'At DTH Expeditors, Inc., the customer is prioritized, important, and the reason for our existence': Mike Winslett, CEO

DTH Expeditors, Inc. is an industry leader in the movement of critical, time-definite, expedited air and ground shipments. DTH has built a nationwide network of drivers to handle cross-town or cross-country expedited vehicle movement. Through courier vehicles, cargo vans, sprinter vans, straight trucks, and tractor trailers, DTH can meet your demands for capacity, speed, technology, and customer service throughout the 48 contiguous states and Canada.

Mike Winslett, CEO of DTH Expeditors, Inc., spoke exclusively to CIO Bulletin about how he and his company are providing reliable and timely transportation services to their customers.

Interview Highlights

Q. What was the motivation behind starting DTH Expeditors, Inc.?

The potential to create a highly personalized transportation service with relationships at its core. This commitment to relationships was, without a doubt, my #1 goal when I set out to build this company, and that philosophy remains the same nearly 25 years later. I saw large transportation companies failing to see the value in building relationships with customers, and I knew that was a disservice to the customer and the company I envisioned building. At DTH, the customer comes first, the customer matters, and the customer is why we exist. I think we’ve created something really special where we create solutions rather than call centers, and through this, our customers feel valued.

Q. Can you explain about your services in brief?

DTH Expeditors, Inc. moves critical, time-sensitive expedited air and ground shipments. Another key distinction of what DTH provides is the highest level of customer service throughout the entire process.

Q. There is a talent war in the logistics and supply chain management segments. Among the scarce pool of talent, how do you manage to source the best?

In addition to always prioritizing customer needs, we also prioritize staff needs. We value their input and guidance. Many of our staff have been with us since DTH’s inception, and we intentionally seek out folks who will add depth and breadth to our growing team. We are thoughtful about bringing on employees who have energy and expertise, and we place them in areas well-suited to their strengths. It’s never simply about filling a seat. It’s about filling a role with someone we see as having potential to become part of the fabric of the DTH team.

Q. Unanticipated costs, the potential for setbacks, integration difficulties, and quality suffering are inevitable parts of logistics. How do you overcome these without disrupting the business flow?

We overcome these setbacks and challenges through strategic creativity, industry acumen, and people-first customer service. This requires a keen ability to listen and understand the challenges first. From here, we meet the moment by implementing solutions. It’s not enough to know there is a challenge or difficulty. It’s what you do about it, and what makes DTH unique is our ability to speedily and precisely deploy solutions to meet customer needs. We believe in using what’s in our toolbox—from technology to staff expertise and everything in between. DTH has adapted today’s technology with "old-fashioned" customer service values—values that have set DTH apart from its competitors from day one.

“The commitment to relationships was, without a doubt, my #1 goal when I set out to build this company, and that philosophy remains the same nearly 25 years later."

Q. How do you meet consumer demands and minimise the overall costs involved in logistics processes?

We run a highly efficient, tight ship. The vetting process of our partners is quite thorough, and we invest resources in bringing on the right kind of business. In essence, business that aligns with our values. This strategy allows DTH to minimize unnecessary costs over time and invest in quality partners across the board that we can count on.

Q. A logistics network performs best when all its departments and operations function efficiently. How can we improve visibility and working procedures through your solutions for supporting organizations?

Ongoing communication is key. We've had particular success with a variety of metrics that provide insight into operational functionality and allow us to make adjustments or course-correct as needed. To name a few, taking a deep dive into on-time service, service interruptions, compliance, continuing education, and technology has allowed us to adapt quickly when needed. In order to maintain adaptability, we are diligent about communicating any procedural changes and improvements with key stakeholders.

Q. How do you market your services?

Many mediums help us market our services. Though digital platforms are an area we’d like to continue expanding, the vast majority of our marketing comes from interpersonal relationship building. These connections are vital to DTH because they provide key information on how to best meet and exceed customer needs and ensure that the relationship between DTH and the customer is much more than surface-level. This is when the business relationship can truly flourish.

Q. Do you have any new services ready to be launched?

Yes. 2023 will see us roll out international services, and that’s a very exciting leap for us. It reflects our growth and evolution, and it truly solidifies DTH as an industry leader. Furthermore, as we merge into a single operating system, we are launching technology at the intersection of customer service and user interface to improve the transparency and ease of the shipping process from start to finish.

Q. What does the future hold for your company and its customers? Are exciting things on the way?

There’s a lot of enthusiasm about the future, and for good reason. The growth DTH has seen over the past two years is nothing short of incredible, and the opportunities to scale this growth even more are ripe. With expanded services and improved technology, coupled with the same world-class customer experience, I see big things on the horizon. I’m also energized by the next generation of leadership at DTH. We’ve got fresh ideas and robust skillsets, and we will pair this with our longstanding ethos of putting the customer first, always.

About | Mike Winslett

Mike Winslett is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of DTH Expeditors, Inc. DTH was founded in 1999 and is named after Mike’s three children, Drew, Tyler, and Hannah. The DTH name reflects Mike’s motivation to be the best employer, partner, vendor, and friend in the transportation industry through family and community values to create a multi-generational legacy.

“What makes DTH unique is our ability to speedily and precisely deploy solutions to meet customer needs. We believe in using what’s in our toolbox—from technology to staff expertise and everything in between."