Meet the Logwardians - Samitha

Today we’re introducing Samitha, leader of our Data Quality team. Read about her job at Logward and what being responsible for data quality means. Bonus - some insider tips on what to do in Bangalore.

Hi Samitha, thank you for this interview. Let's start with what you did before joining Logward.

Starting from the very beginning, I grew up in a small town in Karnataka, where I also attended school, and I then studied two years in Mangalore. Regarding my higher education, I’ve wanted to study engineering since my childhood, so the choice has always been between Computer Science and Information Science & Engineering. That's why in 2013 I moved to Bangalore, to graduate in Information Science & Engineering. Before joining Logward I worked in two organizations, first as an Operation Executive and then as a Product Specialist. During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic I worked in the healthcare industry, which taught me how to handle pressure while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Thanks to this experience I developed my analytical skills and an eye for detail too. These skills helped me join Logward.

How exactly did you join the company?

I got to Logward through reference, thanks to Likith. I was interviewed by Pavan, Head of Engineering, and Arun, Product Manager, but it was mostly Pavan who took over my interview and onboarding process. So in March 2021 I joined Logward, and when I started working, the DQ team was smaller than now.

Can you explain your job in more detail?

The DQ team is mainly responsible for scraping data for the Logward app, where our customer accounts exist, and also, in a sense, for “creating” data, mainly for non-automatic carriers - this means that since they don’t allow scraping, the data collection has to be carried out manually. When issues arise, we escalate to Logward's SOS team, the Customer Success team located in Bremen, and sometimes, when we need assistance, we also connect with Tommy, our COO, or Christian, Implementation Manager.

‍

You’ve recently become head of your team. Congratulations! How does it feel?

It feels good, especially because it happened in a short amount of time. This new position is challenging, but I also feel very excited. Everything has been going smoothly, and I’m happy about it.

What changed in terms of responsibilities?

There hasn’t been a significant change in terms of responsibilities. In general, I act as a bridge between the team in Germany and the team in India, and now when there’s an issue, I can connect quickly with anyone inside the company to get the information I need. One thing that is very important is to make sure that nothing is left pending, which requires a lot of concentration.

Can you tell us about the most challenging part of your role?

Sometimes we don’t receive updated data for a long time, and because of this we’re not able to move further with our work. This means that we’re not able to provide reliable information to customers if the quality of the data is bad, and it's challenging when we receive data with issues from our clients. So what can happen, for example, is a mismatch with carriers' data and customers' data.

What are the characteristics of good supply chain data?

For data to be good there shouldn’t be any issue with it. It should be easy to use, so the person working with it doesn’t have to worry too much, and we can provide our customers with accurate business intelligence. Good data is clean data.

Why is data quality so important at Logward?

Because shippers and BCOs look for insights about shipments or transports, and meaningful insights can only come from complete and accurate data.

Do you have any tips for your team?

We discuss everything together and stick to our plans, so I don’t really have any tips, but I would say that we should always keep our eyes wide open and be careful not to miss out on anything.

What do you love most about the company and your job?

I love Logward’s work culture. Every time that an issue arises, we can directly contact anyone inside the company - everyone helps. For example, at times I need Hari's help, our CTO, and he helps me immediately. This doesn’t happen in any organization. Besides, there are many opportunities at Logward. Regarding my job, what I love most about it, is that it is something that I’ve always wanted to do, and it is related to my plans for the future as I want to keep working in this field, but, for example, I would like to deal more with data visualization.

Where are we most likely to find you when you’re not making sure all data is accurate and consistent?

In my room, because I’m lazy when it comes to going out, so I’d rather hang out in my room, or at my friends’ place. In general, at home, you will most probably find me cooking something or watching sitcoms - I love them. My favorite ones are Friends and Gilmore Girls.

‍

Last question, any suggestions for someone wanting to visit Bangalore?

Since I’m a foodie, and I like to try new things myself, I absolutely recommend trying the masala dosa (typical dish from South India) in Taaza Thindi. Also, if you like clubbing, there are plenty of places in Bangalore, and you should go to some breweries as well. For those who like festivals, they should come to Bangalore for them, some great ones are the Kadalekai Parishe fair and Bangalore Karaga. Finally, I also recommend that you visit trekking places nearby, such as Skandagiri, Savandurga, Makalidurga, and the sunrise at Nandi hills is beautiful. My other suggestions about hill stations are Sakleshpur, Chikmagalur and Madikeri. Definitely worth a visit!

Rapid fire:

Netflix or Amazon Prime? Netflix

Save or spend? Spend

Coincidence or fate? Fate

Dark chocolate or milk chocolate? Dark chocolate

Music or quiet? Music

‍

‍

‍Logward is a Hamburg & Bangalore based logistics technology company.

‍

We build software, move containers, and change mindsets.

‍

If you have any questions or just want to say hi, reach out to mail@logward.com. Or you can book time with one of our logistics experts here.

‍