Watching action movies has always been a good way to inspire me to get started on that workout I had always been meaning to get started on “tomorrow” – the slew of beautiful bodies & sweaty abs pretty much make me
think I can do more than my 12 push ups and 10 sit ups. In a week.


However, after getting into logistics, movies have taken on a whole new wonderment to them. I don’t see trucks on screen anymore; they are now 40 foot trailers. Big ships have become either cruise ships or freighters. Even
the plots seem to mirror what the Alien team goes through!


Recently, I watched the “Expendables 2” with Stallone and his team taking on a seemingly easy paycheque issued by Bruce Willis’ character Mr Church, but what ensues along the way seems like what freight forwarders go through as part of life, albeit without the bullet & body count.


1.   Repeat, one-off customer from the past. Check.


2.   Seemingly easy paycheque. Check.


3.   Unforeseen circumstances & missing vital information, leading to unexpected threats. Check.


4.   Massive yelling and coordination work required to save the day. Check.


5.   Hard earned drinks at the end of the day. Check & double check.


And how does the Expendables team get in, do the job, get out; rinse & repeat? I bet they do more than just 12 push ups and 10 sit ups. In a week.

Time to start getting fit!

I just had to share something with you, which was sent through the email by a fellow Freight Forwarder. While there is a lot of humour in this, it sometimes belies a typical day in the life of those in the industry.. No harm is meant, no customers were hurt in this message either.

Read with a sense of humour:


"We are capable of calculating quotations for three major projects, make bookings for 5 different shipments and answering 12 totally unnecessary calls per hour, all simultaneously.  We do not require sleep and are at your service 25 hours a day, 8 days a week. Our home numbers are your numbers.

We are responsible for production delays, traffic jams, weather conditions, and mechanical problems with trucks, aircraft and ships and the depressed economic conditions overall. We are totally responsible for any lost or damaged freight and will personally replace it upon request.

We have powers, which allow us to add unlimited weight and volume to an already overloaded truck. We create miracles by loading unlimited weight and volume into airline/sea freight containers. Furthermore, we can always motivate drivers to be your free-of-charge temporary employees to help with loading and  unloading.

Yesterday’s delivery requirements with cargo loading today are regularly completed the day before yesterday, ten times a day, every day. We know that when you order for a truck for loading on Monday that you really needed it on Saturday, but that you only want the overnight load delivered the following Wednesday. You want us to be at the office on weekends & public holidays to unload your goods at 2am and to ensure that your truck returns on time for your normal deliveries.

We are always friendly with a smile, have mastered telepathy, show empathy and gladly act as our customer's psychiatrists. We embrace the challenge when you cancel the space with the airline and one hour later expect the airline to hold the space for you just in case you require the capacity again, and do this daily.

We embrace the opportunity that you allow us to develop our negotiation skills with the airlines in securing capacity on already overbooked flight and allowing us to freely negotiate a cheap spot rate for the freight as well.

We speak all languages and know the location of even the smallest town anywhere in the world. We are able to obtain freight inclusive of clearance and door delivery to the strangest of places at a moment's notice. At your request we can comply with any and all of additional requirements your company may have. We also repair
vehicles and computers.

For unpredictable road traffic that has clogged our vehicles and for those caught in a traffic jam, we are capable of freeing the roads upon request in order to meet cut offs times.

Naturally, payment of our invoices is optional and if your company has financial difficulties we will gladly advance unlimited funds for as long as you require them.

Our lives have been enriched by the endless opportunities that you have allowed us to experience.

Sincerely,

 Your Eternally Grateful Freight Forwarder"