On Friday 6th March, members of our freight forwarding team attended the Portsmouth News’ Business Excellence Awards. The awards night was a chance for local businesses in Portsmouth to get together and celebrate a year of success.
Mercator was nominated for three categories: Small/Medium Business of the Year; International Development of the Year; and Team of the Year. We are absolutely delighted to have been Highly Commended for International Development of the Year, and to be named Winner for Team of the Year.
Winning Team of the Year is a really special achievement for us at Mercator. ‘We pride ourselves on customer care – that is what really makes us stand out in such a competitive market’, George Goehlert explains. ‘How can you do that without an exceptional team? You just can’t. All of our team has been 100% focused on keeping our customers happy.’
Mercator is a family business, with 6 out of 9 members of staff from the same family, working together closely comes naturally to the team. What really tests the strength of a team is a challenge, and when there was a large shift in management with the MD and FD taking an unexpected step away from the business in 2013, the team at Mercator really stepped up to the mark. Myles describes the team as ‘exceptional, supportive, understanding, always willing to get involved and go that extra mile for the business.’
Through the determination and teamwork of everyone at Mercator, crisis was averted and the firm has gone from strength to strength. ‘The team at Mercator just gels, everyone does their bit, and we have a good atmosphere in the office. We all get on so well, and would choose to socialise together, which I think is a great mark of a team’, Sophie (Finance Manager) sums up.
In the past year Mercator has seen a huge development in its export trade traffic. This is in part due to our founding membership of the
international shipping agent network, MarcoPoloLine (MPL). The members-only network was founded in 2007 by our MD (Paul Goehlert) and three other European shipping agents who all were experiencing the same problems: the mega players of the freight industry were handling the majority of the shipping traffic, but not offering the same customer service experience that the smaller freight forwarders have to offer. The group was formed with the ideals of only allowing vetted and recommended members; a source of new business with referrals between members; and buying power with the shipping suppliers.
‘Being a part of MPL is a fantastic string to our bow’, George Goehlert explains. ‘It allows us to offer our customers a fully comprehensive shipping service, which is what everyone is looking for these days. Most of our customers are busy focussing on running their businesses, they want someone who can take care of their whole shipping task, which is what we’re able to do’.
A large part of Mercator’s diversifying has been into handling more car shipping consignments, these include importing or exporting vehicles for dealers, or shipping someone’s family car because they are moving abroad. We have also seen a bigger drive for freight forwarders to handle personal effects shipments: shipping someone’s personal goods because they are moving abroad.
‘People are beginning to look elsewhere from the traditional removal firms. Most of our personal effects clients are happy to muck in, pack the container themselves and then unload it at their new home. Doing it this way is more cost-effective as you’re cutting out a great deal of manpower’.
Mercator offers sea, air and road freight across the globe. If you have a shipment you would like to discuss or have a shipment ready to go, then do get in touch either by calling +44 2392 756 575 or emailing sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk
