JCtrans: Hello, Mr. Raheema. Firstly, would you please make a brief introduction of your company?
Mr. Raheema: International Freight Services Co. Ltd (IFS) is located in Mauritius, which a key destination in the Indian Ocean for both tourist and business transactions. Our port, Port Louis is a critical platform in the African region. IFS is on the market for more than 5 years now and the company has had a sustainable growth since then. We are an ISO9001:2008 certified company. We deal in both imports and exports by sea and by air. Being a premium member of JCtrans Network allows us to provide a full and complete service as follows:
Ocean Freight
- Less Container Load (LCL) and Full Container Load (FCL)
- Single and multi-vendor consolidation
- Reefer containers
- Oversized cargo
- Full document service
- Multi-modal services
- Garments on Hangers (GOH)
- Project Cargo
Air freight
- Consolidation service
- Standard and deferred service
- Perishables, live animals, hazardous and dangerous goods
- Full document service
- Garments on Hangers (GOH)
- Triangular trade shipments
- Transshipment
Customs Brokerage
- Clearing
- Ocean, road and air freight
- Landing/shipping/personal belongings/Freeport
- Ocean, air and road freight transit
- Air courier
Bond/Ex-bond
EDI services
- Bill of entry processing only
- Delivery to client
Import permit, export declaration and processing
Transport
- Door-to-door trucking - GPS-equipped vehicles
- Full and empty container movements
- Reefer plug facilities
- Stuffing and un-stuffing of containers at customer's premises
- Labor supply at client's depot
- Forklift rental
- Side-lifter equipment
JCtrans: As the competition in logistics industry is increasing fierce nowadays, one company must to pay a lot in order to win out. Then would you please talk about your core-competitiveness?
Mr. Raheema: Our competitiveness is principally the competitive rates which we offer as well as high quality service. We differentiate ourselves by providing a tailor made service and assistance to all our customers and partners world wide. Our criteria for service quality are:
Tangibles: We have a well equipped office (computers, mobile phones, printers, accessories, clean environment and air conditioning) which enables all our employees to work comfortably as we believe that a conducive environment brings more effective and efficient performances.
Responsiveness: We are always willing to help customers/partners and provide a prompt service.
Reliability: We are able to perform the promised service accurately and dependably.
Assurance: Our employees have knowledge and courtesy and they have the ability to convey trust and confidence.
Empathy: IFS provides care and individualized attention to its customers/partners.
JCtrans: What do you think is the most important thing to run a logistics company?
Mr. Raheema: The key features are:
(a) Flexibility, which is important to provide an exceptional service.
(b) Manageability that is the ability to use network to ensure on-time delivery and cost saving as well.
(c) Versatility to provide viable options allowing customers, to maintain control, to reduce costs and increase efficiencies in their supply chain.
Quick thinking, that is, to be inquisitive and to provide solutions with no time waste.
JCtrans: If a company wants to get steady development, it must explore and develops unceasingly. Would you please talk about your strategy to explore foreign market?
Mr. Raheema: We plan to set up continuous communications strategy with partners worldwide via emails, MSN chat and Skype. We also wish to provide ongoing and reliable assistance to all our partners and stakeholders. Moreover, we plan to be more visible on the international playground, for example, on JCtrans Network. We firmly believe that JCtrans Network is the ideal platform which will bring growth and help us to consolidate relationships with international players.
JCtrans: Finally, will you please talk about your strategy planning for this year?
Mr. Raheema: For the year 2011, our strategic planning, is to explore opportunities for more project cargos. We already handled a huge project in Mauritius in 2010 and we are proud about this. We shall use our expertise to attract more customers in this aspect.
Secondly, we are looking for cost reduction opportunities from main import destinations which are China and India. We have already started working on this and we can say that we are able to provide the best rates on the local market.
Thirdly, with the appropriate marketing tools we intend to plough the local market so as to make IFS an eminent figure in the world of freight forwarders in Mauritius as well as in the African region.
