Women in logistics: Interview with Vaida Stelingienė, UAB Mobiletrans
Female intuition also helps with logistics
TimoCom is a future-oriented company that has taken on the mission to give the transport industry a more positive image. This involves breaking old patterns of thinking and creating room for new ideas. In a male-dominated industry such as the transport industry, the intention of this series "Women in logistics" is to support and recognise their efforts. Part 3 is an interview with Vaida Stelingienė, MD at the transport company UAB Mobiletrans.
TimoCom:
Hello Vaida, can you introduce yourself and your company to our readers?
Vaida Stelingienė:
Hello. I have been working in the transport business for 20 years. In 2012, I founded the UAB 'Mobiletrans'. Currently, our team consists of 5 employees, and we provide shipping services. We work with customers from a variety of countries, both in Western and Eastern Europe.
TimoCom:
Does your company offer special services that help you stand out as compared to other transport or shipping companies?
Vaida Stelingienė:
We provide express transport services. As we work out of the Lithuanian harbour city Klaipėda, our services are multimodal. The goods are delivered to Germany via ferry, and continue their Eastern journey from the Klaipėda harbour with trucks, or via train.
TimoCom:
What do you do to remain competitive?
Vaida Stelingienė:
To start with, we calculate competitive prices for our services. Our operations react to market changes. Not only that, we try to always attract as much traffic as possible. We strive to provide perfect transport services, so that customers will keep coming back. Maintaining good business relationships with our customers is very important to us.
TimoCom:
What about the job,do you find to be most challenging/interesting?
Vaida Stelingienė:
I like my work, and I am grateful for that. I learn something new every day, and there is always something new to experience. Of course, I am sometimes confronted with very complicated logistics situations. The most interesting part is looking for and discovering the optimal solution in a critical situation.
TimoCom:
What do you think are the biggest problems for women in logistics?
Vaida Stelingienė:
In my opinion, there are a few instances in which technical issues could cause problems. But if you are enthusiastic and take an active interest in technological innovation, as well as specific logistics processes, it really is not a problem.
TimoCom:
What have your experiences been with these issues?
Vaida Stelingienė:
There is no 'please wait' in the transport industry. Everything has to be done 'here and now'. As the business owner, I am very disciplined and do as much as possible myself. It is very interesting to deal with different people. In logistics, you have to do more than just know the work, you have to be able to get it done quickly. I am an active and business-oriented person, and logistics is great for realising my talents.
TimoCom:
Do you think we need more women in leadership positions in the transport industry, and if yes, why?
Vaida Stelingienė:
Yes. Sometimes, women in leadership positions are respected more than men. I am often in contact with women in leadership positions. I have noticed that many women are very responsible and careful, characteristics that work to their advantage. And a women's intuition can also be very helpful.
TimoCom:
What connects your company to TimoCom?
Vaida Stelingienė:
I discovered TimoCom a long time ago. It is really wonderful that TimoCom offers a broad spectrum of modern services. We use TC eMap® regularly. We are also considering taking advantage of the debt collection services. We are also very pleased to be able to find new partners via TimoCom.