At Express Trailers, the cost of quality does not only deal with the service delivered but transcends it to address the more holistic concept of the brand promise. “Our #WeAreOrange tagline is more than just a tagline. It is a seal of what we stand for. Our people define the quality that we offer,” says Franco Azzopardi, Chairman and CEO of Express Trailers.

In accounting terms, the cost of quality is defined as ‘a methodology that allows an organization to determine the extent to which its resources are used for activities that prevent poor quality, that appraise the quality of the organization’s products or services, and that result from internal and external failures.’

“For us quality is enshrined in the legacy, an inherited tradition, a corporate culture made of family values where people are the highest priority. Quality is reliability and timeliness. It is the passion of a tradesman and a craftsman. This is where quality starts for us in our value promise to our customers, our people and all stakeholders we affect in any way,” says Franco Azzopardi.

“When we speak of quality, we go beyond the perceived value of the service we offer and we concentrate on the creation and delivery of our service within a set of values that meet the long term expectations of those who decide to make our company their transport and logistics partners and experts,” he added.

“We work very hard to sustain and improve the perceived value of the company by investing in our three main business enablers namely, our equipment, our space and our people. Our bright orange coloured fleet was always at the forefront of any long-term investment and whenever the company looked at growth, this was always in terms of fleet resources because an upgraded and diversified well-kept fleet enables better and more efficient logistics operations that satisfy clients’ increasing demands. We guarantee a quality service based on constant investment in new transportation vehicles and in the best drivers that help us operate in the safest and most reliable manner.”

The company’s value is also reflected in the people it attracts and retains. We have worked hard with our strong management team made up of both family and non-family members and we focus a lot on our people, and invest a lot to offer them continuous training and education to turn them into true logistics specialists and better people overall. The launch of our Express Training Academy last year and our recent huge investment in our new and modern multi-media The Link training centre reflect the importance the company gives to its people, which ultimately return more value and quality to our customers and our shareholders.”

Franco highlights the fact that over the past months, Express Trailers has been actively trying to educate and inform various stakeholders who somehow come in touch with the world of transport and logistics to help them realise what a sophisticated and specialized industry this has become.

“Express Trailers has been undergoing many internal changes in terms of operation and technology systems throughout its different business activities. The prevention costs we speak of are in terms of the substantial investment we have been undertaking not only to bring a change in our collective thinking process but also to strengthening the way people look at our company. It has been an exercise in defining the cost of Express Trailers’ quality proposition,” said Franco Azzopardi.

“Investment needs to be incessant in all three areas of resourcing because ultimately, this is what guarantees the quality service that our customers demand from Express Trailers – the same quality that helps us guarantee our Excellence, Experience and Expertise proposition,” he says.

Mr Azzopardi refers to Express Trailers’ large fleet of trucks and trailers on the road as probably the biggest challenge the company faces daily.

“We are constantly striving to find a balance between our operations while ensuring that our presence on the road causes the least danger or inconvenience possible. Alongside this, managing all the risks involved in the handling and delivery of any goods, whatever the circumstances, is another challenge that we face daily.”

“In the end, quality is relative, and this is what determines the price. We are not after offering a luxury experience but an experience that empowers our customers, their businesses and their lives. The cost that our customers pay for our services reflects an intricate set of processes and operations through which we can guarantee a service at the lowest risk possible.”

“The key challenge will always remain that of ensuring that our operations remain relevant and competitive in a dynamic sector that is becoming more elaborate and time-sensitive. Striking the right balance between a quality service at a price that reflects it, is a win-win situation for all.”