Lazr exists to provide highly automated, flexible, and collaborative tech logistics tools to all businesses.
Tell us about yourself?
I have devoted my entire career to the field of transportation. My father, Normand Guindon, was the proud owner of an asset-based transportation company named Logitrans Inc., situated in St-Eustache, Quebec. Following the company’s acquisition by the Transforce group in 2008, I ventured into a new chapter by founding Synergie Canada, where I have served as President ever since. Lazr, our affiliated sister company, operates in parallel through an innovative online platform that streamlines the shipping and receiving processes for businesses in the B2B sector.
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
Actively seek and listen to customer feedback. It’s a valuable source of insight that can guide product or service improvements and help build customer loyalty.
What problem does your business solve?
Our suite of logistics tools addresses a crucial gap prevalent in many businesses’ supply chains: an unmet need situated between enterprise-level services and software customization.
In the realm of operations, companies often find themselves relying on a diverse set of logistics services. For instance, a company might engage separate suppliers for parcel and courier services and multiple others for freight, customs brokerage, 3-4-5PL, etc… Managing this assortment of suppliers can be a formidable task, often requiring a dedicated team as well. And still, challenges arise regularly.
Our product streamlines this process, ensuring comprehensive visibility for all your shipments, whether local or international. We go beyond mere logistics by offering the best market prices and providing tools for other vital aspects of your business, such as quoting and billing.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
We once operated with a team of over 10 dedicated to the transportation spot market. Our daily routine involved sending out more than 200 price quotes to customers, involving a complex array of services from common carriers to standard asset-based carriers and intermodal options. The diversity of services posed a significant challenge, requiring a deep understanding of the nuances associated with each and mastering the intricacies of interacting with carrier websites and customer services.
Training new members for this operation was a time-consuming process, given the vast amount of knowledge required. The myriad quirks and features, coupled with the diverse range of services, meant that it would take years for individuals to become proficient in this role.
As this team worked in tandem with our sales division, I consistently pondered the possibility of a more efficient approach to this complex task. It was this persistent desire to overcome these challenges that led to the inception of Lazr.
What is your magic sauce?
Lazr is unique in several ways, but the first one that comes to mind is our pricing engine. Using Lazr, customers get the most complete choice of carriers because it also includes their own specific accounts. This way, they always get the best of both worlds and make sure to be efficient while using a single tool for all their needs. This improves pricing, visibility, and team collaboration for the whole company, including accounting, customer service, the sales team, and more.
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
The goal is to achieve 100M sales in three years. We are currently running campaigns to get the product known by all companies in Québec and Ontario, and our sales efforts are currently concentrated in Montreal and Ottawa.
This year, we plan to open a sales office in Toronto. As the company keeps growing throughout the next two to three years, we are looking to branch out in the USA.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
Maintaining product development velocity while integrating large customers with specific needs most of the time. Sizeable business opportunities come at the cost of diverging from the big plan.
Balancing immediate gains with long-term success is a delicate balance from our experience.
How can people get involved?
You can access the Lazr Tech-Logistics platform web app at www.lazr.io. Registering is free for as many users as desired inside and outside an organization.