Sebastian Cosgrove is the Director of Global Customer Service at Air Canada Cargo. Having started his career at a flight attendant with Air Canada, he has held progressively more senior roles within the organisation on both the passenger and cargo side of the airline.
Cosgrove launched Air Canada’s enterprise social media platform and supported in the development of Customer Service at Cargo. Today, the Customer Service department includes multiple Service Centres across Canada and the United States as well as post-customer care. Cosgrove holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Fredericton and is a distinguished Toastmaster. In 2017, he was awarded Air Canada’s Award of Excellence, the highest recognition an employee can receive. He is also an active Diversity, Equity and Inclusion champion for the Cargo branch, as well as a Mental Health advocate.
How did you get into airfreight/logistics?
I joined Air Canada Cargo from Corporate Communications and started the Customer Relations group. This was my first foray into the airfreight and logistics space. Learning about air cargo and the movement of supplies globally was fascinating and one aspect of the industry that I truly enjoy is that each day is unique in its challenges and opportunities. No two shipments are alike, and each file that comes to Customer Service is another opportunity to win over a customer/forwarder or agent.
What quote has most resonated with you?
Doubt can motivate you, so don’t be afraid of it. Confidence and doubt are at two ends of the scale, and you need both. They balance each other out. – Barbra Streisand.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. I pass this advice on to all new employees that it’s better to ask than to guess a response.
What is the most adventurous thing you have ever done?
I’ll be Skydiving this fall (so not yet completed), but otherwise. it would be cycling through rice fields in Vietnam.
If you could have dinner with any three people, living or dead, who would it be and why?
- Barbra Streisand, as I’m currently reading her autobiography and didn’t know that she is essentially a self-made woman from Brooklyn, who stayed true to herself throughout her career. 2. The late Herb Kelleher, so that we could discuss culture in large organisations and how to get it right. 3. Barack Obama to talk about how he overcame adversity and what we can do as a society to ensure all people are respected.
What’s something we wouldn’t know about you from your CV?
I rode a dragon boat on a Japanese team weekly during the summer months in Toronto.
What hobby have you always wanted to try but never got around to?
I tend to switch hobbies frequently once I get bored of something. One that I’ve been interested in but haven’t tried yet is adult Lego-building (it’s a thing but a very expensive hobby) as well as adult camping.
If you have not pursued a career in airfreight, what other field would you have liked to go into?
I’m a certified French teacher by trade; however, I knew early on that I didn’t want to formally teach. If I hadn’t gotten in airfreight, I would have enjoyed Marketing or HR.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Given that I work for an airline, it would be the gift of flight. I could also avoid my daily commute this way!
What’s your proudest moment and your biggest regret? The proudest moment of my career was winning Air Canada’s Award of Excellence, which is the highest achievement an employee can receive. It’s a peer-nominated award, which makes it all the more meaningful. I’ve had lots of regrets, but I’ve made them all into learning moments so that I can improve in the future (and not replicate the same mistake twice!). One regret is losing some of my language skills as I didn’t practice them enough and became complacent. I’m now trying to brush up on using Rosetta Stone in the evenings.
If there was a movie made about your life, who would you like to see play the lead role?
Ryan Gosling! Another Canadian.
Looking back over your career, what would your message be to someone considering a career in logistics?
Be prepared for the unexpected and always have a backup plan. Working in logistics is challenging (but fun), and it’s an industry where delays can have a significant impact on the end customer. Thinking ahead and building contingencies will help you be successful and help you avoid late-night/weekend escalations.
How do you motivate your team?
Recognition where recognition is due, regular touchpoints and team events to help everyone reconnect. The team motto is to work hard and play hard. Typically, Customer Service holds two team-building events a year: a summer and winter edition. These events help everyone decompress but also refocus for the months ahead.
What is the one item you can’t travel without?
iWatch charger and my iPad. I’ve got a 1,500-day streak going on my watch that I don’t want to break!
What would your autobiography be called?
Aim higher.
Cats or dogs?
Cats, although I grew up with Basset Hounds and had a soft spot for them.
Early riser or night owl?
Early riser.
What’s the best and worst purchase you’ve ever made?
Best – Rimowa suitcase. The wheels and handling of that carry-on bag are second to none. The worst purchase I’ve ever made was a first-generation smartwatch that didn’t do anything but alert you that had messages waiting for you on your phone.
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Either spaghetti or pizza. It’s a true toss-up.
What’s your most used emoji?
Smiley face
