CQR’s first ever online conference will ensure more participation and help the agents to generate more collaborative projects for 2020
Conqueror Freight Network is gearing up to host a virtual meeting of network members to be held on 27th to 28th October 2020. By bringing all the agents in one platform at one time the online conference will allow the members to discuss the prospects of upcoming collaborative projects in 2020. The videoconferences will help the members have constructive communication with their network partners and since an in-person meeting is out of the question in 2020, members need to make the best use of this networking opportunity.
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The conference isn’t going to be a regular video call over Skype or Zoom. CQR agents will be able to participate in up to 32 one-to-one videoconferences of 15 minutes duration with previously chosen partners. Moreover, there will be a presentation about all the latest updates of Conqueror’s member-exclusive digital tool FreightViewer. Although a face-to-face meeting would have been much preferable, the major upside of the virtual meeting is that the agents will be able to save a lot of time as well as expenses on transportation, visa, and hotel.
The user-friendly meeting platform integrated with Conqueror’s website will ensure a seamless videoconferencing experience in accordance with the agenda of the agents. In the words of Antonio Torres, the President and Founder of Conqueror Freight Network, “This year we could not meet in person because of safety concerns which is why we have decided to move our meeting online for 2020. The virtual nature of the meeting will do away with all obstacles to participation and we are looking forward to much greater participation by CQR agents.”
Be there to promote your business, obtain new projects, and foster an enhanced working relationship with your partners!
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light many deficiencies in all societies world-wide, but it has also shown the importance of many sectors in the world. Logistics has emerged as one of the most important business to overcome the pandemic, either by the supply of medical equipment, basic goods or even all the online purchases during the lockdown.
Although the pandemic has shown what an important component logistics is for society, it has also exposed its weaknesses’ and the need for profound changes in the industry. Before the pandemic, the economic incentives stemming from globalization, were already pushing logistics to a digitalized form, but social distancing or online working are making such a transformation even more necessary.
From Conqueror we support each of our members in this digital process, by helping their company to move all products and services into the digital environment. We are working to implement different online features which will help your company to be on the same page with global tendencies. Check four of the tools we offer to help you gain your place in the e-commerce.
1.FreightViewer:our exclusive transport management software will enable you to create a friendly-user website for your clients, enabling them to check on your services any time, any day.
2.Online company brochure: create an online brochure to promote your business from anywhere in the world.
3.Strong online presence: we offer you a complete digital coverage through an online news section, blog and social media promotion.
digital transformation
4.Virtual event: due to the current situation we will not be able to meet face to face, but we will do online. Don’t miss the opportunity to make the most of our next Virtual Meeting.
Digitization is so important in the global context, among other reasons, since it makes information and communication available anywhere, anytime and for any user device. Therefore, isn’t this exactly what we need in the near future taking into account that this situation will remain for a considerable time? Think about it!
“Our product knowledge, experience, integrity and dedication to customer satisfaction have helped us grow into one of the trusted 3PL providers, with solutions for our customers across the globe.”
This week, we interview Thomas Lee, President of United Cargo Management Inc, CQR member in Los Angeles, USA. In this interview, he talks about the history and experience of his company and also sheds light on the impact of COVID-19 on the freight forwarding industry in the USA.
Q. Can you tell us a little bit about the history of United Cargo Management?
A. After graduating with Maritime Degree from National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan, I entered into the container shipping industry. I was a part of the management team which set up Hanjin Shipping in Taiwan. Once I started a family, I decided to immigrate to the United States where with my shipping knowledge and experiences, I established the United Cargo Management, Inc. in April 1987 in Los Angeles, California.
Q. Which objectives have you have met during these 33 years?
A. We have a simple mission statement- we are a team our customers can rely on. Our product knowledge, experience, integrity and dedication to customer satisfaction have helped us grow into one of the most trusted 3PL providers, with solutions for our customers in all geographies across the globe.
Q. What distinguishes United Cargo Management from other freight forwarders in your city?
A. To meet our simple mission statement we take the time to listen and understand our customers’ business so we can offer solutions custom-tailored to their needs. We strive for client satisfaction with a highly experienced and dedicated multilingual team who are ready to focus on all shipping needs. We are constantly investing in our information technology system so we can provide the best possible customer service experience.
‘‘We all share the same challenge this year with the Covid-19 global pandemic. However, this has also created opportunities. With extra planning and coordination, we have ensured minimal delays and overall there haven’t been any issues.
Q. What are the main challenges facing freight forwarders in USA at the moment?
A. We all share the same challenge this year with the Covid-19 global pandemic. New York and Los Angeles have the highest cases in the US. With logistics and transportation considered essential, we have been working from home with half of our staff working in the office on a rotational basis for the past three months for the past three months until 15th June, when all our staff has returned to the office.
Importers are struggling to cope with the effects of the global pandemic. There is a high sense of uncertainty for the market which makes it difficult for our customers to forecast their import requirement with many facing warehouse congestion. China and US trade war has added additional uncertainty to the mix. However, this also created opportunities for other countries.
Moreover, as a result of the protests in so many cities across USA, our truckers are constantly checking on the traffic. With extra planning and coordination, we ensured minimal delays and overall there haven’t been any issues.
Q. How are you tackling these challenges?
A. We provide our customers with a variety of logistical options. We review inventory flow and volume requirements- using our expertise, we are able to provide the most efficient routing that will also result in lower cost for our valued customers.
“I have had the feeling that Conqueror is like a family, there is a very positive work environment both within the office and the network.”
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Today we talk to Dustin Brown, who is the Agent Coordinator of Conqueror Freight Network. He is the person with whom members connect on a daily basis for all their queries and problems within the network. His work consists of helping our agents with any questions and issues relating to the network and ensuring that the work processes of our Agent Coordination Team are at the highest level.
Before joining Conqueror, Dustin worked for 4 years teaching English as a second language. He also spent many years working at the international administration department of a top US university. Through all this, he has developed a talent for public relations and communications.
Q. How has been your experience with the Conqueror team so far?
A. Working with my teammates at Conqueror has indeed been a good experience. I enjoy my work and I am learning many new things about our industry thanks to them. My task consists of helping all our members with any problem they might be facing, and I do my best to complete these tasks with the utmost care and precision. In all this time, I have had the feeling that Conqueror is like a family, there is a very positive work environment both within the office and the network.
Q. Which do you think are the best benefits of belonging Conqueror?
A. Firstly, Conqueror is the largest exclusive network in the world, covering more than 260 cities and 140 countries. Additionally, Conqueror accepts only one agent per city, so this agent is the only one responsible for the traffic from/to that territory. Secondly, Conqueror operates an extremely rigorous selection process, paying for each member’s financial analysis by the external auditor DUN & BRADSTREET, in order to guarantee that all our members are financially solvent. Thirdly, Conqueror’s Agent Finder Tool ensures that members operate within clearly defined areas with no overlap and no competition. Finally, our highly professional team is on hand to assist members in the best way possible both quickly and efficiently, whatever the issue.
Q. How can Conqueror’s referral programme help members save?
A. Conqueror members who refer another agent who in due course becomes a member of our network can benefit a lot from the CQR Referral Programme. Our members are always encouraged to refer their reliable peers in the industry to get a discount on their membership fees. In the first place, the member as the referring agent will be given a 25% discount on their upcoming membership fee. Additionally, when members refer more than one agent then they stand to receive up to 4 discounts (each of 25%) on their next annual membership fees which implies that they have the prospect of paying zero membership fees for the next year!
Q. Which are the most common points of disagreement between members and how do you resolve that?
A. The most common point of dispute between agents is more often than not linked to ‘who is supposed to pay the bank fees’. This has even resulted in heated discussions among members which could have been avoided. This is because the Conqueror’s Rules and Procedures which all the members are required to comply with clearly states that “All invoice payments will be made by bank transfer. All bank fees will be paid by the member ordering the transfer.” Keeping this in mind will help the members eschew such unpleasant arguments.
Q. Do you get complaints from agents regarding scam emails? How are you dealing with this problem?
A. Scam emails have become a pestering issue these days since we rely more and more on technology-enabled communications. I often get calls from members who tell me how they have received payment related emails from another so-called member where they were requested to make the payment to the new bank details provided. However, these emails are sent by scammers and not by Conqueror members. This is why members always need to double-check the bank details of their network partner who owe them payment by carrying on a direct phone conversation with them.
Q. Why do you think it is important for members to be active on social media?
A. In 2020 entrepreneurs cannot do without becoming a part of social media. It is social media that ensures that your services gain traction among the customers and therefore being active on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram is an absolute must. Moreover liking, commenting and sharing the posts of the network or your partners will increase your visibility and encourage others to do the same with your posts. Apart from that, being active on social media also helps you stay up to date with all the latest news from your peers within the industry.
Q. How is Conqueror’s new tool FreightViewer helping the members?
A. With FreightViewer, our agents will be able to deliver a professional and accurate quotation for their clients within less than a minute. This is one thing which is greatly going to enhance the customer service of our members. Since this software is compatible with all sorts of devices, our agents will now be able to send an instant online quotation to their clients no matter where they are working from. Customers from every corner of the world will be able to accept the quotation, book a shipment, or leave feedback.
This project is funded and undertaken by UNICEF and the Ministry of Health in Uganda
Blink Logistics Limited, Conqueror Juba (South Sudan) and Kampala (Uganda), is handling a very significant project for the Ministry of Health in Uganda. They will be moving solar panels and vaccine refrigerators and delivering them at various health centre sites all over the country. The remote location of the health centres has made this project quite a challenging one.
international logistics service provider
“Regardless of the poor road networks and poor weather conditions, our team is doing their job successfully. The health care centres are located in remote areas which are yet another challenge for us. I am proud of my teammates who are putting forth their best efforts to conclude the project without a hitch,” says Barbara Nakandi Ampereza, Principal Commercial Executive of Blink Logistics.
They are also actively involved in the fight against the pandemic and has shipped a cargo of PPE equipment and testing kits from China to Lagos
CV Maragos International Forwarding PC, Conqueror member in Athens, Greece, handles a shipment of 2000 tons DW vessel carrying marble blocks from Salayar, Turkey, to Lavrio, Greece. In the words of Mr. Vlasis Maragos, the General Manager of CV Maragos, “Since most of the EU borders were closed due to the pandemic we had to suffer several delays although we managed to overcome this problem and constant communication with our truckers allows us to handover the shipment on time.”
freight forwarder
They have also successfully completed a shipment of masks, gloves and testing kits from China to Lagos, Nigeria. Apart from that, CQR Athens has managed to book a significant number of ocean cargoes from UK, and Spain to Greece and from Greece to USA, Bahamas and Nigeria. “Due to COVID-19 we all experienced unprecedented circumstances and we all had to show great adaptability and I can proudly assert that our team has managed to emerge stronger from this situation and thanks to our executive clients we are still as active as always in our territory.” adds Mr. Maragos.
freight forwarder
Congratulations to CV Maragos and wishing them the best for their future endeavours!
Breakbulk Asia is a conference and exhibition which offers unparalleled opportunity to connect with the stalwarts in project supply chain industry
Breakbulk Asia– a conference cum exhibition for project cargo and breakbulk professionals is scheduled to be held at Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Centre in Shanghai, China, from 3rd to 4th August 2020. Shippers and service providers who are working in China’s One Belt One Road project can benefit a lot by attending this exhibition.
international logistics
Apart from finding new partners, this exhibition will also help you gain valuable insight regarding the critical business practices of this region. Every market has its differences and knowing how to navigate the ins and outs of compliance, cross-border regulation, and contracts can have a positive impact on the bottom line of the participating companies.
“There is no better time to join with the project cargo and breakbulk industry to plan for new project contracts in the months ahead…China was the first to feel the effects of the pandemic, but it is also the first to begin the steps to recovery. Our program will be focused on finding opportunities not only in China, but throughout Asia and the world.” says Sara Gu, the Event Director of Breakbulk Asia.
For further details regarding the event, members are requested to contact:
Logicpaq SRL is also growing exponentially, they exceeded the eight-digit barrier on the gross revenue in 2019
Logicpaq SRL, Conqueror member in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, has obtained the AOC and the CAE certificates that will permit them to operate as a cargo airline for commercial purposes. According to Mr. Frank Diaz, the General Manager of Logicpaq, “Obtaining these two important accreditations was no way an easy task -our team had been immersed in this process for the last 5 years. We had to prove our credentials and fulfil many requirements before being granted these prestigious certifications.”
logistics companies
Logicpaq already has 3 of their own aircrafts for small scale operations in and around the islands near Dominican Republic and Miami, USA. One of the major advantages of this accreditation is that CQR Santo Domingo will now be able to negotiate the operational costs for air cargoes directly with the other airlines.
Mr. Diaz further added, “Moreover, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Conqueror Network which has been one of the major factors behind the growth of our company. We joined the network as a mid-level company, and thanks to Conqueror, today we consider ourselves a highly successful organization with our own distribution networks nationwide, and highly esteemed clients (some of which are Fortune 500 corporations). It pleases me to announce that in 2019 our net turnover surpassed the eight-digit barrier!”
Congratulations to Logicpaq and wishing them the very best for their future projects!
Blink Logistics which has been offering air freight, ocean freight and customs brokerage services, is presently handling loads of government-sponsored projects
Blink Logistics Limited, Conqueror member in Juba, South Sudan, and Kampala, Uganda, is now the logistical service provider for a government-funded project in Uganda. The project consists of transporting earth moving equipment from an inland government site to an island in Kalangala. The project was a challenging one particularly due to the poor condition of the road through which the cargo had to be moved.
logistics business partner
“Poor road infrastructure hindered the movement of the shipment while crossing the lake on a ferry for reaching the delivery site also proved to be a rather challenging task. However, I am totally satisfied with the outcome of the project and I’d like to thank my team for carrying out the task at hand with utmost professionalism and efficiency.” says Barbara Nakandi Ampereza, Principal Commercial Executive of Blink Logistics.
Congratulations to Blink Logistics Limited for a job well executed!
They already moved 20 million masks with 7 charter flights from China in April and plans to operate 6 such flights in May
Emons Air & Sea GMBH, Conqueror member in Munich and Stuttgart, Germany, has started to charter flights for the movement of masks and PPEs.
Mr. Hans Bayer the Prokurist of Emons Air & Sea GMBH states “The tremendously rising demand for protective clothing and masks and the lack of regular flight traffic between China and Europe has prompted us to start operating charter flights”.
air freight services
In total, Emons team has been able to move 1100 cbm and approximately 20 million masks, in just three weeks: “COVID19 has affected every one of us, privately and economically and extraordinary times require innovative solutions. In April we successfully operated 7 charter flights- 6 x B767 PAX, including on seat cabin load and one B777-200 PAX including cabin load, but with seats removed. That is why, we are very satisfied with the provided services and we expect it to increase more in the following months.” continues Mr Bayer.
air freight services
In May, they are planning to take their service to a next level and supply CQR partners with a well-established service for five additional flights. “We have excellent possibilities for on carriage with our Emons organisation, so if any of our members have any inquiries, we will be happy to assist them.” states Mr. Bayer.
Congratulations to Emons Air & Sea GMBH for coming up with such innovative solutions!
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