Director of the logistics department — Alexey Tuzkov — about the roads, interesting projects and love for his work.
Just starting
In 2005, I came to the company for the position of forwarder. Then all the goods were sent from a warehouse in Kharkiv. We were loading 20-ton vans and drove systematically to customers. Freight forwarders not only travelled with the drivers, but also helped the stockmen in the warehouse to pack the goods, accompanied the deliveries.
I went to the route on Wednesdays and returned on Saturdays. Alexandria, Kirovograd, Gaivoron, Bershad, Trostyanets and Tulchin — these were the average for the duration routes. The routes to Western Ukraine took even more time.
Then I travelled to many cities, but it is tiring to be constantly on the road, and I wanted to change something. I tried to work in sales department, but it turned out to be “not mine”, so I returned to the logistics.
New horizons
In 2008 we were implementing a warehouse management system. Although I did not take part in the choice of the system, but I stood at the origins of its implementation. Then I worked as a manager of the shipping area and, as I remember, we even can spent the night at work. Of course, it was not easy, but interesting.
Further, I became the manager-technologist of the acceptance area, then moved to the position of head of the reengineering quality management, which I was creating by myself. And then — the director of the department.
Relations with colleagues
I will not talk about some basic values. I think if we are in the same boat, then we are moving in the same direction. Regardless of whether it is an “engine” in the form of a sales department, or people who operates in logistics. We need to move in one direction.
I appreciate when people take responsibility. After all, if you want to achieve, you have to accept responsibility.
Why should we love logistics?
I would say that work is not boring. Even in spite of the fact that everything is simple in logistics, everything has mathematical and logical explanation, there is always cause-and-effect relationship here.
To determine the number of personnel for the next year, to calculate the required area and the number of transport — I do it very clearly and never miss. Because it is all proportions, it is not difficult. But the main intrigue is that I will never get the right baseline data for planning. I understand this and have accepted for myself the simple truth: ideal planning does not exist in principle. And mistakes in planning and the influence of various external factors also give rise to “non-boringness”.
About the stress at work
I began to treat many things a little bit philosophically and with understanding. And as in the usual management: I set up the complexity in points and take corrective actions, ideally, preventing recurrences in the future.
Three basic principles in work
It was agreed — we do. Fairness is important to me. Any actions should be logical. If there is logic in the actions, then everything is fine.
People who inspire
For 100% I do not want to imitate others, but there is always something to learn. For example, my colleague has a wonderful personality trait — the ability to listen, sit down and figure it out calmly. I learned from another colleague that each meeting should be finished with setting the targets. It doesn`t mean — gathered together, talked and go separate ways. But gathered, decided and start to act. And then the total control and rigid implementation should be. This is what is close to me.
Work Attributes
For me, the attribute of work is coffee. At home, I basically do not drink coffee, but at work I drink four or five cups a day. Previously, a badge was another such attribute for me. Because when I came to work, I put on a badge, and when I left, I took off my badge, and for me, the badge was always associated with work.
Hobbies & Leisure
My hobby is the sport of a child — taekwondo. Soon we are going to Berlin for the competition. Of course, it is emotionally difficult to watch a son perform. But we already have a circle of interests there — I communicate well with the parents of children from our sport school.
And also — last year I went skiing for the first time. I took a coach for myself and my son for five classes, and then we went skiing on our own. And it worked out great. This year we are already skiing by ourselves.
Advice for newcomers
Do not stop. That's all. I do not believe that, having achieved success, you can stop working. Being a director of the department for five years, it seemed that another six months and you can relax and do nothing. But this is absolutely not so. When I thought that there would be nothing to do, we were just utterly exhausted for six months. For me, this is a state of instability. I understand that the number of actions that are performed is not comparable with the results. But these are challenges. Therefore, you need to push a little more — and everything should turn out.