Finnish company Valio has used CHS Group’s forwarding services for many years. CHS exports Valio’s powdered milk, whey powder, and cheese to the Near and the Far East both in shipping containers and as air freight.
Valio is one of Finland’s largest food exporters, and competition in logistics is hard. “Excellent service is usually the crucial aspect that can set one actor apart from the rest,” remarks Valio’s Transportation Manager Mikko Saastamoinen.
”Valio on maanviljelijöiden ja osuuskuntien omistuksessa, ja meillä on pitkälti kotimaiset juuret. Siinä mielessä CHS on vastaavanlainen kuin Valio: puhtaasti kotimaisia huolintaliikkeitä ei ole kovin monia”, Saastamoinen pohtii.
”Erinomainen palvelu on yleensä se ratkaiseva tekijä, joka voi erottaa yhden toimijan muista.”
Efficient and reliable collaboration
CHS:n edeltäjä Geodis oli pitkän aikaa Valion kumppani. Yritysoston myötä CHS otti Valion asiakkuuden hoitoonsa, ja vaikka yhteistyökumppani siirtyi nimellisesti uuteen omistukseen, tuttuja yhteyshenkilöitä pysyi matkassa mukana.
The companies have straightforward collaboration and they communicate regularly both via meetings and more informal phone calls.
“In addition to phone calls we aim at meeting up with CHS every month or two, to keep our channels of communication open and systematic,” Mikko Saastamoinen says.
Valio’s Customer Care Manager Elina Elovirta-Saxén concurs and thanks CHS for the fast answers it provides:
“CHS answers our questions quickly, and my team members are especially enthusiastic about CHS’s air freight services. CHS has often been able to provide win-win solutions for a competitive price even in tricky situations.”
Elina Elovirta-Saxén also appreciates personal service and people-oriented operations.
“I think Valio’s named contact people are the best part of our collaboration: there is always a familiar person answering calls and emails, we never get faceless email responses. CHS’ advantage is the personal service we get from them,” she says.
Valion asiakaspalvelutiimi on erityisen kiitollinen CHS:lle:
”Useamman kuin kerran tai kaksi olen kuullut, että CHS on suorastaan pelastanut meidät pulasta! Muutamankin kerran on CHS:n avulla löytynyt juuri sopiva reitti, hinta tai aikataulu kuljetukselle ja asiakas on ollut tyytyväinen”, Elovirta-Saxén iloitsee.
Agility, speed, and commitment are the best benefits
CHS was able to inform Valio and come up with necessary solutions and routes also during the exceptional spring of 2020 when the coronavirus hit.
“Rapid service and good quality-price-ratio are extremely critical, especially in air freight. Despite the decrease in air freight capacity, CHS has delivered good alternatives for us,” says Elina Elovirta-Saxén.
CHS’s commitment and ability to think of the customer’s best interests are apparent to Valio.
“If we have special requests, CHS’ employees always strive to find the best solution. They do not offer off-the-shelf answers. They look into the issues and try to find the solution that will suit us best,” says Saastamoinen.
Elina Elovirta-Saxén appreciates CHS not losing its flexibility and agility, although the company has grown:
“They always find good solutions for us and fast, too. Even in surprising situations, CHS’s reactions are praiseworthy.”
Finding the absolute lowest price is not the most important issue in collaboration.
“Price alone is not the most essential issue. High-quality, reliable operations, and keeping schedules are highly important as well,” Mikko Saastamoinen points out.