The beginning of each year is often a time to reflect and to plan for the new year. We recently sat down with Angie Blattner, the General Manager of W.I.S. Logistics, and asked her a few questions. Here’s what she had to say:

Tell us a little bit about yourself. How long have you worked at W.I.S. Logistics? What do you do in your role as General Manager?
I have been with W.I.S. Logistics for almost 15 years and in the industry for 25 years. As the General Manager I oversee operations, sales and marketing so I certainly stay busy.

On the personal side of things, I have two grown boys, one who recently got engaged! I also have a few “grand dogs.” I enjoy spending my free time with my family and friends.

 

With needs and technology evolving, how does W.I.S. Logistics stand out and appeal to those looking for a third-party logistics provider?
We are constantly investing back into the company with what we feel is the best technology available. In fact, this past year we invested in a new TMS system (Transportation Management System) so our customers could have the most up-to-date information at their fingertips.

 

2021 was a year of upheaval especially for the logistics and trucking industry. Could you share an experience in the past year that demonstrates that and how W.I.S. Logistics responded?
LTL carriers (such as FedEx) are at a record high capacity, which is causing issues throughout their network and in response most have had to raise their accessorial charges on top of base rate increases. This greatly impacted one of our large customers. We started looking at and continue to look at new avenues of moving freight for them. Sometimes where there wasn’t price savings in consolidations previously, it now makes sense because of the increase in rates elsewhere. We have had to think outside the box and revisit ideas that previously were not viable options.

 

As we begin 2022, what are some of your goals for W.I.S. Logistics in this next year?
It all comes down to our customer. We want to continue to find new avenues to move freight effectively and in a cost-effective manner for our customers. And we want to continue to provide our high-quality customer service at the same level our customers have experienced and expect. We will continue to do this even in the tight capacity and high sense of urgency environment we have lived throughout 2021 and that we expect to continue in 2022.

 

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the industry in 2022?
This one can be short: the two biggest challenges will be capacity and labor shortages. I’m just glad that W.I.S. Logistics is in a good place to meet these demands from both the customer service side and the carrier side.

 

You are proud of the culture and people of W.I.S. Logistics. How would you describe the most important values of the company?
We have five core values that we live and breathe here at W.I.S. Logistics. I would say the most important of them is family. We take care of one another, which allows us to take care of our customers and carriers. We are also responsible, driven and have a service-first culture. And not to forget the core value that allowed us to survive the past year – Happy. We come in each and every day with a positive attitude.

 

It’s that time of year for resolutions. Is there a personal goal that you want to achieve in 2022?
Absolutely, I have many, but the one that is most important to me this year is to be more present.