CP unveils sales and marketing initiatives

Canadian Pacific today announced new efforts by its sales and marketing team to improve the customer experience and generate growth opportunities.

Building on the success of its grain franchise and Dedicated Train Program, CP's sales and marketing team is focused on strategic improvements across all lines of business, CP officials said in a press release.

"We have a proven operating model, the shortest routes in key markets, and are now making great strides in customer service," said President and Chief Executive Officer Keith Creel. "Over the last four years, a lot of work has been done to improve our cost structure and build a strong foundation for success. We are now well positioned to leverage CP's safe, highly efficient and low-cost transportation model."

CP announced two recent initiatives that demonstrate its approach to enhancing the customer experience through offering a "more reliable total product" and extending its market reach:
• The Class I is ordering 41 new gensets equipped with the latest telematics and most fuel efficient technology available in the marketplace to be delivered throughout 2017 and first-quarter 2018. Gensets are purpose-built 40-foot containers that house two generators capable of powering up to 17 refrigerated ocean-going containers. With this investment, CP is expanding its protective and perishable service product to serve a growing segment of the transportation market.
• A new "live" lift at Portal, N.D., was opened in May. Portal is the border crossing for CP's intermodal traffic moving between western Canada and the U.S. Midwest. The new service allows CP to lift single containers off of trains for inspection by Canadian and U.S. authorities as opposed to having entire intermodal cars set-off, which could hold three or more containers. The investment will eliminate non-targeted containers from being delayed at the border crossing, CP officials said.

"We are now at an inflection point and are well positioned to grow the franchise, sell a competitive service and offer our customers a best-in-class, total transportation solution," said CP Chief Marketing Officer John Brooks. "CP delivers safely and efficiently from A to Z, but now by collaborating closely with our customers and actively listening, we better understand their needs and are taking action to strengthen our total product in the marketplace."