John Keells Logistics: Making It Happen for the Customer
As a leading third-party supply chain solutions provider in Sri Lanka, John Keells Logistics (JKLL) has been renowned for its customer centric approach since its inception back in 2006. As an entity that serves numerous customers from diverse industries, recognizing the importance of being customer-centric has been a crucial aspect in the success story of the company.
The significance of JKLL’s customer centric approach became especially prominent during the disruptive period created by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to ensure uninterrupted services to its customers, JKLL maintained its staff ready for service (whilst ensuring their safety) by implementing multi-shift operations which involved separating clusters of staff depending on the risk levels of their respective residential areas supported by activation of shadow warehouses and maintaining a trained cadre pipeline with provision of hostel facilities.
Furthermore, extra caution was practiced when handling consignments from origins identified as risky, to facilitate logistics services for all clients regardless of the limitations posed by the pandemic while keeping staff and the operations intact. Despite the various difficulties encountered during that period, JKLL as a team demonstrated its customer-centric mindset by working tirelessly to fulfill customer requirements. In addition, JKLL made sure that dues of all suppliers and service providers were settled on time, regardless of the situation the nation faced, to ensure continuation of smooth service to the customer.
While ensuring reliability for the customer despite uncertain circumstances, JKLL has been able to optimize costs and enhance speed of service by implementing process improvements through digitalization and other operational upgrades. Many of these benefits have been shared with the customer through various means with the aim of supporting during the challenging period.
“In a highly competitive industry such as supply chain management, being customer-centric is paramount,” says JKLL’s Chief Executive Officer & Vice President John Keells Group Randula Chandrarathne. “We have understood our customers’ requirements and identified where we can improve our operations to address such requirements and exceed expectations wherever possible. These improvements range from timely expansions of our capabilities in order to facilitate clients’ requirements, to process improvements—especially though digitalization—enabling us to deliver our services more efficiently and transparently. We recognize that one of our key pillars of success is our renowned satisfaction strategies and our ability to remain dynamic to create a positive experience for them is a competitive advantage for us.”
John Keells Logistics (Pvt) Ltd is a fully owned subsidiary of John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH), Sri Lanka’s largest listed company in the Colombo Stock Exchange operating over 70 companies in 7 diverse industry sectors. With a history of over 150 years, John Keells Group provides employment to over 14,000 persons and has been ranked as Sri Lanka’s ‘Most Respected Entity’ for the last 15 Years by LMD Magazine. Whilst being a full member of the World Economic Forum and a Participant of the UN Global Compact, JKH drives its CSR vision of “Empowering the Nation for Tomorrow” through John Keells Foundation and through the social entrepreneurship initiative, ‘Plasticcycle’, which is a catalyst in significantly reducing plastic pollution in Sri Lanka.
