After more than three decades Caribbean Shipping Agencies Limited have become a force to be reckoned with, acting as a highly diversified agency in all air and seaports across the islands of Trinidad and Tobago in the West Indies. Business Development Manager Kevin Choo Quan had a lot to say about the best ways to keep staff motivated.

KEEPING THE CREW TOGETHER

WRITTEN BY JACK SLATER

CSA has always been a company focussed

on customer service and due to this the

company has enjoyed a healthy organic

growth which has taken them from a small enterprise to a medium

sized company in a short period of time.

“In 2003 we had twenty three members of staff,” Kevin reflects,

“Today we employ fifty two.”

He goes on to say that their management team includes people

who have been employed with CSA for over twenty years and some of

them were part of the original team that founded the company in the

first place with the founder, owner and chairman of the company, Mr.

Barry Antoni still running the business.

Diversification of operations, strong organic growth, employee

focus and development has been a long standing approach for CSA

which has stood them in good tide from the very beginning. In 1997

they further diversified their operation through the representation

of a five thousand ton Bulk Cargo Barge and this led them to an

expansion of their footprint with the ability to deliver cargo and

construction materials to various projects throughout the Caribbean

and South American region.

It is the staff working with CSA however, that is the real key to

the CSA’s success and specifically the manner in which those in charge

manage them. Kevin explains, “We believe in an open door policy and

our managers endeavour to keep open lines of communications at all

times.”

Input from the employees is an incredibly important tool for

the managers, Kevin insists, as employees are not only the hands

on aspect of the company but also the eyes on the ground and may

have a better day-to-day operational perspective. Some of the most

important developments and changes that a business can make are

the smallest ones that are simply made to help make an employee’s

job easier and more efficient.

“It goes further than that,” Kevin continues, “For employees to feel

comfortable enough to speak openly with their managers regarding

what they need to do their job well, they need to feel that they are in

an environment where such information will be taken sensibly and in

the spirit it’s delivered. To ensure this our Chairman, Mr. Barry Antoni

has always promoted a family type of atmosphere. A legacy of CSA

CARIBBEAN SHIPPING AGENCIES LTD

Being heavily involved in freight forwarding and customs brokerage as well as a myriad of other shipping services, Kevin explains that their success has come from providing their customers with a door-to-door logistics solutions for all of their shipping needs, “We have represented every kind of vessel over the last twenty five years,” he elaborates, “From Container Ships and tankers to training and fishing vessels.”

Port Authority of Trinidad & TobagoThe strategic hub in the southern-most waters of the Caribbean, where trade lanes between the Americas and the great oceans of the world converge

Administrative Building, 1 Dock Road, Port of Spain (868) 623-2901-5

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which the managers of today and the future managers of tomorrow

are keen to maintain.”

Training and development is very important at CSA who are

completely in support of academic achievements and assist a number

of employees in pursuing their educational goals. Understanding the

importance of education not only from a professional stand point

but also from one regarding the personal feeling of achievement an

employee will gain from advancing their education and certifications,

CSA even makes allowances for paid time off if necessary. Something

that continued even through the tough economic times years ago

during which CSA were able to sustain and maintain their staff while

other businesses were letting people go.

“Additionally, if it is seen as being advantageous managers may

offer to fund training and development courses for their employees,”

Kevin says, “The management at CSA appreciates their hard-working

and dedicated staff and continuously recognizes and rewards good

performance. They are what makes the company work.”

Indeed, it is through having such a highly experienced and

dedicated workforce that CSA are able to offer their customers the

high level of service which has made them such a valued entity in the

shipping industry across the Caribbean. A level of service that does

not simply end at the finest on-line computer accounting system, the

first of its kind in the local industry that enables the timely remittances

to principals and owners, but also a professional response team

available twenty four hours a day, seven days a week to assist in a

client’s needs.

“When a client needs help, it is essential that we be there to offer

that assistance,” Kevin says, “Our policy is to partner with our clients,

look after their shipping interest and actively focus on bringing

innovation and cost effectiveness to their operations.”

An open door policy to their strategically placed offices located

only minutes away from the Port of Spain Terminal and Custom

Authorities where customers and clients are welcome to visit them

should they have a reason to.

Innovation is an important part for CSA and in July last year

(2013) the company launched INVIARE, a trackable courier service

to give customers a real-time manner in which to track the progress

of their goods. User friendly and straight forward this adds an extra

dimension of information technology to CSA which has proven to be

an essential asset to their various clients.

“This was followed, in February this year (2014) by Export LCL

Consolidated Services, which is part or our new strategy.”

In the past because there was not enough volume of product to

full a container, agencies would have to consolidate with each other

to full a container. This was not time efficient and did not suit the

philosophy of CSA who saw the advantage in owning the process.

Therefor Export LC Consolidated Services acts as a broker for

agencies looking to full containers. Working with manufacturers and

partners now they are in the driver seat and are able to offer it as

another part of the service to their clients.

“It is important to us that we are in control,” Kevin relates, “It is

important that we chart our own destiny.”

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