As a logistic manager, Lee Kon San is responsible for overseeing the logistic arrangements which goes from keeping up-to-date of the shipping schedule, preparing the documentation for shipping purposes to preparing the items for customs clearance. It is a job that requires a strong attention to detail.
On his way up to being a logistic manager, Lee started his journey with Gemilang in 1997 where he came in as a general manager where he oversaw the warehouse and factory production.
In his tenure with Gemilang who is tasked with overseeing the company’s logistic activities, according to Lee, one of the most challenging parts of his job is to constantly look for cost-effective ways for the import and export service.
“Cost of freight is very sensitive to the cost of the product. If the logistics cost is high, the margin for the profit will not be as high as you’re already paying so much on the freight cost. Everytime we export, we need to compare the price by various companies to get a better deal.”
To Lee, being knowledgeable on the Malaysian Custom procedure and documentation is an important skill to attain in order to work in the logistic industry.
“It will be very hard for them to catch up if they do not know much about it. Sometimes, we can attain knowledge by reading the newspaper . When there are important announcements related to logistics, then we can act quickly and inform our sales team instead of waiting for the agent to inform us.”
Communication, self-initiative and learning from mistakes are one of the biggest lessons that he has learned.
“Having been in this field for years, I learned that having constant communication among ourselves and to other departments we engage with is important so that everyone is aligned to the goal. Besides that, self-initiative is crucial in order to thrive within this industry. Beyond that, I always advised my team members that we should learn from our mistakes and avoid repeating the same mistakes.
On his way up to being a logistic manager, Lee started his journey with Gemilang in 1997 where he came in as a general manager where he oversaw the warehouse and factory production.
In his tenure with Gemilang who is tasked with overseeing the company’s logistic activities, according to Lee, one of the most challenging parts of his job is to constantly look for cost-effective ways for the import and export service.
“Cost of freight is very sensitive to the cost of the product. If the logistics cost is high, the margin for the profit will not be as high as you’re already paying so much on the freight cost. Everytime we export, we need to compare the price by various companies to get a better deal.”
To Lee, being knowledgeable on the Malaysian Custom procedure and documentation is an important skill to attain in order to work in the logistic industry.
“It will be very hard for them to catch up if they do not know much about it. Sometimes, we can attain knowledge by reading the newspaper . When there are important announcements related to logistics, then we can act quickly and inform our sales team instead of waiting for the agent to inform us.”
Communication, self-initiative and learning from mistakes are one of the biggest lessons that he has learned.
“Having been in this field for years, I learned that having constant communication among ourselves and to other departments we engage with is important so that everyone is aligned to the goal. Besides that, self-initiative is crucial in order to thrive within this industry. Beyond that, I always advised my team members that we should learn from our mistakes and avoid repeating the same mistakes.
