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Melbourne-headquartered logistics provider Transtar is doing more and more business to, from, and around east Asia. Hong Kong-based CEO

Annie Meyer says that’s where the industry’s future growth lies

Words / Paul Howell

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TT ranstar’s group headquarters near the ranstar’s group headquarters near the geographic centre of Melbourne belies geographic centre of Melbourne belies the growing reach of this international the growing reach of this international

end-to-end logistics provider. end-to-end logistics provider. There are only 40 full-time staff based

there — one more if you include Mick the guard dog who remains part of (as well as both on and under) the furniture during the working day.

A roster of casual staff is on call for busy times in the 4,000 square-metre warehouse attached, but at first glance, you’ll see only a modestly-sized operation.

That’s because what you’re looking at is only the front end ofa far-reaching international network, Hong Kong-based CEO Annie Meyer says.

“We have offices in 10 of the 12 biggest container ports in the world,” she points out. “Across the world there are 170 [full-time] staff working to get the best logistics solutions for our customers.”

That word — ‘solutions’ — forms a key part of Transtar’s mission.

“It’s not just an industry cliché here. We are about finding the best ways to move and keep track of cargo for every customer’s different situation and requirements.”

EFFECTIVE TEAMMeyer says the customer relationship lies at the heart of this unique business model.

“Our industry has a reputation for treating people poorly,” she says. “That’s unacceptable here.”

In this way, the company demands all customer interactions are handled not just courteously and efficiently, but also in a friendly and enthusiastic manner.

“Our customers should be treated the way we want to be treated,” she continues.

“There should be no rude phone calls; or silence between our team and the people we deal with.

“Constant, friendly communication is vital; as well as the authority and ability to solve problems on the spot.”

This philosophy extends to all staff, particularly in Australia where Meyer says there’s no place for back-office tasks, let alone back-office attitudes.

“If you do not work with the customer here in Australia, you don’t have a job,”she says.

Given the higher salaries required for Australian staff, it’s important that they are in visible, value-adding roles.

“I aim to always give these guys something to sink their teeth into,” Meyer says. “They should love the customers, love the work, and be picking up the phone happy.”

Friendliness and affability are less important in the back office, data entry roles are deliberately located in Asia, but those qualities are still commonplace there,Meyer says.

CUT THE MIDDLE MEN Meyer says the dedicated off-shore back office — rarely seen in an Australian

business model — is one of several strategies that Transtar uses to streamline services, add value, and cut out ‘middle-man’ costs.

“We don’t deal with other freight forwarders,” she says.

“We’re happy to handle anything and everything and we take responsibility for the full end-to-end journey ourselves.

“We are solely and purely for the end customer.”

The company’s documentation department provides an example of its efforts to add further value to its customer relationships.

This was launched in 2008 to handle the growing task of import-export and customs clearance documentation on behalf of Transtar customers.

Meyer says having dedicated experts fulfilling this role, in conjunction with the actual freight movement, represents a significant time, money, and hassle saving for the organisations utilising them.

“It does end up cheaper,” she says. “If, as an importer, you have a staff member purely dedicated to documentation, they still need to take holidays and other leave for six weeks of the year. Our team operates every day of the year for multiple customers.”

OPPOSITE: Transtar CEO Annie Meyer says every customer has its own dedicated service officer tracking their shipment; LEFT: CEO Annie Meyer says Transtar offers staff a hard-working but fun corporate culture; ABOVE: Transtar operates offices near 10 of the world’s 12 highest volume container ports

Across the world there are 170 [full-time] staff working to get the

best logistics solutions for our customers.

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Transtar offers documentation services only when handling the freight involved.

“It’s given us a footprint in which we are significantly different from other forwarders,” Meyer says. That’s not just in terms of being able to check an additional box; but also in offering an all-round expertise for customers, with plenty of clients leveraging on that knowledge when planning their freight movements.

“Every country has its idiosyncrasies,” Meyer says.

“If a heap of cargo is going to New Zealand — that’s a very simple documentation task. But the same amount of cargo going to India can be wildly complex.

“Our goal is to let the customer do what it does best; to know and own its own product.”

MAKING DEALS IN ASIA Those sorts of bespoke relationships are still relatively rare in the Australian transport sector, but are now a common way of life and business in Asia, Meyer says.

Organisations, staff and leaders there are “incredibly smart and commercially savvy”.

“They fundamentally want to go out and do business and are hungry for the deal.”

Of course, the majority of Transtar’s trade is facilitating movements between Australia and China, so it’s important to keep both sides of the transaction up to date at all times.

To ensure this, the company maintains an office presence every day of the year, including over the Christmas break in Australia as well as over the week-long Chinese New Year holidays in China,

Singapore, Hong Kong and other ports in Asia.

“Every one of our offices is open for all of Chinese New Year,” Meyer says. “It gives customers from both sides an enormous amount of satisfaction and peace of mind to know that someone is there.”

THROUGH THE RANKS Meyer has been with Transtar for more than half her life; having joined the company as an input clerk in 1991 — well before the push into Asia and the deliberate internationalisation of the company and its offer. She says she’s forever grateful that she was able to grow her career in line with the company’s growth and expansion.

“[When I started,] I was going to shipping lines with a cheque book and a pen, buying freight space on behalf of clients,” she recalls.

Meyer later moved into export operations, where she took on progressively more responsibility for recruiting staff, negotiating freight rates, and building one-on-one relationships with clients both existingand potential.

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: Transtar promises a full end-to-end delivery service, cutting out fourth and fifth party middle men; Unloading a Transtar shipment at the company’s Melbourne warehouse; Transtar group marketing manager Harry Drysdale says the company is an inspiring and fun place to do business

If you do not work with the customer

here in Australia, you don’t have a job.

Those relationships continue to be the lifeblood of the business.

“It’s about remembering people’s birthdays; their children; and when and how we met,” she says. “You draw on a lot of points that you can use to help yourself and also help them. It’s a real bonded connection that means they trust Transtar to get the job done every time. The company has always lived up to that promise.”

Meyer was appointed CEO in 2008, and moved to establish Transtar’s presence in Hong Kong shortly after.

“My aim was to immerse myself in it [China] — it’s been one of the greatest gifts of my career.”

She’s still based there but spends most of her business life travelling between Transtar’s offices around Asia and the rest of the world, including Melbourne, Shanghai, Singapore, Rotterdam and the newly-opened Guangzhou office.

Each of these offices has the same branding and even a similar layout so that the company gives a consistent impression to customers. That also extends to its employment brand, with Transtar promising an inclusive, work-hard, play-hard atmosphere to its entire staff.

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“We have a reputation for being a pretty fun place to work.”

TRUSTED LEADERSHIPWhile ‘fun’ can be hard for an outsider to judge, Transtar’s workforce is certainly inclusive across the gender divide that is visible in other parts of the transport sector. It’s not just Meyer flying that flag: 80 per cent of the company’s office managers are women, along with 67 per cent of the staff worldwide.

Still, Meyer says there’s no specific hiring policy, beyond getting the right person for the right job.

“I’ve never experienced the glass ceiling here,” she says.

“I’m not saying it doesn’t exist; just that I’m lucky to have a fabulously supportive board.

“They give all of our staff the backing to succeed.”

The three Australia-based directors are also incredibly responsive, giving Meyer the ability to implement changes and innovations quickly and with authority.

“That’s one of the advantages of being a private company,” she says. “Decisions in Transtar are fast, and we are able to move with the market.”

Meyer says that two-way faith across the top of the organisation is what enabled it to first stake its claim in Asia; and what has been behind the steady growth Transtar has enjoyed since.

NOT FOR SALEThe future looks bright ahead, Meyer assures. She says consolidation across the industry is unlikely to affect Transtar because of the unique niche that it has carved for itself in both Australia and Asia. While smaller, less diverse operators are likely to feel the pressure in coming years, the Japan Post acquisition of Toll Holdings proves there is also interest and demand for hard-working businesses at the top of the Australian freight industry.

“That [acquisition] won’t be a huge change for the customers apart from for those that want to support Australian-owned businesses,” Meyer says.

“But it’s still not a concern for us — we’re more focused on the New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Thailand and China corridor.

“We have a lot to prove still; a great amount that we can achieve both here andin Asia.”

Despite a schedule that has her away from her Hong Kong home for more than 250 days a year, Meyer still has plenty of energy to do just that.