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Produce Show Daily Thursday, October 19, 2017 4 Service Centers: A Crucial Link in the Fresh Supply Chain By Craig Mack, Director of Global Sourcing, Service Centers, Robinson Fresh When it comes to understanding the fresh produce supply chain, most people know that the journey begins at harvest and ends with consumers. But in between those two points, there's a whole process that's pivotal to the quality of the fresh fruits and vegetables – as well as other perishables and temperature-sensitive commodities – that end up in stores, in restaurant kitchens and on consumers' plates. That key link: service centers. Service Centers at a Glance To efficiently and effectively keep the flow of goods moving from field to shelf – while avoiding any hiccups in the sup- ply chain that could impact the quality of the product or cause delays in the supply chain – service centers must have well- defined processes in place. Depending on the product, service centers function in different ways. For produce and other temperature-sensitive goods – which add complexity, urgency and respon- sibility to the supply chain – there are some key features that are essential for the fresh supply chain. Strategic location. Service centers that are located near key ports of entry, major interstates, forward distribution hubs and growing regions are optimal; these strategic locations are easy to access and contribute to supply chain efficiency. Space and amenities: To be able to flex up to meet the capacity demands during Able Freight Services' Technology Puts Customers' Needs First Believed to be first coined by the famous Selfridge's Department Store in London, the slogan "the customer is always right" was originally intended to convey to the store's patrons that they could always expect the best in customer service. In today's data-driven business envi- ronment, the meaning of that old adage has taken on a new perspective. The cus- tomer is still always right, but now it's for a host of new reasons related to the vast pool of information easily available on the Internet. Online retail pricing comparison tools are a standard expectation of today's modern lives, and consumers expect instant ratings and reviews to advise them on which products and com- panies to use – or to avoid. Word of mouth, always a powerful force in pre- digital times, now takes on a new dimen- sion through social media and can some- times make or break a company. Orlando Wong, Able Freight Services' Executive Vice President, notes that the new challenges brought about by greater reliance upon technology-sup- ported customer service and operations cannot be overstated. "If the industry does not effectively adapt to changes in technology, then the risk of obsolescence becomes very real, very fast," explains Wong. To that end, Wong championed Able Freight Services' team to become one of the first to create a Technology and Innovation Department within a perishable freight forwarding company. According to Wong, Able's leadership in the transportation and logis- tics industry is because of the company's focus upon data and analytics systems, Continued on Page 73 Continued on Page 73 AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH PMA Kimberly Oser Publisher Jules Denton Senior Associate Publisher Lorrie Baumann Editorial Director JoEllen Lowry • Jeanie Catron • Karrie Welborn Associate Editors Yasmine Brown Art Director Jonathan Schieffer Graphic Designer Caitlyn McGrath • Sarah Glenn Customer Service Managers Jay Watson • Hannah Stefanovich Show Logistics & Distribution John Pechota Sales Floor Manager Marcos Morhaim Senior Account Manager Adrian Chacon • Beth Painter Account Managers Tara Neal Director of Operations Enrico Cecchi European Sales Produce Show Daily is published by Oser Communications Group ©2017 All rights reserved. Executive and editorial offices at: 1877 N. Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715 520.721.1300/Fax: 520.721.6300 European offices located at Lungarno Benvenuto Cellini, 11, 50125 Florence, Italy www.osercommunicationsgroup.com Lee M. Oser Founder