Shamed by Newbies

[greg334]

OMG
I think that T-Hawk said it best so far.

But luck at gambling and luck at expediting and business is two different things. As I was told from this old man in Miami when I was a young kid, there are two different types of luck and not comparable; a gamblers luck and a business luck. He also mentioned that if you wanted to beat the house’s odds to take your money, play blackjack but if you want to be truly lucky in business – be competitive and ruthless – but regardless it always comes down to being in the right place at the right time.

I think that Phil has had sort of extraordinary luck, working up to his lofty position as a WG team/owner from a WG driver as part of a team from nothing – a goal that many have made to achieve. But he has not been working at bottom of the fleet or at other companies, so his position is only from one point of view. Nothing wrong with that at all, actually there is a lot to be admired for his climb to fame but to keep it in perspective, for 85% of us out on the road luck has more to do with generating revenue than anything else. The remaining 15% are made up of elite trucks and true independents.

21!

Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck Luck

 

[greg334]

Phil, Phil, Phil... Ok lofty is not the right term, I think celebrated would be better but anyway....

"How many times has it been said here in the Open Forum? Expediting is not rocket science."

True, this is true, but as I said there are limitations that one has to deal with if they work for a company and not a true independent. The best they can do is positioning themselves for a load offer and then that is the best they can do. Like I said in other posts if there was financial incentives for me outside of the truck maybe being offered a load, I would have a new truck by next year and a new home later on but....

"Why is it then that some people succeed and others fail?"

Well I don't know either, but I can't help think that the company has something to do with it and their position on being proactive keeping trucks legally moving. I am starting to become more cynical over the competition stories I keep hearing from FedEx and the offers I am getting from .86 to $1.04 a mile while sitting in the north east corridor. I am thinking that I am not at fault for the lack of sales being proactive promoting our services, not the services of the company at large. I also can't help think that the idea that people like you (elite portion of the fleet) are in the same boat as many of us po' folk, this is not just FedEx but other companies too.


"Entire books have been written on that subject."

Well Phil, I have read a lot of business books, been to many training sessions and had a lot of schooling but I don't recall a book on the subject of successful expediting. I do point to one thing sitting in MA for a class at one place and the professor said it is hard work and luck that makes or breaks a business. IN other words, if the market does not need the services you offer, you will fail. I look at that fact hard work from my work as just a small part of the customer service cycle in which everyone has a stake in the cycle and if the customer does need the service, it is the sales department to make sure that the customer knows what is offered and it is they who have to work hard. Everyone involved in the cycle makes money, but IF the company shifts priorities to something else (instead of expediting they decide to haul eggs with all them WG trucks) than the customer who needs the skid moved from point A to B will go somewhere else and no one makes money. To me it something I have no control over and as you and a few others point out about success, the success is on different levels, one for the customer, one for the company and another for the contractor. Each defines success to fit their needs and I for one can't control anything beyond controlling my finances but without revenue, there is nothing to control and no approaching to my definition of success.

"Successful expediters do share certain traits. For more on that, see:

Ten Secrets to Expediting Success"

Look Phil, these are all good points and have been talked about for more than a century now - nothing new. It can be applied to any expediter and any business but only if they start with the idea that it is the company that has more to do with success than anything else.

NOT to discount that post, it is good points to learn, accept and practice but nothing replaces a company that wants you to make money for them.

 

[ATeam]

Greg,

I do enjoy mixing thoughts with you. Please understand that the following request intends no disrespect toward you.

Moderators,

This thread has more changes of directions in it than a boa constrictor. Does anyone think it might be time to lock it? I do. New threads can be started to express any unexpressed thoughts on the numerous subjects raised here.

 

[greg334]

Now Phil, I know you have no disrespect but I am forced to ask it to remain open becuase it seems to be a good thread with two view points shared by a lot of people.

AND I got to add this;

The thread actually has a very good discussion with the pro/cons of luck and other business info for Newbies in general. It started out with the positive report that someone has outdone you, and ended up with this discussion over Luck - not bad to me. One can take from the conversation we had that there are good things to be achieved (your situation for example) with hard work and diligent in selling of one's value to a company and on the other hand by my cynical negative view that may forewarn a person who can then prepare for the pitfalls of this work.

I again say, Keep IT OPEN.

 

[ATeam]

No problem, Greg. It does not matter to me one way or the other. I would prefer to see it closed but it is no skin off my nose if it is left open. It just seemed that with all its twists and turns, readers would be better served by threads that tend to stay on topic. I think this one is a contender for the drift-afar prize. Between Greg, me and 4,000 registered Open Forum members, I doubt more than three people have bothered to read down to post 10, let alone post 60+.

By the way, that book I mentioned, "Something For Nothing; The History of Luck in America," it is not a recently published book stocked in bookstores. I had to order it online. I'll be reading it when we get home for Christmas.

Luck is a fascinating topic, more than I knew. I had no idea so many people had so many different opinions and feelings about it.

 

[Broompilot]

Back to the top just for the fun of it, Luck or no Luck. Since I do not believe in Gambling or well yes I do, just not with my Money guess I do not believe in luck either or good luck.

Hey someone can I borrow $500 of your $ and If I win I will repay it all if not well you loose. Is that LUCK? or What? Any takers? I feel lucky with a load on the horizon to VEGAS Baby....