For our newest Alfa member interview, we sat down with Nicoleta Coteanu from Bucharest, Romania. We talked about the revaluation of personal relationships in the industry, how she sees other freight forwarders as colleagues rather than competitors and the fulfilling nature of her job.
How did you get started in the logistics industry and what has your journey been like so far?
I started my journey in the logistics industry back in 1996 within an NVOCC (ECU LINE) and it was a big challenge for me considering I was previously working in the medical sector. I was involved in sales from the start in this industry and I can say it still is a big challenge for me today, even after all these years.There is always something new to learn as the market and the world change daily.
How do you set yourself apart from your competitors?
I think each company has its own identity and operates in their niche, so most times, we should not even consider each other as competitors. We can work together very easily if we accept that each company has some strong points to offer. This should be the beauty of the industry-cooperation, and having the choice of who is able to offer the service at the service level needed, creating a lot of possibilities for each company to develop in their own way at their own pace.
What do you like the most about being a member of our logistics network?
We are new to this network and it is very active, even the Whatsapp group is very active and the members are helping each other to find agents around the world. I like that our coordinator (Maria Ancuta) is very helpful and involved, even in the evening when people are supposed to enjoy family time, she is with us.
What do you like most about the industry and your job in particular?
I like working in this sector as it is a permanent challenge and not monotonous. I like to interact with various types of people from all over the world, many with whom we build friendship, having positive discussions, cooperating together, and the feeling at the end of a job well done.
If there is one thing that you could change to the logistics industry, what would it be and why?
I would like to change the way of doing business, as now I have the feeling that personal relationships don’t matter as much anymore. In the past, the customers were “part“ of the company, for the whole process. Now it seems that rates are the only thing dictating everything.
However, I noticed that the current market situation triggered some, in my opinion, positive changes in the way we do business. It seems people are starting to realize the value of a personal approach and relationship again and are looking for that trustworthy partner rather than only choosing according to the best prices.
How do you relax in your free time?
I like doing Zumba, I enjoy nature as much as I can and I like gardening. But my free time is not enough or should I say, just less than I would like to have.
— Thanks, Nicoleta!
