What happens if a hard core transport company brings in a touch of nurturing to its business? It helps the company grow successfully taking along all its stakeholders.
Ms. Poornima Vijay Patil has taught people at Neha Transport (NT) that with patience even tough truckers can be moulded to become responsible professionals.
Born in Sangli, Maharashtra, 40-year-old Ms. Patil opted for a love marriage and with the support of her spouse, this commerce graduate pursued MBA degree in finance. Having worked as a supply chain head for an MNC right after her graduation, Ms. Patil resigned her job of 12 years and joined NT four years ago. She brought in a professional yet nurturing approach to the company which till then was functioning as a traditional single owner business with little professional help.
Mr. Mahesh V. Bhosale, Owner, NT, gave her complete freedom to hire staff, set up a formal office, get the necessary infrastructure… to the extent that the company which began with seven trucks and seven drivers today owns 32 trucks and the total number of employees, including drivers, is over 90. It is Ms. Patil who worked towards getting ISO certification for NT, developed network overseas, set up a sister concern – Neha Fleet Solutions and the turnover of NT upped from Rs. 3.5 crores four years ago to almost Rs. 15 crores.
It was never gender but brains behind Ms. Patil’s success until two incidents left her with a bitter taste.
One was when NT’s senior most driver in the company, along with the juniors under his influence, tried to best her by conspiring not to take an urgent consignment to Chennai. She solved that by hiring a driver from outside the company to accompany her husband who opted to drive the truck. Later, she fired the trouble-making drivers and sent a strong message to other drivers that such underhanded methods will attract severe repercussions.
The second was when raw iron casting worth Rs. 10 lakhs was stolen from their godown in Chennai. Accompanied by her husband, she went from pillar to post trying to catch the thieves. The police inspector refused to register an FIR let alone talk to her because she was a woman and told her so on her face. Later she learnt that the watchman of the godown, at the instigation of the local truck union – who having felt that NT has taken away their business – the robbery was committed. Not only did she lose the expensive cargo, but she felt that for the first time in her work experience she was dealt with a gender ‘hand’ and not as a transport professional with brains.
She shares: “Since some time, we stopped dealing in cash. We have opened bank accounts for all our drivers. En route they use ATM cards. We have tied up with BPCL for fuel cards to be used by our drivers. Each driver has his own dedicated vehicle making him responsible for it. We have hired a person who ensures that incoming drivers are given meals, are guided to the rest rooms that we have built for them and enquires after their health and their family situation, the vehicle status and if any maintenance required.”
Ms. Patil began holding regular health camps for all drivers – any one holding a HCV license – and their families. Every year at the beginning of the new academic year, all the children of their drivers are gifted new uniforms, bags and stationary. Even the wives of their drivers know who to call when there is trouble at home, especially with their husbands.
She explains: “Our owner advised me to not speak to the drivers because they are rough and that they should be kept at an arm’s distance because they may fleece a lady boss. But I know that everyone, including truckers, needs nurturing. Now, Mr. Bhosale not only acknowledges it but applies it himself when possible.”
Nothing succeeds like achieving a perfect balance of male-female energies, even in a transport company.