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To be the best we can be for clients, we operate our business knowing we can, and should, be anywhere and everywhere we can find high-quality employees, partners and locations that inspire us around the world. Specifically, three ways Ideoli has become an instant international business include having: 1. Employees in 10 Countries: Ideoli operates as a lean startup, but that hasn’t stopped us from finding employees and associates around the world who add unique talents and perspectives to our team. We work with talent across the globe in countries as varied as Argentina, Greece, Ireland, Mexico, the US and Vietnam. 2. Clients in 10+ Countries: We love when clients are as passionate as we are about invigorating their spaces, and that has quickly led us to work with clients in over ten countries. We experience the world’s most populated cities, and even the most rural villages, while on the quest to build an incredible client base. In one year, the founders of Ideoli flew a combined 500,000 miles around the world, crisscrossing each-other several times. 3. Products Installed in 30+ Countries: Our best work happens when we are in front of our partners, in person, working together. That mindset has led us to install products in over 30 countries and seeing the world the way we have has positioned us to reach even higher. Ideoli has quickly gone global, and we’re excited to expand our footprint with more employees, suppliers, clients and other partners around the world. 

As much as we pride ourselves on the efficiency of our global operations, sometimes companies, including Ideoli, experience delays transporting freight because of some factors beyond most people’s control. Since we also pride ourselves on being honest with clients, we want to share some of these setbacks, which you might also face when dealing with freight. Some examples of hinderances include: 1. Tariffs: Traffic isn’t just a problem on Southern California freeways or Manhattan city streets. The US has recently had backlogs at ports of entry due to companies trying to get shipments into the US before tariffs increase.  Large ports such as those in Savannah, GA and Long Beach, CA hit record cargo highs in 2018, which contributed to delays in getting shipments to their final destinations. 2. Government Shutdowns: When the US government shuts down, the resulting shortage of government workers causes freight delays. For example, Ideoli recently had a shipment arrive at the Port of Long Beach that then needed to get delivered by truck to St. Louis. Yet because of the government shutdown that lasted for most of January 2019, fewer government employees were working at checkpoints along the route, thereby delaying delivery by approximately two weeks. 3. Weather: Even when weather forecasts are accurate, it’s difficult to get around the fact that storms can slow down shipments and throw off schedules across supply chains. For example, a freight company had to reroute a shipment for one of our clients due to a series of hurricanes rocking the southern US. Along the way, the freight company accidentally damaged the shipments, but we worked hard to quickly remedy the situation. We sent our top personnel for the job to visit the client’s warehouse, assess the damaged shipments, test all of the products on site and replace defective ones. 4. Worker Shortages: In addition to temporary shortages caused by government shutdowns, prolonged shortages in labor pools also cause delays. For instance, the US faces a gap between the supply and demand for truck drivers needed to move freight across the country. The American Trucking Association estimates a shortage of over 50,000 truck drivers as of 2017, and this factor has been at play for the past several years. If the shortage worsens or other areas of the supply chain face worker shortages, freight could be further delayed. Even though there are some factors beyond most companies’ control, it’s important to maintain clear lines of communication and set delivery expectations accordingly. Doing so can help clients adjust accordingly, rather than getting frustrated and confused about why their orders are delayed. 

From restauranteurs in California to distribution experts in Southeast Asia, we work with a variety of partners. Working together is usually a great process for all of us, but it goes especially well when we find these types of partners: 1. Those Who Value Their Vendors: Vendors shouldn’t be commoditized. We prioritize forming deep relationships with our vendors to ensure we maintain our level of quality, value, timeliness and innovation. Whether our partner uses Ideoli as a sole vendor or wants us to work in conjunction with other vendors, we love working with partners who value strong relationships, as it tends to lead to better results. 2. Those Who Trust Our Expertise: When working with partners, they often come with their own expertise such as in distribution or commercial real estate, and we value their insights. Likewise, we love working with partners who trust our expertise based on what they decided to work with us for, whether it’s designing custom fixtures that make a retail interior pop or adding LED lighting to a restaurant to help them showcase their food. We have a lot of varied experience from our work around the world, and we’re happy to share it with our partners. 3. Those Who Collaborate With Us: While we have significant expertise, we don’t want our work to be a one-way street. We love working with partners who collaborate with us to come up with creative designs and solutions to help them reach their goals. When we’re collaborative, we can usually better deliver what our partners want because they have more of a voice in the process. We have a variety of partners we work with around the world, and we always want those relationships to run smoothly. Keeping these qualities in mind helps us deliver the best outcomes for our partners. Facebook-f Linkedin-in Tumblr Envelope