Lots of fun on the job

[Transnational networks work when there are people behind them who communicate openly, pursue common goals and respect each other. With this look behind the scenes, we introduce you to employees within the European Food Network who, with their know-how and enthusiasm for the job, ensure that your food products are available across Europe every day.]

In this article, Marco Schwab, Dispatcher for local transports at Spedition Heidelmann GmbH in Schwalmstadt, tells us how he ended up in his current job and which details of his job he would rather not reveal.

What I like most is working in a well-functioning team with my colleagues. The daily exchange enables me to keep expanding my knowledge. Another positive point is the self-determined work. As a Dispatcher, I have the opportunity to work and plan very independently and freely.

My working day is best described by a night shift: First, I get an overview. I look at the overview of staffing and sickness levels as well as the holiday schedule and how many vehicles are available. Then I check my e-mails and find out about the special features of this shift, for example regional holidays or important information from colleagues on the day shift.

After I have obtained an overall view and the consignment data has been electronically transmitted to us by the network partners, I start to plan. This means that I plan the tours for the current delivery day and always consult with the warehouse staff regarding the loading and unloading of the trucks. Currently, about 40 to 50 tours are planned per day, which go to various central warehouses as well as to smaller recipients in our local transport area, which roughly covers the area from Kassel to Göttingen and Gießen to Fulda. After the scheduling, the pre-planning of the pick-up scheduling takes place, which is dependent on the delivery tours. At the end of the night dispatching, I prepare the freight documents and the scanners for our drivers. Finally, there is a short handover to the day shift.

The most difficult task for me is to maintain an overview in every situation, as the time window between the transmission of the consignment and the necessary tour scheduling is very short. Other challenges are to optimally utilise the vehicles while not exceeding the load limit and shift times of the drivers. In local transport, there is a basic vehicle deployment plan, but due to the volatile consignment volumes, every day has to be planned differently and for me that means proving flexibility anew every day.

After eight years in industry, I was looking for a change or a new professional challenge in the commercial field. Heidelmann gave me the perspective of first completing my training as a Forwarding Agent and then being taken on as a permanent employee. In my opinion, the most important prerequisites for this profession are a high degree of resilience, good teamwork skills, communication skills and flexibility. What I particularly like is that Heidelmann attaches great importance to team-building, employee satisfaction, respectful and appreciative interaction, but of course also to efficient processes and profitability. In addition, the company offers its employees great further training opportunities and super promotion prospects in the context of regular discussions.

We often have situations where we laugh together and I often have to smile. But I won't reveal the details 😉Especially on the night shift, I spend the breaks with my colleagues from the office and warehouse. If time allows on the day shift, I pick up my daughter from kindergarten and stay at home during the lunch break or drive back to my colleagues. After a full day at work, I prefer to spend my free time with my wife and two children. Otherwise, you can find me at the football field coaching a team in league play.

I hope that I have been able to give you a little insight into my everyday working life and that you have enjoyed reading this. A tip for more good humour at work: Just exchange a few jokes with your colleagues and you'll have a lot of fun! Two people meet in a bar ... 

Your Marco Schwab