MEET NICOLE HENRY

TRAINEE LOGISTICS COORDINATOR

******* From courier sales to team leadership at KC, Lisa Walker's logistics journey has been defined by curiosity, adaptability, and a passion for building lasting relationships.

In this edition of KC Unpacked, Lisa reflects on her 14-year career with us, her role in guiding clients and colleagues, and what truly sets KC apart. It’s a story that highlights how KC’s people-first culture and collaborative approach continue to shape client success.**********

In Conversation with Nicole Henry

Welcome to KC Unpacked, Nicole.

Let’s start with your story and what led you to KC Group Shipping.

I started out studying nursing at university, but over time I realised I wanted a new challenge and a different direction. While searching for opportunities, I came across the apprenticeship program at KC. It really stood out to me as a great way to learn on the job, with an established business, and build a career in a fast-growing sector. I didn’t begin in the logistics team right away; my first role was in the finance team. It was a fantastic starting point that gave me a strong understanding of how the business operates. Over time, I had the opportunity to learn more about the integrated departments within the company. With leadership team and colleague support, I made the move over to the European team, and I would say it has been a great development in my career. I’m constantly learning, growing, and building new skills, and I’m excited about where this path could take me.

Every role at KC plays a part in keeping supply chains moving.

Can you tell us about your division and break down what a typical day looks like in your role?

As a Trainee Logistics Coordinator in the European Freight division at KC, my role supports the movement of goods across Europe, making sure that our customers products are delivered on time, complete and safe, and as efficiently as possible. The work we do contributes to keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes.

A typical day involves a mix of monitoring shipments, communicating with customers and suppliers, and resolving any transport-related issues that might come up. Additionally, I support my colleagues if they need assistance, whether that be managing documentation or processing records and invoices. I appreciate I’m still learning, so still ask fellow, experienced colleagues questions, even if it’s something I know but want reassurance I am doing it correctly. Logistics is an ever-changing sector so even as a trainee we are all still learning new things as we go along. The great thing at KC, is there’s a culture and people always willing to share knowledge and support each other.

KC Group Shipping supports businesses across multiple industries – what are some of the key challenges and solutions your division focuses on?

Effective relationship building is about creating strong, reliable and trustworthy partnerships that support customers and our agents across the UK and Europe. My approach is to make sure everyone is kept up to date through every stage, from the shipment being picked up to the goods being delivered.

It is essential to make sure communication is clear between us and our agent and ensuring information is provided to our customer, mitigating any risk and creating a transparency and trust throughout the shipping process.

Our clients rely on us for expertise and problem-solving.

What's one piece of advice or guidance you often find yourself giving to customers?

The Learning and development culture, guides, and support at KC is incredible. Over the past year my knowledge gained in the European team is excellent, including becoming more familiar with customs clearance processes, a critical area of support for our clients. When moving over to our European Team department, I completed a 2-day courses to gain the knowledge and understanding in what is required for importer/exporter consignments to allow goods to move without delays or issues.

It is important to be in regular contact with all stakeholders and partners during the customs clearance process. One of our customers, has regular shipments of car parts coming in from Italy to the UK, and due to the high volume of parts arriving in, we developed a system between us, the client, and the transporter to allow appropriate time to complete clearance.

The system involves us to be notified with a few days’ notice to complete clearance, we subsequently create a spreadsheet document to input into the import clearance entry and then pass over any errors or extra information required from the importer as the entries have over 200 lines, so sometimes we need additional information for certain commodity codes to get the clearance through. Ultimately, It’s about creating systems and processes, and integrating everyone to ensure seamless logistics management.

Collaboration is key in logistics.

What would you say explains the togetherness and collaboration among colleagues at KC?

Successful logistics demands constant co-ordination and communication between internal teams, from sales to operations to external partners such as our suppliers, customs brokers and customers. We provide clear communication, planning and have a reputation as problem solvers.

The shipping industry and process obviously carries some uncertainty, and challenges; weather, port issues, and delays. However, within KC there’s a collective focus on supporting each other to meet deadlines, including having a clearance document or a T1 ready for the truck shipping, and for us to ensure we’re an integral part of our customer supply chains, developing relationships at every stage-gate.

A positive client and colleague work environment grows when we’re reactive and supportive. The mindset to work together is evident throughout all of the KC teams and drives performance, but also makes KC a place to be, where people genuinely enjoy working together and pushing toward shared goals.

KC's BeKC cultural initiative is about working together and making a difference.

What does BeKC mean to you and in your company role?

To me, BeKc is all about the ‘one team’ attitude. It means that no matter what role or department you are in, we all come together as one. Whether this is the operations team, finance or sales – when someone needs assistance, we all pitch in.

KC’s online Learning and Development Hub, employee onboarding and guidance and collective team approach means whenever they may be the need for cover in one area of the business, there’s support. BeKC creates a culture where collaboration isn't just encouraged, it's how we get things done. It reminds me that we succeed not just because of our individual efforts, but because of the way we pull together as one team when it really matters. That sense of unity is something I value deeply, and it’s one of the reasons I’m proud to be part of KC.

The logistics and supply chain industry is constantly evolving – what's one change, trend, or innovation that excites you about the future?

The advancement of our real-time tracking systems is a very encouraging development, for us, and for our customers. Many organisations need the ability to track products from source to final destination, for compliance or cold chain Good Distribution Practice (GDP) requirements.

Our teams, systems, and processes ensure visibility and transparency across the transporation element, where we take accountability seriously, enhancing customer service, and managing issues or delays. It means we are working closely with shipping lines and haulier partners, with visibility throughout the journey.

We're a very human and customer-centric business, but what technological advancements in logistics stand out for you currently?

The technological advancement of the use of robotics and automation especially in the packaging process of goods shipping stand out to me currently as it can be very helpful but could also go wrong in the sense of products not being wrapped properly.

I think the use of robotics will help speed the most time-consuming manual tasks from our customers when shipments are due to move which will mean there will be less waiting time charges from hauliers when the drivers show up to load and the goods aren’t ready – using robotics to assemble the goods and wrap it will help minimise any delays or risks to employees upon loading which may allow goods to be shipped earlier than planned.

What would you say to someone considering a career in the logistics sector and joining KC?

Do it! Within the logistics sector, no two days are the same, which for me is fantastic. I love being part of an ever-evolving industry; learning new skills every day, sometimes coming up against unknown challenges, but ultimately working in a company that embraces the challenge, with colleagues around you working together.

You gain a wide range of knowledge from the many industries and partners involved in the supply chain process, and I’m continually interested in what our customers do, manufacture and supply to international markets.

We are a part of an environment where attention to detail, adaptability and strong communication are valued so anyone with that thinking can do well within the logistics sector. As someone who came into logistics, eager to learn and ready to take on challenges while working in a fast-paced environment, joining KC was the best career decision I’ve made.

FINALLY.

Let's unpack KC a little more —

What's one thing you think people inside and outside of the industry don't realise about what we do?

I think from a European logistics management perspective, one thing people inside and outside of the industry may not realise is how much knowledge, time and training goes into understanding and managing the customs procedures involved in European road freight.

With each country having its own rules, documentation requirements and regulations, it’s essential that those managing cross-border logistics have the experience, knowledge, and compliance awareness to mitigate any risk for customers. The great thing at KC, is the knowledge share and training culture and approach. I’m amazed at the breadth of guidance from the company and colleagues across our teams and people, which in turn, is shared to support our network of customers, and partners.

Customs processes and compliance can be daunting, but we help guide and advise our export and import customers, to the extent that many view us as an integrated part of their business.