Kim Croall in Software Support launches the first in a new series of Behind-the-Scenes Stories about the team. She becomes our Forward Thinker.
Kim is based in the Nottingham office and has been at Forward Solutions since 2016.
Before joining the freight and transport industry, Kim worked within the insurance industry. Her first job in the sector was at Baxter Freight, who are one of Forward Solutions’ customers, where she worked for two and a half years before joining us here at Forward Solutions.
Straight after joining Forward Solutions, Kim realised that she felt like she had finally started a career and not just a job. Joining a close-knit team of four, (three in Nottingham and one in the Southampton team) they work closely together to deliver the best support to customers.
Kim comments:
“When I first joined the team welcomed me with open arms, answering any questions I had, and they were very eager to share their knowledge with me to help me grow in my new role. I quickly realised the team were incredibly talented and that I could learn so much from them. It was a fantastic start at the company.
“I’ve learned a lot since then and have continued to grow more and more confident in my role. Something that I think has helped me develop is that I’m not micro-managed, my team and my manager have faith in me that I will get the work done and allow me to work independently.”
As Software Support, Kim helps customers maximise Forward Solutions’ software. She and the team help hundreds of users get to grips with the different modules which make up Forward Office, whether that be helping customers work efficiently with import and export customs management on Forward Clear or using Forward Core to manage shipments precisely from quote to invoice.
Users contact Kim and the team at Software Support via a ticketed system, working with a variety of customer enquiries. She deals with all modes of freight, including air, sea, road and rail.
Each day is very different with the sheer variety of tickets that come through, depending on the scale and type of issue a customer has, the solution could be a quick phone call or if it’s a more complex issue it may take longer to resolve.
Due to changes in the world including Brexit and Covid-19, the freight industry has moved further into digitalisation. The demand for software has never been higher and with over 3000 users adopting Forward Solutions’ software and with each one having the possibility of needing an issue resolved, Kim’s days have never been so busy.
Kim added:
“I’m delighted to be able to work as Software Support for an industry I’m really interested in. Having previously worked for a freight company I understand the issues our customers can face.”
On top of her busy life supporting customers, Kim is also in charge of planning the annual Christmas party.
Tom Donnelly, Manager of Operations at Forward Solutions added:
“Kim is a great asset to the team; she fits right in with her colleagues and is always willing to give a helping hand. She excels at helping customers get to grips with the software, and with an ever-changing and developing industry, it’s important to have the right mindset and understanding of our software. With complications in the freight industry such as Brexit our sector is always moving forward to increase efficiency and that’s why the Software Support team are fully knowledgeable about sections of our Forward Office system. She’s also fantastic at delivering us a great Christmas party.”
A fun fact about Kim is that when she was younger, she decided to go on a solo holiday to Australia, but after falling in love with the country she ended up staying for two years!
