Neal Medeiros, Service Centre Manager

Get Them Out

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"We have to get the garments out so that we hit the sales floor first. That's how you're going to get your sales, that's how you're going to be the first to set the trends, the first to be out on the floor.

"So that's the main thing. Fashion industry itself is fast. So we do have to move at a steady pace."

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My Job

MY JOB

Title: Service Centre Manager
Key Tasks and Responsibilities:
- shipping/receiving of garment orders
- problem solving
- increase overall efficiency
Started Job: 1998
Works with:
- pickers and packers
- quality control
- shippers and stockers
- returns department-account reps
Reports to: Director of Logistics TOC

Customers?

Customers?

We deal with major accounts such as Sears, The Bay and our own dedicated stores.

We rarely have any face-to-face interaction with our customers in our department. Most of our contact with them is on paper through shipping contracts and stock orders.

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Where I Work

Where I Work

Founded in 1973, Nygard International is the number one sportswear manufacturer in Canada and number three in the U.S.

It is a rapidly growing company that employs over 2600 people worldwide, 1500 of whom are located in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Founder Peter Nygard's mission has been to automate and computerize his business for maximum efficiency. Today, Nygard is one of the top 20 Canadian companies in terms of Information Technology.

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In Charge

In Charge

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"I'm in charge of all the logistics that we do for the company. So all the orders come in and get out, I have to ensure that we ship them all out in time, making sure that we hit our customers' delivery dates and we're not going to go past cancel."

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Seeing Results

Seeing Results

Being involved in moving the product is great because you can actually see what you've accomplished.

We just hit our record here of shipping 202,000 units in a week. That's our record right now, but I know we can beat it.

My next challenge will be to find a way to break that record.

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About Me

ABOUT ME

Background
- born and raised in Winnipeg
- parents from Santa Maria, Azores, Portugal
- oldest of three boys
- single, 26 years old

Interests/Activities
- fishing
- soccer TOC

Room To Move?

Room To Move?

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"The way I'm needed right now, my job is in Manitoba. It's not to say that I wouldn't move anywhere else, I mean, it still is considered home to me.

"This is where my family is and this will always be home, even if I was to ever move."

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Live To Fish

Live To Fish

I am fanatical about fishing. If I'm not at work, you'll find me on the Red River - a great source for catfish

If I'm not fishing in the city, you can find me at Selkirk or Lockport.

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Staying Active

Staying Active

I'm a pretty active guy. I like to be on the go all the time, at work and at home.

I play indoor soccer so I am usually on the go from work right to indoor soccer practice or something.

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Energy

Energy

On the job I like to give off a lot of positive energy. I'm always trying to help, trying to make things better.

You need a lot of energy when you're working in the Fashion Industry because you have to stay ahead of everyone else.

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My Day

MY DAY

7:00 am: Assign everyone their tasks
7:10 am: Check my e-mail
8:30 am: Do a walk around, highlight any problems
8:50 am: Coffee Break
9:00 am: Follow up on problems identified during walk around
10:00 am: Do a second walk around, check targets
11:00 am: Check, answer and follow up on e-mails
11:30 am: Lunch
12:00 pm: Prepare schedules, update paperwork
1:30 pm: Check e-mail
1:45 pm: Prepare new stacks for packers
2:30 pm: Coffee Break
2:45 pm: Prepare work for the night shift
3:15 pm: Get organized for the next day
3:30 pm: Go home! TOC

Walking the Floor

Walking the Floor

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"I spend most of my day, I'd say, 80/20 rule, which would be 80 percent on the floor, 20 percent behind the computer.

"Eighty percent would be walking around, ensuring that, if I see anything that's either not being done efficiently or that I can help out and speed up the process then, I'll intervene and kind of go in there and sort that out, get rid of those little hiccups and then, get the place going so that everybody's working efficiently and fast."

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Pace

Pace

The pace of the fashion industry is like peaks and valleys.

Fall is usually our biggest season. Then right before Christmas is another peak before the valley of the winter season.

Maintaining a balance and a steady amount of work through all these ups and downs can be quite a challenge.

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Variety

Variety

I don't think I've ever had a day that's been the same. There are always new opportunities and different problems to resolve.

For example, when people call in sick, you've got to know how to balance the pickers and the packers because if you have too many packers they're going to ship out all the orders and the pickers won't be able to keep up.

You have to keep a constant flow going through the lines.

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Me and My Job

ME AND MY JOB

Likes
- the quick pace makes the days fly by
- the state-of-the-art technology
- information at my finger tips
- interacting with people

Challenges
- trying to maintain steady pace for employees TOC

Matter of Facts

Matter of Facts

Dealing with anyone in my job, whether they report to me or I report to them, is all about the facts.

You've got to make sure you get the facts - no generalizations. Make sure that you can prove whatever you say and you shouldn't have any problems.

If it's an actual fact you're stating, the person can use that information to complete his task.

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Motivation

Motivation

The way our people work in here is on an incentive program - the more you pick or the more you pack, the more money you're going to make.

The way I look at it, my job is to help them increase their wage. So, I try to help them out by showing them ways to increase their efficiency. Increased productivity benefits the worker and the company.

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Technology

Technology

Our level of technology is just phenomenal. The V-Comm system we use to track all our shipments is like the screens at the airport that tell you which flights are arriving, on time, delayed and cancelled.

Our screens give us all that kind of information about our shipments. Anyone in any of our centres can see exactly what's going on with an order at any time.

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Team Leader

Team Leader

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"I think for my job if you're fair and people know that you're fair, you shouldn't have a problem.

"I've never had a problem with anybody that I've worked with. Again, they know I'm fair.I basically try and help them out.

"I don't consider myself like a manager, let's say, I look at myself as leader of the team."

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My Resume

MY RESUME

Education
1998-Present: Microsoft Excel and Outlook training, on the job
1999: Management Training, Manitoba Fashion Institute
1994: Diploma, Tech Voc High School

Experience
1998-Present: Service Centre Manager
1997-1998: Product Manager
1996-1997: Sales Administration
1994-1996: Inventory Controller

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Organize and Prioritize

Organize and Prioritize

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"We're not mixing rocket fuel here. It's all about prioritizing your stuff, and if you know how to organize, if it's somebody that has a lot of energy and has good organizational skills, then definitely, they can do this job."

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How I Got Here

How I Got Here

I actually have a long history with this company. I started off as an Inventory Controller, which is similar to my current position but on a smaller scale.

From Inventory Controller, I moved up to Sales Administration, where I actually got to see how the orders came into the company from the Sales Reps.

From there I became a Product Manager where I was actually producing the garments.

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Being Part of Change

Being Part of Change

I'm proud that I've been able to have input into some of the systems that we've changed.

I'm 25 years old and I'm contributing to some major decisions that will have an impact on the whole company. That's pretty amazing.

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Working in a System

Working in a System

To go places in this company in logistics, you just have to follow the systems. The systems are put into place to create efficiency.

There have been times when I've suggested some changes to the systems we use. I've had to do a time study and figure out if it does end up being better, faster, or whatever we were trying to achieve.

If it works well, the change gets approved and we move forward with that system.

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On the Job Training

On the Job Training

I got to work out of the service centre in Los Angeles for some time.

I went down there to learn about the V-com and a new system of picking.

Then we brought that system up to Canada to try to get the same level of efficiency that we have in LA.

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My Future

MY FUTURE

Aiming High

Five years from now I could be the Logistics Director for Inkster or for the whole company.

We have three distribution centres with a Service Centre Manager for each one. Then there's one senior person that oversees all three centres.

That could be my next position. I wouldn't mind striving for that one. There are lots of stepping-stones involved but I've hit most of the steps so far. TOC

The Way of the Future

The Way of the Future

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"The goal is to get everything pre-packed. That would help us out immensely because then, instead of having to pick it and pack it, you get these boxes.

"You'd basically offload them, slap on stickers and you can have quicker turn-around time to the customer.

"I think that the pre-packs are the way of the future."

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Transferable Skills

Transferable Skills

Logistics will always be around. Everybody needs something to be shipped out, whether it's garments, baby food or electronics.

Logistics skills and experience are pretty much transferable from fashion to any other industry.

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Upgrading Skills

Upgrading Skills

I would like to take a couple of courses through the U of M.

I need to learn about business or commerce to develop my management skills which will help me progress into higher management positions.

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Useful Links

MORE INFO

Logistics Supervisors will have a variety of duties depending on the company, the technology, and the product involved. In this case, Neal uses his skills in logistics and management to coordinate the flow of a clothing warehouse for an international company. He also gained a lot of experience working at different jobs within the same company, working his way up to his current position.

Neal's path is just one of several different ones you could take to emerge in the field of logistics in the fashion industry. Some of the other steps you can take include:
- technical high school courses
- logistics training program
- inventory control experience
- service centre experience
- courses in management and business

The links below will help you begin your search so you can organize, prioritize and strategically plan your way into a career in logistics. TOC

Job Market Info

Job Market Info

The links below take you to federal and regional government information on employment, education, salary ranges and long range prospects for this career.

The official name for Neal's occupation is "Logistics Supervisor" and its NOC* code is 1215.

Job Futures

Manitoba Labour Market Information
(Select Manitoba, the Area in Manitoba, enter NOC code 1215 then click Search)

Human Resources Development Canada

*Each occupation has an official name and unique number called the 'National Occupational Classification' code or 'NOC'.

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Education

Education

Useful High School Subjects*

- Computer-related courses
- English (Communication)

Source: Job Futures.ca

Below are links to various programs and courses that will help you investigate the path to a career in logistics.

University of Manitoba
Certificate in Logistics Program
Asper School of Business
Business Administration - Management Development Programs

University of Winnipeg
Business Computing and Administrative Studies
(click on 'Programs', then 'Administrative Studies')
Continuing Ed. Management Certificate Program
(See page 68 of the pdf)

Red River College
Continuing Education Programs
(then click on Transport and Distribution Management)
Full Time Programs
(then click on Business Administration)
Distance Education Programs
(then click on Business and Administrative Studies)

Collège Saint Boniface
Faculté d'administration des affaires

Brandon University
Business Administration

Assiniboine Community College - Brandon/Parkland Campus
Business Administration
(See page 99 of the pdf)

University College of the North - The Pas/Thompson
Business Administration
(See pages 22 and 23 of the pdf)

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Related Careers

Related Careers

From the Human Resources Development Canada web site:

Supervisors, Mail and Message Distribution Occupations (1214)

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Professional Associations

Professional Associations

The Logistics Institute provides comprehensive training in logistics and human resource development and informs members of career opportunities.

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