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no means the most senior in terms of age. However, he has found a way to make things run smoothly. “I work alongside the team, not above them,”


he explained. “I try to treat everyone the same; it is about having mutual respect between colleagues, and listening to each other’s point of view.”


Productivity “I always try to make things easier for everyone by finding the simplest solution,” he went on. “Hand in hand with that is time management; if you simplify a task, you can accomplish it more quickly, and that makes you more productive.” Jamie’s strong work ethic has delivered results


not only in terms of his own development, but also that of Morrison Freight. Tonnage, sales and European cross-trade have all increased substantially in the past year – thanks to the efforts of the whole export team, he stressed. The company’s intermodal service – which


Fast track to leadership


After moving from job to job in his late teens, Jamie Abbott found his groove at Morrison Freight – and went on to be named a runner-up in the BIFA Young Freight Forwarder of the Year award


YOUNG FREIGHT


FORWARDER OF THE YEAR AWARD SPONSOR


Jamie Abbott started his apprenticeship at Morrison Freight in 2014, completing the course in nine months – well ahead of schedule. Described as dedicated, diligent and determined, he has also completed an NVQ in business techniques led by the College of West Anglia, BIFA-led Export & Import training and Hazardous Cargo Awareness training. He is now responsible for growth, profitability


and budgets for the export division as well as being a key account manager for clients in the retail, construction and manufacturing sectors. Among the experiences that have shaped


Jamie was working with a particular colleague in the early stages of his career at Morrison Freight. “Scott helped and taught me a lot,” Jamie said. “When he progressed to another department I


July 2020


Following the announcement of finalists and winners in January, BIFAlink profiles the successful individuals in the Apprentice of the Year and Young Freight Forwarder categories. For your chance to shine start thinking about your submission for the 2020 BIFA Freight Service Awards (competition opens in summer 2020).


was able to take on the export department using what I had learnt from him and, in turn, improve. That was a big learning experience.” His self-motivation has resulted in increasing


management responsibilities for Jamie. He also mentors junior staff, helping them to develop their own skills. Taking on more of a leadership role has not


been without challenges. Jamie may be the longest-serving member of his team, but he is by


allows some freight to move via train for part of its journey on routes between the UK and Belgium, Germany and Italy – is one example of how a more simplified approach to sales can make a difference. Jamie explained: “Rail transport was a bit of a


slow burner because it was sold in a complicated way at first. But customers just want to know how much something will cost, and how long it will take; they need a clear explanation of the outcome, not a detailed discussion of the process.” Introduced about a year ago, this option now


accounts for nearly a third of the export department’s work.


Trust Jamie has also helped Morrison Freight grow its activity with regard to exports to Switzerland. That experience of dealing with a country outside the EU, as well as his involvement in the company’s authorised economic operator (AEO) accreditation, led to his appointment as a trusted advisor to customers on the impact of a no-deal Brexit. Obtaining AEO status was a key part of


Morrison Freight’s Brexit protection strategy. Jamie took a proactive approach to learn as much as possible about the political process and its implications in order to provide up-to-date information to customers. He said: “I try to keep everything as simple as


possible and tell customers what they need to know. Some steel manufacturers, for instance, have been quite worried because their business depends a lot on the EU. We have to put them at their ease and reassure them that as freight forwarders, it is our job to worry, not theirs.”


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