategy formation process itself and the functioning of the enterprise as a whole (for example, its organizational structure).
Selection of areas of economic activity (business structure) more like art than science, since it is impossible to find an adequate formalized algorithm that provides complete confidence in effective solution assigned task. This is a very important statement that largely determines the procedures and methods of the strategic planning and management process.
A well-known specialist in the field of strategic planning, I. Ansoff, defines strategy as “a set of rules for making decisions that guide an organization in its activities.”
According to I. Ansoff, there are four different group strategies:
Rules used to evaluate a firm's present and future performance. The qualitative side of the evaluation criteria is called a guideline, and the quantitative content is called a task;
The rules by which the company’s relationship with its external environment develops (what types of products and what technologies to develop, where to sell, etc.). This set of rules is called product-market strategy, or business strategy;
The rules by which relationships and procedures within an organization are established. These rules are called the organizational concept;
The rules by which a company conducts its daily activities are the basic operational techniques.
I. Ansoff identifies several distinctive features strategies.
1. The strategy process does not end with any immediate action. Usually it ends with the establishment of general directions, progress along which ensures the growth and strengthening of the company's position.
2. The formulated strategy should be used to develop strategic projects search method. The role of strategy in search is to: first, focus attention on certain areas or opportunities, and second, discard all other opportunities as incompatible with the strategy.
3. The need for this strategy disappears as soon as the real course of events leads the organization to the desired development.
4. When formulating strategies, it is impossible to foresee all the possibilities that will open up when drafting specific activities. Therefore, one has to use rather generalized, incomplete and inaccurate information about various alternatives.
5. As more accurate information becomes available, the validity of the initial strategy may be called into question. Therefore, feedback is needed to ensure timely reformulation of strategy.
The definition of strategy given by I. Ansoff, despite its simplicity and popularity among domestic specialists in the field of strategic planning and management, is too general. Moreover, from primary definition strategy, it is not clear how strategy differs from the policies of the top management of a given firm. That is why I. Ansoff is forced to immediately give explanations after the initial definition of the strategy, introducing a number of auxiliary terms, such as organizational concept, tasks, guidelines (goals) and a number of others.
Moreover, from I. Ansoff’s definition it follows that most often the strategy cannot be expressed explicitly. “Strategies usually try not to be discovered. They exist either as ideas that are not subject to publicity, or as a vague idea of \u200b\u200bthe general purpose of the company, shared by everyone, but, as a rule, far from a clear formulation." True, even I. Ansoff, contradicting himself, emphasizes that in lately There are more and more supporters of a thoughtful and correctly formulated strategy. He notes that: “This is good in rapidly changing conditions, when there is little time for adaptation, and the concentration of efforts of all employees is necessary.”
At the same time, the definition of strategy as a set of rules for decision-making allows us to come to a very important and significant conclusion for the procedure of strategic planning and management - the strategy must be formulated when a transformation of the external environment has occurred or is planned, as well as qualitative changes in the value system of the company's top management.
An attempt to give the most general definition of strategy is made by G. Mintzberg. He views strategy as a unity of “5Ps”: plan, sample, model, pattern, position, perspective and ploy.
According to G. Mitzberg, strategy as a plan is a certain set of courses of action formed in accordance with the situation. Strategy as a plan leads us to a fundamental understanding of the process of human cognition - that the intentions of senior management are first formed in their minds. This happens in accordance with the values (priorities) that the leaders of the organization possess and use when making business decisions.
Thus, strategy as a plan formulates the mental implementation of the predetermined intentions of top management.
Strategy as a template or pattern draws our attention to the fact that this concept must take into account the behavior of the organization's top management. This understanding of strategy ensures convergence and consistency in organizational behavior. Stereotypes of behavior, which, according to many experts in the field of strategic planning, must be overcome in the strategic plan as a condition for its effectiveness, are perceived by G. Mintzberg as a condition for its feasibility.
Strategy as positioning is the correlation of an organization, an enterprise, to what in management theory is usually called the external environment. Moreover, this correlation interests us not just in a “purely theoretical” aspect, but as an enterprise achieving certain competitive advantages in relation to other rival firms and finding compromise (effective for all parties) solutions for partner enterprises (organizations). As G. Mintzberg says, in this case, an enterprise is like an organism that is looking for its economic niche in order to successfully fight for survival in a world of hostility and instability.
Strategy as a perspective is understood by G. Mintzberg as the concept of an organization's business. It is defined as “the perceived way of conquering the world”, i.e. some kind of development ideology. Yes, for the company IBM- this is a technological culture for the company McDonald's- “quality, service, cleanliness, price.” This presentation of strategy is very important for understanding the fact that it (as a concept) cannot exist only in the minds of the top management of an enterprise, but must be perceived by all its employees. Moreover, strategy as a perspective is the implementation of the action of the “collective mind”, i.e. individuals united by a common understanding of problems and (or) unity of behavioral stereotypes.
Finally, strategy as a trick is some specific maneuver aimed at outwitting a competitor. The essence of this presentation of strategy is that it should clearly express the goals and objectives of the enterprise’s development for all its employees, but not be obvious to competitors. In this sense, strategy is a distraction that ensures the achievement of competitive advantages and high and sustainable profits.
The understanding of strategy proposed by G. Mintzberg is qualitative in nature, representing strategy as an essential category economic science, provides management of various socio-economic systems ( national economy, region, etc.).
This is a strong point. G. Mintzberg emphasizes multidimensionality economic category. Thus, not any plan will be a strategy if it does not take into account the behavioral characteristics of senior management based on its values, or does not carry the ideology of socio-economic development. Only the combination of the five specified characteristics (“5P”), according to G. Mintzberg, allows strategy to act as a systemic characteristic that ensures the development of an enterprise (organization).
It should be noted that the definition of enterprise development proposed by G. Mintzberg combines the definitions of this concept given by A. Chanler and I. Ansoff. However, the “too theoretical nature” of this definition of strategy does not allow it to be used in the formulation of basic models of strategic planning, i.e. develop specific practical tools - an algorithm for the enterprise development strategy. Because of this, it is most convenient for practical implementation is the classic definition of strategy proposed by A. Chandler.
Recently, there has been a crisis in the field of small and medium-sized motor transport enterprises. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that this industry very expensive. But, on the other hand, if we analyze unsuccessful projects, we will not find any marketing elaboration there. But a clear focus on demand is the key to a successful and profitable business.
“A loss-making project in transport” - I hear this phrase in a professional environment, especially in the last 4-5 years, very often. Like other infrastructure sectors of the national economy, the motor transport business is subject to many market, marketing and economic risks. They are associated with the state of most of the main economic “arteries” of the country: extractive industries, industry, construction, military-industrial complex and trade.
The dynamics of the modern economic environment force us to analyze the marketing component of cars in a completely new and much deeper way. transport business. Otherwise, you simply cannot survive in today’s fierce competition.
Plan or gone
The main reason for the failure of many motor transport entrepreneurial projects, in my opinion, in the insufficient attention that the organizers of this business should pay to the company’s position in the market, its target orientation and marketing development strategy. This fact may seem obvious and even strange to representatives of other industries, where marketing and sales technologies have advanced significantly further in their development.
Agree that, for example, no one would think of opening a spa salon in a remote village or a cheap eatery next to an expensive five-star hotel. These projects are highly likely to fail, since they simply will not have clients.
However, when drawing up a business plan auto transport enterprise In Russia, the obvious set of marketing and sales risks is often not properly assessed at the very beginning of the journey. And, as a result, as projects develop, obviously unprofitable divisions or enterprises with non-target transport assets are opened.
Thus, the marketing positioning and development strategy of a trucking company should be the cornerstones successful business plan. The development of the concept of an effective and break-even modern motor transport enterprise is based on the principle of a contract approach.
In this case, it is important to focus on needs as precisely as possible. The principle must apply – buy commercial vehicles only according to the client’s requests, taking into account as accurately as possible the plans and business development prospects of the target group of consumers.
To the start
When developing a project plan, you must answer the following questions.
1. What market are you planning to operate in?
2. Who are your customers and what are their needs?
3. Who are your competitors and what are their capabilities?
4. What is unique and main competitive advantages your proposal?
5. What is your development strategy: at the start, at the development stage, at the stage of business maturity?
6. What are the marketing risks of the project?
Being engaged in the development and implementation of many motor transport projects, we have developed for ourselves a corporate model that takes into account the marketing component at the first stage of work, and then passes through all stages of the project in a “dotted line”.
Thus, it is the block of answers to questions in the marketing component that allows you to correctly build the entire business plan. The business plan of a motor transport project includes the following thematic blocks of questions:
- marketing;
- investments and financial model business;
- organizational and legal business model;
- personnel and staffing;
- rolling stock, vehicle fleet structure;
- business processes;
- quality standards and claims work;
- KPI and reporting system for assessing the efficiency of the enterprise.
If, when developing a road transport project development plan, most of the recommendations were applied to carry out an objective marketing assessment, business risks are significantly reduced. However, the use of effective technologies and planning at the start of a project does not mean successful activities in the long and even medium term.
Marketing strategy
The start of an enterprise (including detailed study) and further stages of project development take 2–4 years in the motor transport business. In addition, it is extremely important to monitor marketing prospects and risks as it continues to be implemented. We do it every quarter.
Semi-annual and annual reports are the starting point for making decisions to supplement or change the business development strategy. Proposals developed on the basis of such monitoring can have a significant impact on decision-making in the field of commerce, financial and economic activities, personnel and business processes.
Unfortunately, within the framework of this article it is not possible to analyze all aspects of developing an effective marketing strategy for a motor transport enterprise. We will touch upon a tactical issue that arises for a transport organization precisely as the logistics project develops. It is associated with the selection and analysis of the effectiveness of transportation directions.
The problem that needs to be solved in theory is quite simple. It is necessary to evaluate the actual marginality of each transportation direction and select the optimal ones. In practice, the problem of managerial choice for the manager of a modern motor transport enterprise (ATE) looks like a process of formation and development of a portfolio of orders, which should be built on the basis of analysis the following groups factors:
- geography of transportation;
- economic and marketing potential of geographical areas;
- types of customer contracts and potential traffic volumes;
- nature, intensity and rhythm of transportation;
- completeness and quality of provision of transport services to clients;
- possibility of providing related and additional logistics services.
Let's look at these factors in detail.
Geography and volumes of transportation
Distances are calculated in detail for each route, taking into account weather conditions and other features of the region. In some cases, they can have a serious impact on the rhythm of transportation and, ultimately, on financial results.
Then the routes must be grouped into blocks according to a geographical principle: for international transport, the grouping is carried out by country or region, for Russia and neighboring countries - by city and region.
Thus, a potential transport matrix is formed, which can be quite complex, since in order to obtain an effective and accurate model it should be built taking into account both forward and return routes.
Within the group of factors “economic and marketing potential of geographical areas”, the economy in selected geographical areas is analyzed. The potential capacity of the transport market of each region or country is assessed in terms of cargo flows and the availability of the main market agents. Statistics on the movement of goods in selected directions are considered. Often the correct approach is even to analyze individual industries and lists of specific potential customers in the region.
There are different approaches to the issue of types of customer contracts and potential volumes of transportation. It all depends on the development strategy of the transport enterprise.
The basic principle may be the contractual approach. This is due to the fact that modern logistics is based on the mutual obligations of the customer and the supplier of transport services under the contract. Thus there are:
- one-time transportation contracts;
- framework contracts without obligations and volume guarantees;
- contracts with guaranteed volumes;
- contracts with partial or specific guarantees that occur under certain seasonal or circumstances declared by the parties to the contract.
Using the contract approach, it is easy to build a “funnel” of orders by type of contract. Thus, an additional projection appears in the order portfolio, in addition to geographic reference and economic indicators, according to transportation directions.
General contracts allow you to plan transportation volumes even in the long term; framework and one-time contracts are used to build scenario plans. The ratio of shares by type of contract and planned volumes of transportation form the ATP strategy.
...general contracts allow you to plan transportation volumes even in the long term...
Rhythm of transportation and quality of services
The organization of transportation, its intensity and rhythm for a certain time period - day, week, month or quarter is usually analyzed per fleet unit, by type of vehicle. The organization diagram itself transport activities can have a very significant impact on its outcome.
Therefore, when developing a marketing block, it is extremely important to correctly predict these indicators. They must be compared with the physical capabilities of equipment and personnel, taking into account the restrictions imposed by the current legal requirements for the modes of movement, work and rest of drivers.
The profile, quality and content of the transport service are the main factors successful marketing transport company. The service must meet demand, needs and expectations as closely as possible potential clients.
...the profile, quality and content of a transport service are the main factors for successful marketing of a transport company...
The cost and operational burden on a transport enterprise is extremely high. And the rate of profit in business, with the exception of specialized projects, rarely goes beyond the industry average. Therefore, when developing a package of services, it is necessary to be guided by the principles of reasonable sufficiency. Otherwise, every minor change in the content of the service can seriously affect final results.
Current trends Logistics developments dictate new requirements. The transport company is increasingly becoming a supplier of additional registration, brokerage, intermediary and other commercial services that are directly or indirectly related to the transportation of goods. This mainly happens due to changes in transportation standards and, accordingly, client needs. For example, in international transport With the service of preliminary declaration of goods when crossing the border, the service is increasingly provided not by the broker, but by the carrier itself.
On the other hand, the appearance of additional services in the portfolio transport companies This is often due to the differentiation of their business and the increasingly frequent desire of clients to purchase turnkey services. In this case, the additional service may even go beyond the traditional understanding of logistics.
Service package
We have set an algorithm for developing a marketing block when launching or developing a transport project. The aim was to describe the practical sequence of conducting an assessment and to focus attention on those fundamentally important and specific issues that will help to avoid serious mistakes, risks and negative financial results for the company already at the development stage marketing plan for ATP.
Using any effective modern tools in combination with the stated principles, specifics and ideas will help you develop a truly relevant business plan. It will be based on a detailed study of the marketing block and information about your target clients and markets.
The leaders of many ATPs mistakenly believe that the main thing is this business– is providing the client with an open and competitive transport market maximum range of all possible services. Our basic principle is a detailed service package, which is prepared in full accordance with the expectations and needs of the target group of clients.
We call this approach the concept of value-added (added value of the service for the client). After all, it is precisely this clear focus on demand that is the key to a successful and profitable transport business. It allows you to provide the client with a full service, with a full range of corporate advantages that competitors do not have, with strict control of operating and overhead costs.
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