Tom Kobayashi, the Director of Transportation Services for Carecor

Getting to know Tom Kobayashi.

You’ve spent your career in Transportation and Logistics. How did you get into this line of work?

Tom: After graduating in aircraft engineering, I worked for Air Canada Cargo while hoping to land a job in aircraft maintenance. Air Canada at the time was the licensed carrier for Federal Express. I joined FedEx in 1982 when they officially opened their doors in Canada and have remained in transportation and logistics ever since. 

What makes providing these services within healthcare so unique?

Tom: In healthcare transportation, “Life” is our cargo. It must be handled with care and we must be cognizant that someone’s life may depend on the contents which we carry.Due to the nature of our cargo, there is a limited delivery time window we must respect and meet, unlike a non-urgent shipment that may not matter if it is delivered late.

Sometimes those who work behind the scenes and in supporting roles are often taken for granted. Do you think this is the case in transportation services?

Tom: Front line staff, especially couriers, are ambassadors to any company.  They meet and greet, and interact with our clients and the public daily, more so than any other company representative.  They promote the image of our company and are a moving “billboard” or advertisement for the company.  Solid, good-standing customer relations between couriers and clients are essential to ensure repeat and new business.  

You have many employees driving all day long in urban environments and in very remote areas. What do you think motivates them, and what special challenges do they face?

Tom: In my experience conducting ride-alongs with drivers, they are proud to be the extended faces and voices of our company to our outlying clients.  My observation is that they feel they are a part of many families (our clients), not just to their own parent company; this is highly motivational to them. Since many do not report into our main office, they do face challenges of feeling isolated and “left out”.  It is management’s responsibility to ensure we communicate with them on a regular, if not daily basis. It is important they feel recognized as a part of the team and appreciated for their support and efforts.  

If you had to pick one part of your job that you find most rewarding, what would that be?

Tom: That’s a tough question; there are many areas of my job I find rewarding. If I had to pick one, it would be working with people who care for people and working collaboratively to ensure we provide quality, superior service to our employees and customers.

There are lots of competitors to Carecor out there - get a vehicle and a driver and you’re in business. What should healthcare facilities look for in choosing a transportation partner?

Tom: Carecor has been the transportation solutions provider to the healthcare sector for over 30 years. We have built a solid reputation with healthcare providers based on caring, trust, reliability and dependability. There are no other companies in this specialized business with these credentials, thus it makes choosing easy for healthcare facilities.

Patient care can be affected by everything Carecor transports. How do you personally rise to this challenge?

Tom: Whether it is transporting diagnostic lab samples or other time sensitive materials and items that require a quick turnaround, someone’s life may depend on the safe and prompt arrival to the destination.  My goal is to ensure any problems are promptly resolved, determine the root cause, and maintain and provide the highest quality customer service. 

At the end of each day, how can you ensure that your staff and your clients are satisfied with Carecor’s transportation service?

Tom: Smiling faces are always a good sign.  Staying connected on a regular basis with staff and clients and asking for their feedback is a great way of determining satisfaction or dissatisfaction.  We all have tendencies to sometimes think “no news is good news” yet in reality there could be something they may be truly unhappy about.   Being a good listener, empathetic and responsive to their concerns, will ensure employees and clients are happy with our company and its services.