Employee Spotlight: Chatting with James Coombs

Get to know our Head of Innovation, James Coombs with a Q&A all about his career journey, thoughts on AI developments, and lego addiction. With over eight years at the company, James has played a pivotal role in transforming our services through cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions.

Can you share a brief overview of your professional background and how it led you to this position?

Like many in Freight Forwarding, I entered the industry early, initially to fund my Lego addiction, and never grew out of either. Before joining Unsworth, my background was primarily in Logistics Operations, where I worked closely with key clients. I naturally gravitated towards larger accounts, collaborating with a diverse range of companies across various sectors.

I have been with Unsworth for over 8 years, tackling everything from Operations, Key Account Management, Sales, Marketing, Client Experience, Customer Service, and now Technology and Business Change. As Head of Innovation, I oversee Marketing and parts of Technology, leading the development and product management of Pathway, our freight management portal. Additionally, I support client implementation, sustainability, digitisation, and process improvement initiatives.

Sounds like you've done it all! What has been your most significant achievement or project since joining the company?

This is an easy one; the development of Pathway and the digitisation of our services. Pathway has become a cornerstone of our service delivery and is a key discussion point with new clients. While it started as my project, it has grown to include a dedicated team focused on its continuous improvement, with the entire company invested in its roadmap.

"Our people are our greatest asset – a diverse group of dedicated professionals who bring a wealth of experience and a collaborative spirit to everything we do."

How do you ensure that the organisation’s overall vision aligns with the changes and innovations you introduce?

Typically, the process is driven by the business needs – they tell us what they want, and we build solutions to meet those goals. The initial development of Pathway was an exception, where we created the solution first and then aligned the business to it.

With innovation being a key aspect of your role, how do you promote a culture of innovation within the organisation?

Not everyone needs to be an innovator. An organisation full of disruptors like Tony Stark would be insufferable. What’s important is driving a constructive response to change. This means encouraging open and honest dialogue where people can express their concerns and ideas. The worst scenario is when everyone agrees in the meeting but ignores the changes afterward.

We give many opportunities for small teams to discuss and develop ideas, and we all have open-door policies – literally, in my case, as I don’t even have a door.

Would you say it is this open approach that sets Unsworth apart from others in the industry?

It's going to sound cliche but what truly sets us apart is our commitment to innovation and the exceptional talent of our team. At Unsworth, we prioritise forward-thinking solutions, using the latest technologies to improve efficiency and service quality.

Our people are our greatest asset – a diverse group of dedicated professionals who bring a wealth of experience and a collaborative spirit to everything we do. This combination of cutting-edge innovation and a highly skilled, passionate team allows us to consistently deliver superior service and stay ahead in the competitive freight forwarding industry.

What are some of the key trends or developments in our industry that you keep an eye on to stay ahead of the curve?

AI is set to transform our industry significantly. While many use generative AI for creative tasks, I believe it should handle the mundane, repetitive tasks instead. Using generative AI for chatbots or front-line customer service is misguided. Discriminative AI, which works within supervised and limited datasets, is already helping automate tasks like job creation, invoicing, and data management. This area is growing rapidly, but it requires significant upfront effort to integrate effectively into the business.

The most exciting development is predictive AI, which, though further off, has the potential to help supply chain planners and logistics providers analyse large datasets to find optimal actions.

Ultimately, it’s crucial to use the right AI tools for the right tasks and improve education to avoid mismatched applications.

AI has become such a game-changer and has been a talking point within the industry recently, as we saw at Multimodal earlier this year. What is one way you’re using AI today?

I used ChatGPT 4 to create a review panel for business proposals, product requirements documents, and some of my more controversial emails. The panel is modelled on Steve Jobs and Warren Buffett, offering differing perspectives. Their debate on my documents provides valuable feedback. I got this quirky yet effective idea from McGuire Brannon's YouTube channel, where he breaks down the whole setup.

Finally, what’s one thing you would recommend for anyone getting into the industry, or joining Unsworth?

Embrace every opportunity to learn and experience different aspects of the industry. Logistics and Supply Chain is one of the most diverse fields, offering a wide range of roles and responsibilities. By gaining hands-on experience in various areas, you’ll develop a comprehensive understanding of how all the pieces fit together. At Unsworth, we encourage our team members to be curious, proactive, and open to new challenges. This approach not only accelerates personal growth but also contributes to the overall success of our company.