Tell us a bit about how your journey in logistics began – was it something you always planned, or did it take you by surprise?
I started working in logistics in 2006.
It wasn’t planned, as at the time I was working as a salesman in a completely different field.
Through a personal connection, I knew the owner of a customs brokerage company who was about to open a forwarding company. He asked me if I would be interested in being part of it, and that’s how it all started!
How have recent global developments, such as geopolitical tensions, changing trade lanes, or supply chain disruptions, affected your business?
Yes, they did.
Beyond changes in services and price increases in affected areas and on main routes, we had to stay close to our customers, suggesting alternatives and continuing to show our willingness to support them.
We are firmly convinced that supporting our customers is one of our main strengths, as we always try to act as logistics partners, keeping an eye on their specific needs.
AI is becoming a bigger topic in logistics. Do you see it mainly as a tool to improve efficiency, or do you think it will completely change certain roles in the industry?
I see AI as a tool to improve efficiency.
Our job is mainly to find solutions, and this does not simply mean opening a website, pushing a couple of buttons, and then dragging and dropping information.
We are the ones who must use all the possible tools available to us, but we also need to read between the lines of the information we collect, analyze it carefully, and then provide solutions.
The efficiency of every tool we decide to use, not only in the digital world, ultimately depends on us.
What skills do you believe the next generation of logistics professionals will need most?
Proactivity, and the awareness that personal relationships with customers and partners are just as important as knowing the basics of logistics.
In your opinion, what makes a logistics partnership truly successful?
Trust.
Customers don’t need to know that you are the best in the market, but they do need to know that they can count on your support.
Is there a specific achievement, shipment, project, or milestone in your career that you are especially proud of?
There is no specific event.
What makes me proud is still having the willingness to learn something new every day.
Since joining, what has been the most useful or valuable part of the network for your company?
We found it very helpful to have the opportunity to be FMC compliant through AGSL.
Even in just a few months, we have found very suitable members who support us in improving our business, and we are very confident that we can do great things in the near future!
What would you say to a company that is considering joining but has not yet made a decision?
I personally had the chance to be part of several networks throughout my career, but I found that many of them were more focused on activities that had little to do with effectively improving partnerships between members.
In ALFA FAMILY, I found the same attitude I have towards this. We are here to get to know each other and build new relationships, but always with a clear focus on our main goal: improving our business.
For that reason, I would strongly recommend it.
What is one item you always need to have with you during a busy workday?
My water bottle, always by my side. 😊
Thank you, Stefano, for sharing your experience and insights with us. It was a pleasure featuring you in Inside Alfa.
