I believe the heart of our company is our people. Our 67-years of technical expertise is the brains. The dedication and front line involvement of our leaders are the backbones. And, logistics is the muscle. In my view, a company’s growth and effectiveness are based on how Logistically Strong they are. Just like athletes train to get bigger, faster and stronger, the BMS CAT Logistics Team does the same. Here is a small sample of our structured training drills:
We systematically evaluate our deployment process to make sure we are continually improving our response time to losses that range from fire damage restoration to area-wide disasters. Throughout the year we diligently inspect, inventory and test our fleet and equipment to ensure that we are ready for action. Allowing us to be ready to provide all types and sizes of emergency restoration services.
We work vigorously with our logistic vendors to fully understand their capabilities, their strengths, and weaknesses. This allows us to understand their role on our team or to know when to pull them off the bench.
There is no off-season because maintaining a “Logistically Strong” operation allows us to serve our customers day in and day out. They count on us to restore calm and be there, prepared, to make the big plays when we are called off the bench. Just check out the highlights from our response to Hurricane Odile in Cabo San Lucas Mexico.
Pre-Game
In September of 2014, the Baja Peninsula of Mexico was struck by a strong Category 3 Hurricane. Our customers called us immediately asking for disaster recovery services. Their properties had been damaged by winds as high as 125 mph. Roofs and walls were ripped from homes and businesses throughout the community allowing water to enter the unprotected structures. Most areas did not have electricity and many had limited access.
The Offense
The same secluded location that makes Cabo a wonderful vacation destination also makes it a challenge from a logistics standpoint. In the best of conditions, you have limited traffic lanes in and out, one main road runs the length of the peninsula, one major ferry port, and two regional airports.
The Defense
When the storm hit, major sections of the road were flooded, the ferry port and the airports were severely damaged and were under the control of the military. Adding to an already challenging situation, another hurricane was developing and heading toward Cabo, leaving a very tight window for response. Travel, in general, was at a standstill. Our customers were asking for major deployments of equipment, supplies, and personnel.
Our training and preparedness ensured we had all essential equipment and supplies ready to ship. This allowed us to prepare and react quickly to the needs of our customers. The training and experience of our logistics team allowed each member to participate and communicate in developing out-of-the-box ideas used to tackle the obstacles in our path. These trained logistics professionals used their experience and expertise to deploy a massive amount of equipment, supplies, and personnel to an area few people could access. We responded quickly and decisively leaving our customers paired with the right people and fortified with the right equipment and supplies in the most economical manner possible. The result was a win for us and a win for a customer who desperately needed a disaster restoration provider.
The truth is, logistics is not a game but it is a team effort. Not like football where one player advances the ball to the goal line. It is more like rugby where the entire team moves the ball together. It takes some brains, some backbone, and some heart to make the muscles move effectively.
Tom Peters (prominent writer on business management practices, best-known for In Search of Excellence) wrote Leaders win through logistics. Vision, sure. Strategy, yes. But when you go to war, you need to have both toilet paper and bullets at the right place at the right time. In other words, you must win through superior logistics. I cannot define Logistically Strong any better than that.