A Decade of Growth
November 8, 2022
Five core areas of development and growth that Simple Logistics has focused on over the past 10 years
Logistics services are needed year-round despite economic downturns, pandemics, and any other obstacle that arises. The Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) shows the amount of freight carried by our industry and indicates the demand is moving even higher. Meeting industry demands and growing as a company require the ability to overcome and learn from challenges. Standing still in the freight industry is not an option. We asked our team to reflect on five core areas of development and growth over the past 10 years, and here is what they said.
24/7 Support Growth
We have always offered 24/7 support which brings value to our customers. Brett Halan is our Vice President of Sales and has seen a lot of changes in how Simple Logistics has executed on this promise.
Once upon a time at Simple we had a shared cell phone and iPad between the handful of us working. We switched off who brought home the phone and iPad week to week and that person was our 24/7 response including the weekends. Many times we had to pull over if we were driving just to issue an EFS/ Comcheck. We would try to take as many calls as we could without logging in, and then when eventually it was time to log in, we put in all the updates at once. Although we may have only had 100 loads as an entire company at the time, every single night we would get a handful of calls from 10pm to 6am.
We have come such a long way since then with our 24/7 dispatch team. We have colleagues dedicated to be logged in at their desk for 2nd and 3rd shift. They are essential problem solvers right away and report anything necessary to the account managers immediately. They monitor driver’s GPS in real time, so if our customers need immediate updates, they are available.
People Growth
Jim Caine is our Chief Operating Officer and is a driving force in creating an atmosphere that attracts employees to join the Simple Logistics team.
In the early days of Simple, our people proved they could service temperature controlled, time sensitive freight at high level of detail, communication, and follow through. They were a small group who were the pioneers of our core value: Honesty, Service and Dependability. They lived these values and made it SIMPLE for their customers.
What we’ve done over the years is train our people to approach all our freight with the same level of expectation which has created long term customer relationships.
In 2020, not only did we introduce an improved, new organizational structure where people worked in teams, but we also introduced new technology offerings. These allowed us to automate certain activities and elevate our human touch. The result was better customer relationships, faster response times, more communication, and a lot more freight!
Since 2020, we have tripled our employee count. Our structure and growth have allowed us to create new opportunities for both development and career advancement. We have refined our recruiting philosophy which has proven to bring in top talent in the industry. Plus, our structure allows people with no freight experience to make an impact right away.
We appreciate each of our people and ask them to be leaders in the organization – no matter the title. The result has been a family-oriented culture which continues to get stronger as we grow. I can’t wait to see where we can go in our next 10 years as a company!
Carrier Network Growth
Carriers are the lifeline of the brokerage industry. Justin Butcher is our Vice President of Compliance and works closely overseeing our carrier network functions.
Over the past 10 years we have worked hard to make sure our carrier set-up process is SIMPLE. We have come a long way in our Carrier Service department. Long gone are the days of emailing a lengthy packet to carriers and having to wait for over an hour for the carrier to print, fill out and fax that packet back all to have a missing signature and having to start that process again.
We’ve come a long way in 10 years. We continue to refine our manual processes with the help of technology tools to provide the best possible carrier pool for our customers. Making the decision at the end of 2020 to start Automating Carrier Docs has proven to help propel our Core Carrier pool to over 20k. Now with just a few clicks carriers can be set-up and entered into our vetting process. Valuing carrier’s time continues to be a priority here at Simple.
Valuing our carrier network has been another focus in recent years. In the beginning, sometimes carriers would be used for one load and then their contact would be lost. But now, we put a major emphasis on building carrier relations. Sending small gifts or a quick visit for a lunch are just a few things we strive to do for to show carriers in our network that they are appreciated and valued here at SIMPLE.
Technology Growth
Jeff Paul is our Chief Financial Officer and is a critical part of building our extensive technology stack and processes.
Every time we talk with our shipper and carrier partners, we strive to MAKE IT SIMPLE – and to do that, we lean on technology backed by our excellent service.
Over the last few years, we have completely revamped our tech lineup. Shippers have access to real time market data and real time visibility via SIMPLE CHECK and our customer portals. Carriers access to our available freight via Digital Freight Matching capabilities, and access to payment info inside our new carrier portal.
Internally, we are utilizing tools to allow for speed and accuracy – instant messenger via Slack, VOIP phone systems via VOXO, newly upgraded McLeod, TABi rating via Hubtek, and more.
Simple Logistics has been known for standout service over the last 10 years, that service will not go away – we are utilizing technology and automation to elevate our employees and enhance the shipper and carrier experience. I like to say – Maximizing service via People and Tech – Make It Simple.
Revenue Growth
Revenue is one of the most common ways to evaluate a company’s success and growth. Steve Spoerl is our Chief Executive Officer of Simple Logistics. His vision goes beyond just the dollars for his team.
Simple Logistics began as a small, starter brokerage focused on the transportation of refrigerated goods. I always saw the potential to be a mighty team despite our size. We started with a very small team where everyone pitched in and everyone wore multiple hats to get the jobs done. Naturally, as we expanded our team, our business and our revenue grew over time.
The company culture and the people we attract and retain are the driving force behind the growth. We have a strong emphasis on a family-oriented culture and treating people with integrity. We truly connect with our employees and help give them the guidance and confidence they need to do their best. This good-will attitude then trickles out into every area our employees touch and drives company growth.
Just since 2019, we have seen three times the growth in revenue. The overall vision is for more than just the revenue growth. What I’m creating here is a legacy. I have a lot of family involved in the business, and I also consider the employees to be part of our family. I’m interested in building a successful business, a family-centered lifestyle, and letting it transcend me and carry on with the people involved.
TEN YEARS has allowed us to create a growing company we are proud of. Our team has not only overcome each challenge we have faced, we have also grown stronger and learned along the way. We SIMPLY can’t wait to see what the next 10 years brings.
ABOUT SIMPLE
Simple Logistics is dedicated to simplifying our customers’ and carriers’ transportation challenges with extensive technology, clear communication, and relentless support. Not only do we provide a single point of contact with 24/7 availability, but we are also known as being helpful and friendly in our interactions. Our industry expertise paired with our caring team’s relentless support is how we have answers before our customers even have to ask.
