In the #OMIDATopManagement series, we highlight the profiles of managers who play key roles in the OMIDA Group. Get to know their career paths better and discover the actions and decisions that have had a crucial impact on the development of our group.

We invite you to an interview with Krzysztof Boryszewski, Managing Director and Board Member of Omida SSC, and Board Member of Omida Finance.

Krzysztof, today tell us about yourself, your current role, experience, and career decisions. Let’s start from the beginning of your business story. What were the key stages in your career?

My professional career began with an application for the position of Quality Coordinator. However, life wrote a different scenario, and I took over the position of Head of Documentation, and later also the Customer Service Department. I previously worked in a transport company that managed its own fleet, which gave me a broad perspective on the functioning of the entire organization. I also ran my own transport company for seven years, which allowed me to gain valuable experience in the TSL industry.

With the perspective of over 20 years of experience, I can say that this path was not accidental, but definitely successful. Several years of work and full commitment to improving processes in our organization led me to the position of Managing Director and a member of the board at Omida SSC. In my current role, one of the greatest advantages is the daily variety of tasks and challenges, which means that every day can look different. The scope of responsibilities is wide: from managing the backlog of tasks, analyzing reports, operational KPIs, through project management to the development of strategic plans.

You studied in fields related to financial management, but also transport and logistics. How do you combine knowledge from such diverse fields in your daily work?

It’s quite a good and inseparable duo. I’m not stating anything new if I say that besides sales and operations management, finances are the so-called third leg for every company in the TSL sector. In our industry, a basic understanding of economic principles is not enough; it’s important to continually observe and look forward to financial trends to be able to react to situations in advance.

What attracted you to quality issues and process management?

My previous experiences opened my eyes to the functioning of the entire organization. Working in forwarding, I could see how various operational processes were carried out. This naturally directed me towards quality management and processes. I realized that quality is a key element of any organization, affecting customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Since we know that your career at OMIDA Group has taken various forms and positions, tell us about how it started.

Having worked in the TSL industry for some time, I must admit that I admired OMIDA’s development with appreciation for its dynamism, accompanying initiatives, and the entrepreneurship of OMIDA Group’s presidents Marek and Bartek. So, as soon as the opportunity arose to apply for a position related to quality management, I decided to try my luck. As it often happens, reality and the needs of the moment wrote a different scenario, and I finally joined the company as the Manager of the Documentation Department and Customer Service Office.

What do you find to be the most interesting aspect of working at Omida SSC?

Someone has to do the grunt work… but seriously, choosing a career path in so-called support departments was dictated by many reasons. All this on the plane of many mutually process-intersecting areas and the entire spectrum of emotions associated with each organizational change. Simultaneously and invariably, as the biggest advantage of working in the OMIDA Group, I value the working atmosphere in such a large organization, without rigidly imposed corporate frames, which in my opinion can only occur with a professional approach to duties on the part of responsible persons and their team members. This is also confirmed by the results of the Great Place to Work survey, where we managed to improve the score year over year by 2 percentage points at Omida SSC.

And the biggest challenges you had to face?

For me, it was organizing the documentation topic when the company needed it the most. Implementing new systems and procedures that allowed control. Initially, there were no properly configured tools in the form of stabilized systems or reports, but I met great people on my way, more importantly, forming a team, without which success would not have been possible. It required a lot of work and thanks to the team we managed to achieve it. At the same time, this project gave me a lot of satisfaction and taught me how important teamwork is.

What are your priorities when it comes to Omida SSC employees?

Currently, we are in the final phase of the project to build a competency model that will allow us to better identify areas requiring development and plan appropriate training activities. Creating an environment where employees know they can rely on an organization supporting their development is key. We want our employees to have a clear career path and feel motivated to continue working.

Managing by objectives at Omida SSC

I am a practitioner and base my management style on the Management by Objectives (MBO) method, which allows linking individual goals of individual employees with the goals of the company and maintaining consistency of actions. I also believe that the success of every company and project is built through an engaged, satisfied, and efficient staff, hence it is important to develop and apply appropriate criteria for periodic assessments, using selected KPIs (including the quantitative and qualitative assessment of employee results).

Could you tell us about the strategic goals for the coming years?

We have three main strategic goals: focusing on internal development of the group, raising efficiency and quality of service, and supporting the Logistic Integrator project, which aims to combine companies from the TSL sector to increase profitability and efficiency. We want Omida SSC to become a key element in the strategy of the entire group, providing innovative solutions and support for all companies within it.

What projects were the most satisfying for you?

Definitely, one of the most interesting projects was the launch of the financial company Omida Finance. I wanted to support this project and as a person who knows the entire structure of cooperation with carriers and the methodology of settlements, I joined the company’s board along with Michał Kaźmierczak and Michał Należyty. Designing everything under the group’s needs and creating tailor-made products was a unique challenge. The Omida Finance product required extensive coordination and involvement of many departments, but the final effect brought great satisfaction.

The main goal is simple: to make finance less complicated and more accessible for companies in this rapidly developing industry.

And how does Omida Finance support carriers cooperating with the OMIDA Group? What tools do you use for this purpose?

OmiPay is a program for carriers designed to provide quick access to money, maximum simplicity, and transparency of the process. Unlike traditional invoice financing solutions, OmiPay requires a minimum of formalities, including carriers cooperating with OMIDA Group companies can join the program without the need for financial condition assessment. Omida Finance provides users with an intuitive mobile app interface with a view of all invoices eligible for financing and a clear cost calculator, which the carrier incurs for early payment of funds. Importantly, we ensure the highest standards of process and finance security, bearing in mind the risks associated with fraud.

The first company in the group that included the financing program for its Carriers is Omida Logistics, with the success and positive feedback from the market we decided to expand the program to another group company – Stark Log. I can reveal that soon more group companies will be able to offer the solution to their suppliers.

What allows you to maintain energy and operate at full speed?

Daily sports give me a chance to detach from problems and sort of reset my mind. Regular training, playing basketball, hitting the gym, running, and cycling with my family—and skiing in winter—help me maintain a balance between my professional and private life. Sport helps me clear my head and reset; it’s the best way for me to recharge and prepare for new challenges.

From a young age, sport has been a crucial part of my life, and that remains true today, although with age, some priorities and sports preferences change. I no longer play with friends on the neighborhood court, but instead, I meet weekly for basketball games.

Krzysztof, thank you very much for an inspiring and motivating conversation.

Thank you too.