Mike Zimmerman: Driving Best in Class Bestway
Staying ahead of the curve isn’t just a platitude at Bestway, but a promise. The ability to pivot fast and look at the tremendous number of solutions and opportunities available allows us to build a stronger team. Logistics is full of shared challenges – as long as the solutions worked, people have done the same things in the same way for so many years that when the industry gets a wrench thrown into it, disruption escalates rapidly. When they have Bestway behind them, we can step in and find solutions that work.
There has been no shortage of issues in logistics for the last few years. One example is the situation on the west coast. Ocean freight out through Los Angeles is a problem, so Bestway understands the client’s need to shift to Oakland or Houston. Our clients want to talk about new options for doing things to meet the moment and fight the disruption.
“The best thing about Bestway is that we’re a small company and that lets us pivot, and experiment, while we track, and test options. We don’t have a corporate board or red tape to work through to deploy a solution for our customers. All we need to do is have a conversation and present our ideas and we can move forward much more rapidly than other companies,” said Mike.
In addition to traditional cold calling, a more targeted approach to who we’re speaking with allows us to be more efficient in the way we help our clients. Mike’s experience paired with brilliant creativity and Bestway’s commitment to cross-training and excellence elevate our customer service past the typical logistics offerings to deploy a custom-tailored client service approach that uniquely understands the market and the future offerings beyond the horizon.
“Myself and the leadership team here see onboarding new accounts or new lanes of business as a key area of differentiation between us and the rest of the pack,” explains Mike. “Shippers are under stress and they are experiencing the fatigue of broken promises and processes. They are very open to fresh ideas and new approaches.”
Bestway has traditionally focused on clients within the Kansas City region, where now we’re moving towards more of a national focus where clients all across the country can experience Bestway’s high service standards. Outside sales team members can continue to focus on their territory and nurture those relationships while the system and processes put in place here allow us to use both our inside and outside sales teams as a medium to secure business in new markets in a strategic and efficient way. We bring the Bestway promise to a national audience and deliver the same high-quality results that can only be achieved by face-to-face visits, finding people who need help, and a personal touch that tells our clients we understand and we can help.
When asked about his future goals with Bestway, Mike elaborates, “Find the right people with whom we can build strong relationships that are long-lasting and allow us to highlight that the service we provide is second to none. Our operations team is best in class and the more people we can connect with and treat well, the better. My job is to facilitate an efficient customer acquisition process through automation using tools that get us in front of more people who need our help so they can experience what Bestway does for them from a customer relationship standpoint. The hope is that we ensure people are well taken care of and find more businesses who value excellent customer service.”
When Mike isn’t exercising his communication skills and ensuring Bestway always puts her best foot forward, he enjoys spending time with his family on a lake or enjoying all of the things the mountains have to offer. We know he will have a long, successful career with our company, making sure each customer experiences the Bestway difference.
