Interview with Mišo Božić, Managing Director for Delamode Balkans

Interview with Mišo Božić, Managing Director for Delamode Balkans

Mišo Božić, Managing Director for Delamode Balkans shared his insights on business of logistics and transporations as well as collaboration with the UK market.

Delamode Balkans, part of the Xpediator Plc Group, is a dynamic provider of freight forwarding solutions, delivering tailored and customer focused services on a Global scale. Delamode Balkans is a team of forward-thinking individuals. 

Recently Delamode Balkans became Premium BSCC member and we took this opportunity to discuss with Mišo Božić his teams’ approach to business these days and what it takes to bring excellence to the UK and Serbian market.

BSCC team: Your presence in the UK market was evident for years thanks to stellar business performance. How do you envision that the BSCC membership will help you in achieving your new business goals?

Mišo Božić: Our company’s membership in the BSCC is the next logical step, as well as a great privilege, for our company considering that we are already part of Xpediator PLC from the UK. We share the same goals and values, and we intend to promote trade between the UK and Serbia.

Along with the aforementioned, membership in the BSCC represents a unique relationship between companies and institutions which contribute to cooperation and development with their knowledge and experience.

BSCC team: How did Delamode adapt to new business circumstances? What are some of the lessons you learned along the way?

Mišo Božić: In the past few months, much like the rest of the world, Serbia came across a new challenge which changed our the way we go about work and daily lives. Our company found itself in an unknown business environment. The borders were shut, meetings cancelled, and certain associates stopped their business completely for a period of time. If we were look at clients from the tourism and hospitality sectors, the future of their businesses was completely unpredictable, especially considering the state of national emergency, which no one knew how long it would be. From the very beginning, our priority has been to protect the health and lives of our employees and create a safe environment where they could feel safe, and where they would be guided through the crisis.

To achieve this, we split the employees in three teams: the first team was provided conditions for work from home, the other two thirds were distributed over two floors, with limited contact and movement between teams. Additionally, an appropriate amount of personal protective equipment and disinfectants was provided. We were certain that with adequate precautions and enough individual commitment, we could get over the coming crisis, and come out of the state of emergency with more employees than before it had begun.

Partial or total travel restrictions which ensued, as well as the borders being close, the additional efforts and increased activity were needed to make up for the drop in demand. While competitors reduced their employee numbers and cut salaries to ensure profits, and delayed paying suppliers by a month or two to secure their cash flow, we were adamant to provide an environment where all team members would feel safe – both for their health, and their jobs.

Soon after the state of emergency was announced, most clients found themselves in a situation where they could not provide reliable supply, and thus ensure business for the next period. Since we work with partners from around the world, we saw this as an opportunity and made an effort to provide services one might expect under normal conditions, as well as track the situation daily of countries they work with. As the demand for certain services and products changed, we adapted our business to the situation in the market, while simultaneously working on new projects. The end result was exactly what we set as our goal in the beginning – coming out of the tail end of the state of emergency with better finances than expected, and an increase in employee numbers.

BSCC team: As an executive, how do you see relations between the UK and Serbia? To which extent does geopolitical situation contribute to trade and business excellence?

Mišo Božić:  If we take a glance at UK-Serbia relations, we can see that they go back to the 19th century, with the beginning of official diplomatic relations which with time grew to significant economic ones. Since the UK decided to leave the EU, and Serbia has so far had external trade with the UK, including customs procedures, we do not expect significant influence in that regard. On the contrary, the know-how which firms that dealt with Serbia and non-EU countries have could show to be a model which we could use for goods trade between the UK and EU.

Additionally, by leaving the EU, the UK will have the opportunity to sign bilateral agreements which they could not before, as well as the possibility of diagonal cumulation between those countries and Serbia. Another important point to make regarding doing business with the UK are exactly the regulations and expectations which that country’s markets have, and which make you strive to be better, more competitive, and of higher quality, which opens new doors in other markets.

BSCC team: Dear Mišo, thanks for this interview and sharing insights that many business people can implement. We look forward to seeing you in BSCC working groups and events.

Photos adapted: eKapija

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