Economic forecasts for 2009 remains to be, well, bleak. Despite the news about bailouts and concerted efforts of many central banks worldwide, it seems that everyone is in agreement that the world economy will be gloomy because of the current economic mess many First-World countries are embroiled in.
Although Asia and the Philippines are in a much better state than most First-World countries (it’s about time!), many will agree that we will be greatly affected and, in turn, our economic activity dampened.
So what’s the mood by many businessmen? Wait-and-see for some, defensive for others.
It is common to see many businesses take very deep breaths during these times. They are very cautious with their actions. They delay, if not shelve, any expansion programs or, worse, take a defensive stance and start preserving resources. A defensive position will most likely result in organizational restructuring, downsizing and layoffs.
That’s why, imagine my surprise when I was invited to a brand launching of a company who’s direction is into aggressive growth for 2009.
Enter Paulo Tibig and his V Cargo.
During the launch, Paulo unveiled what to me was a very ambitious plan of expansion in a very competitive environment amid an economic meltdown. Clearly, either this guy is crazy or he is really a brilliant businessman.
To appease my curiosity and to peek into his mind, V Cargo’s top man and yours truly had a great one-on-one over good coffee, and I was really impressed with what I got to hear.
V Cargo is actually the relaunched brand of Vintel Logistics, a company that has been a favorite in the logistics industry despite being one of the relatively new players. Paulo established Vintel in 1999 with about P100,000 capital. Today, V Cargo boasts of a huge fleet of delivery vehicle employing a lot of people. You can spot its ubiquitous vans sporting its V sign in a “shouting” orange color painted all over. I see them everywhere all day—proof that this once-fledgling company is now a big player.
Paulo is bullish about everything. Is he just a naïve optimist, or does he really know a lot more than most business folks do?
He revealed that he is really positioning his company to be a painful rival to the top three cargo companies in the country. He decided to benchmark against the best of the best as he feels it is the only way for one to do business.
Contrary to what many people are doing, V Cargo’s top honcho believes its expansion plans are perfectly timed. He feels that in times like these, a cleansing of some sort will occur and only the best players will survive. He admits the industry is populated with many smaller players that have questionable ethical practices. He firmly believes that the current situation will provide some shakedown for the industry and that companies like V Cargo will be left standing Paulo was very passionate in talking about the many improvements he has been introducing to his company. From operational efficiencies to out-of-the-box marketing strategies, I really sensed that he is not lacking in passion for his V Cargo, and his positive outlook has been infectious to everyone around him, including this writer. He actually thinks that there are greater potentials for his company as he sees corporations streamlining operations, and thus moving more toward outsourcing—something that V Cargo is fully prepared to undertake.strong.
He boasts of a logistics company that capitalizes on being “worry-free” and seamless—something he believes sets V Cargo apart from its competitors.
After listening to Paulo talk on how he does business, I came to understand what V Cargo’s strategy is all about. It is big enough to boast of operational efficiency with adequate resources, yet still small enough to be very personal and flexible (unlike international players). V Cargo claims it can match the operational complexity of a huge player, yet give a “personal touch” approach typical of small players. It goes through extreme measures to be customer-friendly and understands that they are partners, not just suppliers.
Paulo also believes in extreme professionalism and subscribes to lofty ethical standards that you find rare among businesses in the country today. I was marveling at how he conducts his business. With the way he runs V Cargo, one would have thought that it is a multinational corporation.
Another revelation that I was able to get from Paulo: V Cargo does not subscribe to price as the main driver of business. He believes that price is relative and that the better way to get and keep customers is value. He claims that while V Cargo rates are very competitive, they do not play the “rate-dive” game. Great concepts from someone who is not even 40!
From what I gathered, I believe V Cargo is a company that would not only survive 2009—it is one organization that will thrive amid the crisis. A company that puts emphasis on value while striving for high ethical standards will weather any storm, no matter how severe it may be.
V Cargo’s greatest asset? Passion. Paulo and his team are all set to win this race. The Bible says, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” (1 Corinthian 9:24). It seems that V Cargo consults the Book of Life as a guide to do their business. I think it’s about time that all of us start doing so, as well.
Catch my next series on “Celebrities and Money” and read on how they earn, spend and keep their money. See you in two weeks.
J. Randell Tiongson is a registered financial planner with the Registered Financial Planners Institute (RFPI) USA. He is also president and COO of Personal Finance Advisers Philippines Corp., a director for the RFPI Philippines and the cofounder of www.income-tacts.com, the country’s premier online community on personal finance. Questions about the article may be e-mailed to randellt@gmail.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Randell may be reached at the same e-mail address for the scheduling of consultations and personal-finance seminars. Join the 14th RFP Program (April 18 to June 6, 2009). Visit www.rfp-philippines.com or inquire at info@rfp-philippines.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it /Tel. No. 634-2204.
source: www.businessmirror.com.ph
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