I worked through college as a part-time employee in a forwarding company, where I did everything from sweeping floors to delivering mail. After college, I stayed with the company for one more year, and then moved on to work for other companies before I started working for my father–a former migrant worker who had put up a store selling car lubricants in our hometown.
I was impressed with how he was always in control of his time, and that made me decide to go into business in 1994. I opened a small laundry shop at the University Belt in Manila, but we sold it eventually because we had difficulty coping.
With my stint in the forwarding business still fresh in my mind, I finally decided to use my knowledge of logistics and my wife’s marketing expertise to put up Vintel Logistics. We offered domestic and international courier service, freight forwarding, and customs brokerage.
Later, we started handling and distributing merchandising materials and offering other logistical support such as contract repacking and redemption projects.
We succeeded by providing quality service and offering below-the-line services, such as sampling and door-to-door delivery, and encouraging participative leadership by listening to what my employees had to say and treating them as family.
I also encouraged multi-tasking: exposing my employees to the different aspects of the business and inspiring them to achieve their true potential.
We worked as a team and stressed the importance of developing a system for everything to avoid costly mistakes: from records management to tracking client requests. And to stress the point that everyone is part of the business, I have placed a huge tarpaulin sign in the office that shows how the company is doing, so that everyone knows what we must all do to get us where we want to be. Having said that, we are developing livelihood programs for our employees and their dependents. This is our way of giving back something to the people who helped make Vintel a success.
– Interview by Neil Palabrica
Telephones: (02) 533-8383; (02) 646-5288; (02) 747-5289
Fax: (02) 747-5298
E-mail: paulotibog@vintellogistics.com
Website: www.vintellogistics.com