How did you get started in this business?

Strangely enough, when I was at school, I wanted to become a lorry driver – perhaps, following in my dad’s footsteps, who, after taking redundancy from Vauxhall, became a driver for a national distribution company.  It didn’t happen, and several dreams later I found myself at college in Ipswich studying Computers and Application Programming.  Whilst working for a software company specialising in the tyre industry, a sales executive opportunity arose at Fargo.  And that was the start of my life at Fargo.

What does your average day look like?

Before COVID, I spent much of my time on the road meeting with customers and prospects.  Now it’s daily Teams or Zoom for online meetings and project updates.

I like to start work early; I like the peace and quiet to get through my emails.  Each day, we then have a 9am team meeting, followed by project updates and presentations with new business prospects.  We’re growing 15% year-on-year, so we also allocate time for strategic planning to ensure we meet our objectives.

What has 2020 taught you about the industry and running a business?

The importance of being agile and dynamic, together with the old saying of strength in depth.

If this is the start of a new normal, we need to be flexible and able to adapt to the climate we find ourselves in. It’s impossible to plan for the unknown, so for us, it’s about not relying on any one service and having the right business mix.

What role do you see technology playing in the future of logistics?

The data we capture can be turned into knowledge, and this can be used to model the best decisions for a business. In logistics, technological ‘paperless’ solutions for delivery, tracking, and proof of delivery have boomed in recent years. And this year, ‘paperless’ and ‘contactless’ solutions have become ubiquitous.

Data will become more important as we imagine tomorrow’s commercial fleets, with a potential mix of vehicle types, from diesel to electric and hydrogen.

I certainly don’t know what the next default will be. Data will help us with the solutions needed along the way.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Be committed, be loyal, be strong and have integrity. Integrity, for me, is key.

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