Every issue of Cargo Insights features one such hero, and this time we would like to highlight the life of Virender Sharma, Vice President of S.A. Consultants & Forwarders’ Air Freight Division, in his own words. We pay tribute to both the “sung” and the “unsung” heroes who have paved the way for us.
Virender Sharma has been with SA Consultants for two decades and is still moving forward. Although his growth trajectory has met expectations, he still has a long way to go before achieving his professional goals. He began his career with S.A. Consultants & Forwarders at a very young age and was given several possibilities, from managing the accounts in the beginning to expanding the company’s operations. Sharma recalls, “I still get a thrill when I think back to those freezing nights when we used to stay late in the office to do the work relating to pricing and accounting.
Inspiration
Since I have been in this business for almost three decades, it has come to feel like a family. To be completely honest, I did not choose to work in this field, but it was undoubtedly one of my finest choices. Since I’m from a city like Ambala, there weren’t many professional options there at the time. With the assistance of my late uncle, K.K. Sharma, I entered this sector after completing my education. Afterwards, I understood that this is among the best industries to work in. There are always new things to learn, difficulties to overcome, and incredible opportunities available. During the difficult period of the COVID pandemic, everyone noted the significance of our industry on a global scale.
Challenges
Because we always rely on third parties in our trade, there are a plethora of issues that one must deal with in my scope of work. One such challenge is to ensure that all parties involved in any export transaction are satisfied by completing it within a specified timeframe. Even though, as previously stated, we must rely on third parties and have no direct control over them. I was terrified and apprehensive about dealing with such a scenario at first, but I gradually changed my mindset and sought to figure out the root cause of the problem in a positive and calm frame of mind, as well as come up with a long-term solution. Because the outcome of my new mindset was so positive, I adopted it in both my professional and personal life.
We must be ready, for the industry in which we work, operates around-the-clock, every day of the year
In the event of a doubt, one should not let their viewpoint on the matter stop them from asking a question in front of another person. Also, once an issue is brought to his or her attention, he or she should be able and eager to offer a remedy. In addition to the aforementioned, integrity and punctuality are required of everyone.
latest trends and technologies
I am constantly inspired to try new things because of my tremendous desire to learn new things. I consider myself fortunate to have started my career at a time when things were progressively embracing new technologies. This was advantageous for me since I have seen both phases and can easily see how the technology benefits society, which keeps me interested in embracing such new things.
The sector has changed dramatically over the years. For instance, slot systems have replaced long lines of trucks, and manual typewriters have been replaced by software for the issuance of export-related documentation. As was previously stated, I have quickly embraced these things because people of my generation have experienced the success of work improvement because of changes taking place around us, and I have a desire to learn new things.
Work-life balance
We must be ready, for the industry in which we work operates around the clock every day of the year. Therefore, once more, I tried to address this by distributing the workload among myself and my co-workers in a way that ensured nobody had to interfere with their personal lives in order to finish our mission. Due to the demands of the job, we therefore managed to maintain a balance between work and personal life.
The key to working with integrity is to stay motivated and avoid getting comfortable, have the hunger for knowledge and flexibility, Before everyone, practise modesty. These are a few of the standard prerequisites for success in life, regardless of the pitch. In addition to the aforementioned, the motto of success in our sector is to have a solid grasp of geography and international trade affairs.
Proud Moment
I recall one instance when the airlines were transitioning to a new online booking platform, with a tendency for only multinationals to choose such a platform, and we had to do a lot of reflection and feel proud for having done that. A premier carrier came up to us at that time and offered us the option to use their software. I can gladly tell you that because the companies that had this software before us were unable to meet the carrier’s standards, we adapted it so quickly and effectively that even the carrier was shocked by this. We received kudos for our accomplishment the following morning from that carrier’s top management. By doing this, the carrier’s perspective towards local businesses altered, and it began to include all relevant businesses participating in the trade in such projects.
I believe this could be one of the contributions I have made for the betterment of the logistics trade.
There are always new things to learn, difficulties to overcome, and incredible opportunities available
