Don Cox
“We have invested heavily in developing and launching new technology and processes to improve productivity for our clients. Evans, in effect, has expanded capacity to position itself for an expected turnaround in manufacturing and freight demand this year. We now have the ability to manage more transactions for clients than ever before. We also launched a new business unit, and we expect to hire 15 more people by year’s end to support its growth. And, finally, we are celebrating our 25th anniversary this year.”
What will be your company’s main challenges in the next year?
“We have aggressive expectations for the success of our new EFS brokerage division, for which we continue to add people. The market for truckload brokerage went through a significant contraction over the course of the last two years as manufacturing output fell, but we are seeing signs that the market is beginning to rebound. Our much larger competitors are as aggressive as ever in protecting their market share, though. Growth in this segment will depend on our ability to continue to outperform competitors in the level of service and results we achieve for our clients. Our ability to continue to improve productivity for our clients is paramount to our continued success.”
What’s the hottest trend in your industry?
“The hottest trend in our market is the ability to apply new technologies in what hasn’t always been considered a high-tech market. Evans’ technology enables quality data collection from clients and efficient interfaces with our partner carriers. This creates efficiencies within the supply chain that, when combined with significant negotiating power, generates cost savings for clients. Efficiencies include reducing the number of times a person handles data, which reduces errors, which means fewer corrections and less time spent auditing, resulting in less time putting out fires. Evans’ development and implementation of new technology within its operating system has led to managing more transactions for clients than ever before, with fewer mistakes.”
Do you have a business mantra?
“Whatever you do, do it well, and do it honestly.”
From a business standpoint, who do you look up to?
“People who work in service industry roles and provide great service to their customers every day, no matter what might be going on in their own lives, get my admiration. This is a unique gift that many people are unable to achieve. When you see it and feel it as a customer, or from the people working around you, it should be admired.”
What was the best advice you ever received?
“Don’t be afraid of taking on new responsibilities, even if they are out of your comfort zone. Whether or not you succeed in taking on a new challenge is irrelevant. You’ll learn something new, which should always be considered a success.”
