Interview with Rania Skouta, the Operation Manager of Globalia Piraeus

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“In the last few years, the global supply chain sector has been busy implementing digitized services to better serve its customers. Digitization in logistics helps to speed up the response time, manage freights bookings on spot, and make the documents accessible any time you need.”

This week we interviewed Mrs. Rania Skouta, the Operation Manager of Globalia Piraeus. In this interview, Mrs. Skouta talks about the beginnings of her company, its expansion, the industry challenges, and the road to the future.

Q. When and how did you get into the freight forwarding industry?

A. I joined the freight forwarding department with specializations in operation. To begin with, I was in search of the right field for me, and in fact, I was a little apprehensive if I could fit into this sector. However, I instantly fell in love with this line of work and started to successfully execute many operational tasks in the freight forwarding sector.

Feroniki SA- independent freight forwarder
Rania Skouta from Globalia Piraeus

Q. Can you tell us a little about the history of Feroniki?

A. Our company was founded back in 1985 by Mr. Papagianopoulos. Back then, Feroniki used to operate solely as a customs broker. In 1993, Mr. Papagianopoulos decided to expand in the transportation and logistics industry. In the same year, he created the freight forwarding department under the same company. Since then, we never looked back. Over the years, we have achieved several milestones, forged strategic alliances, made significant investments, expanded our workforce, acquired important certifications, and presently we count on a network of trustworthy international logistics partners. At the moment, we are living up to our expectations by considerably expanding the scope of our business as well as our profits.

Q. What distinguishes Feroniki from other freight forwarders in your city?

A. First and foremost, it is our excellent team that distinguishes us from other forwarders in Piraeus. My teammates are experts in their fields who know exactly what it takes to keep up to the expectations of our customers. Our intimate knowledge of the sector, our connections with carriers and international agents, along with the flexibility we offer, prompt our customers to come back to us for all their logistic needs. Clients all around the world are looking for one thing- an easier solution for their transport. This is precisely what we offer.

We own three offices in the city. One office is entirely dedicated to customs clearance, one for our freight forwarding department, and last but not least our head office. Moreover, since we offer comprehensive logistic services including shipping, clearance, and transportation, there is no need for our customers to contact other agents. Lastly, we offer quality services at a very affordable rate. This is yet another factor behind our success.

Q. What are the challenges facing the freight forwarding industry at the moment? How is Feroniki dealing with the challenges?

A. The pandemic was surely the most pressing challenge this industry had to face in recent years. Moreover, the increasing competition, the challenge posed by the multinationals, and the move toward automation are also significant hurdles for independent freight forwarders. In these difficult times, we are constantly working hard to improve our services and meet the requirements of our customers. The right attitude & willingness to find the solution for the shipment are the two keys to bypassing the challenges.

‘Over the years we have achieved several milestones, forged strategic alliances, made significant investments, expanded our workforce, acquired important certifications, and presently we count on a network of trustworthy international logistics partners.                                                                                                                     

Q. How do you think technology is changing the freight forwarding industry?

A. In the last few years, the global supply chain sector has been busy implementing digitized services to better serve its customers. I am a big enthusiast of online freight forwarding services. It enormously simplifies the task, reduces the chances of errors, keeps the customers satisfied, and helps us save a lot of time. Additionally, digitization in logistics helps to speed up the response time, manage freight bookings on spot, and make the documents accessible any time you need. Moreover, it allows agents all over the world as well as customers to access these documents. Feroniki has acquired the top of the line digital systems and advanced technological equipment to ensure client convenience, cargo safety, and the utmost protection of the customers’ personal data.

Q. From your own experience, which are the keys to success in the freight forwarding industry?

A. The route to success is to be resilient in the face of challenges. My motto is to keep on learning and improving and to not give up under any circumstances. My message to independent freight forwarders is to be fearless, persistent, and open to new things.

Globalia members with shipments to/from Piraeus, Greece, are invited to get in touch with their professional team.