Day in a Life of a Logistics Consultant Intern

Day in a life of a logistics consultant intern:

8:30am- Arrive at work
Filter list of business associates (Using software + manual recognition)

Some of our clients are handled by overseas offices in Shanghai, Xiamen, Ningbo, Taipei, etc.
Because the list consists mainly of old sales leads, I filter them out before I call them. That way, I don't step on anyone's toes. You wouldn't want to cold call an existing customer. Despite having screened each sales lead, I still inadvertently cold call existing customers. When that happens, they usually freak out and ask what is going on and I have to play it off as a courtesy call. Basically, letting them know everything is fine.

9:30am- Hit the phones, adjusting my pitch (words, tone, subtle approaches)

When I cold call businesses, I am extracting information about what their current international imports situation is.

*Which logistics companies or company they using
*How their current services are working out or not working out for them.
*Whether they are having their freight pre-paid or their pay for it themselves.
*Where they are shipping from (origin) and to (destination)
*What they are shipping (commodity)
*On occasion, I find out how much they are paying for their ocean and air shipments.

Basically enough information for me to effectively screen my company's service contracts to provide them with the best quote (prices). Example: If they are shipping Garments from Shanghai to Long Beach Port and they want a fast carrier, I can offer them steamship lines accordingly.

Each quote is an open file. Like with cold calling in any industry, you are going to run into nasty people, nice people, and wrong numbers. In the water transportation industry, the target market is business owners who import from Asia. Many of them immigrated to the U.S. and prefer to speak Chinese or Korean. Because they have no idea who I am and what I look like; I wear many hats. What I mean is I can be as fearless as I want. There's no way you can lose. If the call goes sour, they are not going to know you and you never had their business in the first place. What you gain is experience and knowledge on how to better approach the next customer that throws something similar at you.

Now, I do this (talk on the phone) until lunch.

12:00-1:00pm Lunch

1:00pm- 3:00pm More phone time

Sounds boring right? Not at all. I am meeting new people and learning about different industries. The furniture, snorkeling/scuba diving, garment, toys, plastic goods, etc. industries. Sometimes when I cold call them, they think I am someone they know. Thats when you just start to mess around with them and play it off. Yes they eventually find out you aren't the person they thought, but you get a good laugh out of it. Especially your co-workers. I get paid by the hour, so why not have some fun. This is not to say, I don't try to be professional.

3:00pm-5:00pm Quoting customers

I am reading service contracts (over 20) & looking for the best rates for my potential customers. When you quote someone, you are looking for what origins they are shipping from and where they are shipping to, their commodity, and what kind of service they are looking for. Not every steamship line is going to provide fast transit time. These contracts are sometimes fifty pages long. How do you read through it and find the best rates? Experience and ctrl+f.

*Granted...If I had customers I would be dealing with problem cases and helping my customers through out the day. On some days, I may even go meet my customers. Meaning driving out to where their office is located and visiting them. The full time consultants do this and it helps them build a relationship with their customer. In this industry its all about prices and relationships.


Anyhow! 180 switch! Stocks!

Middle of the week. I am 100% in cash right now. Probably screen some stocks tonight and see if there are any plays I can make.

Long day at work today.

I did get a new book to read: "The Psychology Influence of Persuasion".