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1. Don’t be a ghost
2. Don’t get preserved in aspic
3. Don’t be on output only

Don’t be a ghost…
How many profiles have you seen on linkedin where the picture is a ghostly outline of a person, which looks exactly like all the other ghostly outlines? Please ensure it is a flattering photo, in a work-ish setting, NOT on a Hen Night or at your wedding. No cats, logos or ‘phone numbers please. Please also make sure that you populate your profile properly; so many people set up a profile quickly then never return to it. People (and search engines) will search for you, and find you, and it may be a very obscure thing which the search engine picks up on, to make a connection between you and another linkedin member, so it is really worth going all the way back to senior school. I met a lady at a party recently and connected with her after a chat, only to find the Linkedin assumed we were “classmates from Edinburgh University” – I had not even known that she was there at the same time as me. Going back in time in your profile also means you have an effective online CV, which people will use to check you out, and to check that you are genuine. So take the time to make it look professional. If you’re a woman, include your maiden name in your profile – this won’t appear on your normal status but will if people see your profile page (in brackets before your married name). This is also important if people are trying to find you from your past. You can have a look at my profile at http://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthwaring

Don’t get preserved in aspic
Again a common mistake I see is people setting up an account and then leaving it. They don’t update it, and they never post any updates in their status. This just makes your profile look dated and, by association, makes you look dated. If you’re going to have a profile, invest the time in updating it. If you change jobs it is vital that you update your details, and your email address. Look at others’ profiles to see what they include in their status updates; whilst it is NOT a good idea to link your twitter account to linkedin (too much information), it is however a good idea to occasionally include a relevant tweet (with the hashtag #in) to populate your linkedin status. I try to go onto my profile each month and sense check it is still OK, and of course post another status update. The status update is very near the top of your profile when new people click on it – so make sure it is not about an event you went to in 2010.

Don’t be on output only
Linkedin is a great tool to find and be found – but if you’re only “on the take” (i.e. using it to find people without wanting them to find you) you’ll be disappointed and you’ll also be letting your personal brand down. Linkedin uses some very clever software so people whose profiles you research may be able to see that you have been looking at them – I can do this all the time – so they will then look at your profile to see who you are. If it is a rubbishy profile with zero connections this won’t do you any favours. Linkedin is a two way street and – as with most things in life – the more you put in the more you get out.

Ruth Waring, MD, Labyrinth Logistics Consulting Ltd

www.labyrinthsolutions.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter: @RuthWaring

Changes to the Transport Management arrangements

New regulations which will apply from December 2011, propose to regularise the relationship between an operator and his/her Transport Manager. There will need to be a contract between the operator and the Transport Manager setting out the tasks that the Transport Manager will perform; this will no longer be allowed to be a vague obligation of “continuous and effective control”.   The new regulations will set out in broad terms what it will cover, but this will be backed up by a list of core topics.   Where a problem occurs and there is a public inquiry, it will be for the Traffic Commissioner to determine where the blame lies.  However operators should not think that this is carte blanche to lay all the blame at the Transport Manager’s door.

In addition, nominated Transport Managers of both Standard National and International  goods vehicle operations have been requested to confirm that their individual details are up to date, the Central Licensing Unit at Leeds are also seeking further  information/detail to comply with the new regulations. All active Transport Managers should by now have completed a Transport Manager Questionnaire relating to the work they do (the deadline was 17^th October).  This questionnaire requires Transport Managers to state whether they are “internal or external” (the latter normally being a consultant). Those who work as an external transport manager will be limited to working for no more than 4 operators with a total fleet of no more than 50 vehicles.

All the information supplied via this questionnaire will be recorded on a National Register. If, following a Public Enquiry, a Transport Manager is declared “unfit” then this fact will be recorded on the National Register and the declaration will remain in place until the Traffic Commissioner determines that fitness has been restored.  It will be more important than ever that Transport Managers attend the public inquiry with legal representation.

The law change also affects those who gained the CPC qualification via Transport Manager Grandfather Rights (GFR) ‐ which are used as proof of professional competence to act as a transport manager.

In future the name for GFR will change to Transport Managers Acquired Rights AR to distinguish that the new rights were issued in compliance with Article 9 of the new of the new EU regulation on operator licensing (EC Regulation 1071/2009).  The Regulation requires a Transport Manager with AR to demonstrate they have continuously managed at least one road haulage operation for a period of ten years prior to 4^th December 2009 (temporary breaks in this requirement for “continuous management” are legitimate and at times unavoidable – such as long term sickness, maternity leave etc. ).Where existing holders need to apply for their (AR) certificate.

they will need to explain their role as a Transport Manager in road haulage operations from the 4^th December 1999 to the present date. The ultimate decision on sufficient evidence in individual cases will rest with the Secretary of State for Transport.

Longer trailers – 10 year trial announced

Following lobbying from the industry, from November 2011 the Department for Transport is conducting a 10 year trial of up to 1800 semi-trailers: up to 900 of a maximum length increase of 1m (between 13.6 and 14.6 metres), and up to 900 of a maximum length increase of 2.05m (between 14.6 and 15.65 metres). However this trial does not cover an increase in gross vehicle weight. So if your business carries products which are bulky but not particularly heavy, then this could benefit you. You can register your interest to snap up some of those trial spaces here: http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/longer-semi-trailers

Lorry Road User Charge by April 2014

Plans for a new Lorry Road User Charge (LRUC), which will see foreign trucks charged up to £9 per day, will be implemented by April 2014. The scheme is designed to level the playing field for UK operators.

Under current plans, UK operators will be charged an annual road charge (£450 a year for a three-axle, 44-tonne artic) with VED rates reduced to mitigate this charge in the vast majority of cases. Foreign trucks will be charged daily, weekly, monthly or annually, and could contribute up to £20m to the economy through the scheme.

2014 deadline looms

As of today, there are only 1420 day left to complete the Driver CPC. Does your business need help getting organised?

The transport industry is well behind with preparing for the 2014 driver CPC deadline, which means that hundreds of thousands of drivers could be ineligible to drive commercially from that date. If you would like information on the courses we run – which can be tailored to your company’s specific requirement – please contact Ruth Waring (ruthwaring@labyrinthsolutions.co.uk)

Britain’s leading airport operator, BAA, has appointed Labyrinth Logistics Consulting Ltd to support them in the tender of one of their major logistics operations: the Heathrow Consolidation Centre (HCC). The HCC was established over 10 years ago as part of BAA’s environmental programme: by providing consolidation of retail goods sold at Heathrow it reduces vehicle movements in and around the airport. It also plays a major role in Heathrow’s security processes for the retail sector.

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Two of Labyrinth’s Directors, Ruth Waring and Jo Godsmark are delighted to announce that they have both just been elected as Fellows of the Chartered institute of Logistics and Transport (UK) – known as the CILT. This is the highest membership level of the Institute and gives Ruth and Jo the right to use the letters FCILT after their names. In order to be elected as Fellows Ruth and Jo had to complete a detailed CV showing evidence of their logistics careers to date, with relevant seniority, as well as demonstrating a commitment to ongoing professional development.

The CILT is the pre-eminent independent professional body for individuals associated with logistics, supply chains and all transport throughout their careers. The Institute hold a significant number of networking events throughout the year and, with the organisation now structured around professional sectors and forums, there are opportunities for anyone working in the industry to further their career through Institute membership. Find out more at http://www.ciltuk.org.uk/pages/membenefits

Don’t employ LGV drivers illegally – even diligent operators need to read this!

You may think that all your LGV drivers have the right type of licence, but if they passed their test since September 2009 they could be driving illegally – they may only hold a licence to drive in a non-commercial context.

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Labyrinth launches the Logistics Buyer’s toolkit – don’t go out to tender without it!

Supply chain specialists Labyrinth Logistics Consulting are today launching a suite of products to help customers procure their logistics services more effectively. The toolkit includes a database of logistics service providers, Vendor Assurance audits, data analysis support and specification templates. The database alone is a significant new tool for the logistics procurement sector, and means Labyrinth can search for providers offering the right geographic coverage, trailer type, specialist capability (for example ADR) and IT systems to fit  in with the buyer’s requirements.

Labyrinth is unique amongst logistics consultancies in that it has a long history of working on both sides of a tender process. ‘Labyrinth’s great strength is that it has an established and successful business providing operational support consultancy to hauliers and 3PLs, as well as its work with major manufacturers and retailers’, says Ruth Waring, Labyrinth’s MD.  ‘This supports our procurement projects as we understand the important elements of the specification and how these affect the cost base. Through our database and industry knowledge we are also well placed to find alternative suppliers that suit a particular client.‘

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Labyrinth’s MD, Founder of Women in Logistics UK and networker extraordinaire Ruth Waring shares her top ten tips for fabulous networking. Read on to find out how she does it….

Networking comes naturally to a lucky few, but most people struggle with it, and I was as daunted as anyone else when I first went self-employed in 2002 and realised I had to get myself “out there” – I was used to buying rather than selling. Eight years later I can honestly say I have learned to enjoy it and have taught myself to become really good at it, and just having had a busy 18 months in the business in the midst of a recession, I must be doing something right.

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Labyrinth a leading provider of logistics and supply chain consulting and Perceptant, the cloud computing integration and messaging specialists sign significant partnership agreement which aims to finally rid the logistics industry of the fax machine

Perceptant (www.perceptant.com), a pioneer of cloud computing business solutions, and Supply Chain  experts Labyrinth Logistics Consulting (www.labyrinthsolutions.co.uk) today announced a partnership agreement to evaluate, develop and deliver a new wave of software solutions and services for the logistics industry. The move is designed to offer fast, affordable integration to all sizes of logistics provider, and sound the death knell on the fax machine which still churns out orders to be rekeyed, right across the sector. Read the rest of this entry »