#BLINKTEAM: MEET ARTA, OUR LOGISTICS MANAGER
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LET'S MEET OUR LOGISTICS MANAGER, ARTA PIETERE!
One of the most important parts of online shopping is delivery. When it comes to your orders, we care about how they are presented to you - that means that your products should always be arriving fast, safe and in an eco-friendly manner. This is the main focus of our Logistics Manager!
This time, in our #BLINKTEAM series, we will be talking with Arta Pietere, our Logistics Manager, finding out more about what actually needs to be set in place for a smooth and exceptional process!
1. Tell us a little bit about your past experiences that led you up to joining BlinkShop.
Since high school I was interested in Logistics and Management, so I got a Bachelor and Master´s Degree in Business Administration with qualification in Management. During my academic years, I participated in the ERASMUS program, which allowed me to study for 1 semester in ISCAL, Lisbon, Portugal. At that time, I did not know that, in the future, I would be calling Portugal home.
My first job experience was linked with purchase and logistics in the electronic field and, later, in the healthcare sector. I also have experience in marketing in the public sector and in finances in the private sector. In 2016 I got the opportunity to work in Portugal and I did not even think twice about it! My everyday work life in Portugal is linked with logistics - mainly big cargo transportation – so when the BlinkShop project came around, it required knowledge of small package everyday delivery, which was exciting to discover!
2. What was, for you, the most challenging part of this project?
I am a big online shopping advocate. I think it is amazing that you can get everything you need in just a few clicks, from comfort of your house. So, in that regard, I already had plenty of experience as a client! It was exciting for me to understand the other side of online shopping – not as a buyer, but as a seller.
Since the beginning I wanted to be sure that we have several transportation options to be able to offer variety to our clients as well as analyze how each transportation company provides their services. It is very important for us to know, at any part of the day, where your package is and if it has already reached you.
I would say that the most challenging part was to find the transport companies that are mainly oriented to small package everyday delivery and, afterwards, establish the most suitable partnerships with them.
3. What went into developing the most desirable packaging for the products?
One thing was clear since the beginning of BlinkShop – we do not want to contribute to any additional harm to the environment. As such, our only option was to provide an eco-friendly packaging.
We use strong cardboard boxes, which are easy to close and can be reused to prevent additional waste. For us, it was also very important that BlinkShop products are protected from outside impacts during transportation, as we are selling fragile products such as glass vials.
To protect the products from the inside, we decided to use 100% biodegradable filling chips, which means that after you have received your order, you can easily dissolve them in water. This is both a fun activity to partake in, and it contributes to the zero-waste goal!
Unfortunately, we have noticed that other online shops usually do not provide an eco-friendly packaging and, if they do, they often charge additionally for it. That should not be the case – we all can do better!
4. Where do you see BlinkShop heading to and how does Logistics work contribute to that?
At this moment, we are focused on the Portuguese market. So, in the nearest future, I would like to see BlinkShop as a main player in Portugal and slowly take over the world! To do so, logistics is a very important part of it because we need to find the best transportation option, one that would be cost-effective and fast to satisfy our clients. We are already offering deliveries to EU countries, so we are moving step by step.
5. What is your favorite part of the job?
To finish my work day knowing that we did our best to dispatch orders in the same day, ensuring the fastest delivery possible.
Feedback is everything! I love to see that people are placing their 2nd or 3rd order – it truly means a lot! I also want to use this opportunity and say to each and every one of you: Thank you from the bottom of my heart! It brightens our Team’s day and it keeps us motivated!
We also receive comments on our website or even personal emails or phone calls with positive feedback from our clients, which is the biggest compliment we can ask for. We are open for honest feedback, because we want our clients to have the best experience while visiting our shop, and it helps us to develop and get better every day.
6. Share with us a personal picture that represents you and briefly explain why it does or why it is important to you.
For me, everything is about balance! Since, in my work life, I am fully focused and I give 110% to the projects that I am working for and believing in, I usually need to be in a different time zone when I am on vacation. As such, traveling is a Must Have to regain my energy.
I also do not mind some extra adrenaline in my life, so, for example, skydiving has some kind of magic as, technically, you do not have any control, but at the same time it gives to you the most liberating feeling ever!
7. Top 4 beauty products?
