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United Cargo’s Managing
Director of Pricing, Revenue Management and Sales Strategy, David King
belies the green eyeshade, rolled-up sleeves, cliché image of a
moneyman. He prefers instead to be active in the marketplace, learning
from and about his customers and industry colleagues.
That is why David was at CNS Partnership
two weeks ago, and why he is in Munich at Transport Logistik Air Cargo
Europe all this week.
“Gaining up close and personal knowledge
of every aspect of the air cargo business, both people and processes,
builds insight into what’s working now and, more importantly, serves
as the basis for brainstorming and evaluating ways to improve,”
David said.
Hooked On
Airlines
David freely admits he is “hooked
on the airline business,” which is felicitous since this quiet,
determined, and very smart man has been given a unique opportunity in
2015 to chart a new course and create a proactive job function, which
he is clearly enjoying.
This is one air cargo executive that has
taken the practical application of his BBA in finance and his MBA in organizational
leadership to another level.
David provides a bit of history:
“I was recruited after college by
American Airlines.
“In 2006 I joined Continental Airlines
as a member of the cargo revenue management team in Houston, Texas, and
later departed CO to go into revenue management consulting.
“Robbie Anderson, then-President of
United Cargo, gave me the opportunity to rejoin the airline. I found that
I missed it quite a bit, so back I came.
“Now with Jan Krems leading the way,
and over 5,000 flights a day at United, we are poised to go far beyond
our past successes. My colleagues and I are motivated and value the opportunity.”
Hands On
Approach
“I travel about 40 percent of the
time, driven by the idea that every customer and partner of United has
a distinct personality and preferred way of doing business.
“The only way to learn how to exceed
your customers’ expectations is to connect with them personally.
“While I love air cargo and respect
the people in it, I also believe there is significant room for continuous
improvement in nearly every element of our business.
“It all comes down to creating value
for the customer and, by doing that, increasing our value to the company.
That’s exactly what we’re all about these days at United Cargo.
“One important change we are making:
we’re finally bringing revenue people into meetings with our customers.
“Traditionally, revenue teams have
used information funneled through the Cargo Sales team. Perhaps that’s
the easiest way, but it’s not the best way to function.
“We realized that to ensure relationships
work on every level, expectations need to be clear and consistent.
“Taking a wider view, I also believe
the industry needs to be better at delivering on its promises and driving
solutions to problems when issues arise.”
A Matter
Of Cultures
“One of the things I have always enjoyed
most, and one of the great benefits of being in the airline industry,
is learning about different cultures.
“I know that growing up in California
and Texas affects how I handle situations with co-workers and customers,
so I try to recognize how the background and experience of those I deal
with impacts the way they communicate.
“Breaking down the barriers to communication
and valuing the contributions of all stakeholders is key to advancing
the air cargo industry.
“We can become comfortable working
in our customary silos, but we need to break them down to let in new knowledge
and understanding.
“Stepping away from the familiar seems
risky, but I think the rewards are greater than anyone has imagined.
“This idea is linked to our new brand
slogan at UA: ‘We are responsible business partners.’
“That to me says it all.
“You embrace the risk and manage the
expectation.
“The key principle is a win-win all
around.
"With the airline, forwarder, and shipper
all aligned around that idea, a world of opportunities opens up.”
Talking Change
“The air cargo industry is evolving,”
David King insists.
“Whether we are talking about e-freight
or sustainability, it is our job to be knowledgeable about what this business
needs to advance.
 “We
all need to communicate better, and must discipline ourselves to focus
on building consistent understanding across all groups and functions.
“Operations teams, sales teams, revenue
management, procurement, finance teams—everyone in an organization
must understand what goals are achievable and embrace their specific roles
in building solutions.
“As an industry, we can only get to
where we need to be by including everyone in an atmosphere of change through
cooperation—and of course that includes forwarders and shippers
as well.
“Expectations will differ, and we
need to embrace those differences.
“If certain members of the supply
chain or business partners want to drive things along at a faster pace,
we need to be open to that possibility.
“For example, United Cargo is working
aggressively on our sustainability model.
“We’ve worked extensively with
our passenger colleagues to ensure the tools and programs we present to
the market are aligned. As custodians of the environment, we address expectations
so that everyone we serve understands the logic behind our approach and
can share our sustainability values.
“I love working on and driving solutions
for uncommon initiatives.
“Uncharted territory is always the
most interesting to me, so venturing into areas such as Sales Strategy
at United Cargo—where we are pioneering the next wave of change—is
very exciting."
Revenue Management
At Sales Events
“Somebody approached me at CNS and
asked:
"‘What’s a revenue management
person doing at CNS, which is basically a sales gathering?’
“I replied that the best decisions
will be made if each member of our business team is right there in the
room listening to what our customers need.
“Even if we interpret different meanings
from our own perspective, we can at least agree we heard exactly the same
words.
“From there, it’s much easier
to talk things through, realign misunderstandings, and determine how we
can work together to achieve the best results.”
Today & Tomorrow
“Jan Krems came to United Cargo last
July with a refreshing approach. He noted that while United is a global
company, in Cargo we were not always acting in a global manner—we
needed to understand and accommodate the cultural nuances in all the different
countries and regions where we do business.
“As someone born in the Netherlands,
with 25-plus years of success in international air cargo, Jan has a wealth
of knowledge to share about building business relationships all over the
globe.
“The Cargo team is using that insight
every day to connect with our team members and our customers.
“Today we are applying art and science
and better understanding in everything we do at United Cargo.
“It’s an exciting time for everyone
around the world at United Cargo,” David King said.
Geoffrey/Sabiha
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