SMF priorities are linked to improving the quality of service

Interview with Silvia Popeanga
SMF General Manager

Rail Journal: Would you remind us the reasons that led to the Railway Management Society creation and how the role this society has is understood in the activity process of the other railway societies.
Silvia Poeanga: Our society was created in the same period the other railway societies were created, as an effect of the restructuring process of the Romanian railway system. The Government Decision no. 583/15.09.1998 and the Ordinance no. 12/1998 regarding the railway transportation on the Romanian railways and the reorganisation of the SNCFR approved by the Law no. 89/25.05.1999 represent the support in the creation of the SMF.
Mainly, our activity object is the insuring of the financial-accounting services, administrative, juridical and organising activities in external/internal financing project management, auctions; we also administrate the external or internal credits for all the commercial societies with the CFR-SA, by help of Romanian or foreign juridical persons involved in the process under the law's stipulations.
The relationship between the SMF and the other societies of the CFR-SA are established by agreements that establish the obligations between the parties.
The reasons for creating such a society were to insure the continuity of the financial-accounting services as well as the juridical and the financial management activities for the entire railway system on one hand, and on the other hand to reduce the charges of the new-created agencies by realising all these operations with the existent personnel in the former National Railway Society that activated until October 1998.
From the point of view of the international experience, it was certified the fact that certain works and services are cheaper when executed by the specialised third parties than by your own personnel.
RJ: Could you make the evolution analysis of the railway societies from the point of view of a General Manager of the SMF, during the last two years of activity in this new formula?
SP: In the beginning I have to mention that during these two years the new-created railway societies have been in a permanent reorganisation, splitting in new branches and other commercial societies. Presently, SMF has been offering its services for 23 commercial societies resulted from the former SNCFR.
Talking about the economical efficiency, we have noticed that after the reorganisation of the new-created commercial societies, positive results have been registered. As a result, we are now in profit on the total level of the railway system as compared with the losses registered by the former SNCFR in the past.
This evolution shows that by creating these commercial societies, the efficiency of the activity within the railway system improved and that the leadership of each of these entities is involved in improving its own organisation system, in reducing the charges and raising their profitability.
RJ: What are the problems that the railway management confronts these days?
SP: Because of the great number of the commercial societies the SMF works for, makes it harder for our employees to realise in time the tasks at the standards demanded by the law. Plus the fact that the reorganisation of the SNCFR interposed with the financial and juridical laws' modification process that imposed also the reorganisation of the SMF as well. I will give you a few examples: the Ordinance no. 73/1999 regarding the income tax, the Ordinance no. 41/1998 regarding the organisation of the medical assistance, the rules regarding the juridical organisation, etc.
Our experience gathered during these two years of activity shows that any problem in the societies' activity can be solved only by a permanent collaboration of the railway personnel with the SMF. We have noticed that the lack of communication and co-operation led to the malfunctioning of certain fields for the improvement of which we needed lots of effort.
RJ: What major projects and priorities do you have in your agenda?
SP: The priorities of the Railway Management Society are interdependent to our preoccupation of improving the quality offered services. In this sense the continuation of the calculus technical equipment supplying, the improvement of the communication network and the realisation of a complex financial-accounting program is necessary.
We also have to improve the level of the professional training by complex and periodical training courses and experience exchanging activities.
RJ: And now a personal question: How does a woman succeed in this world of the railway men dominated as we all know, by men?
SP: In the railway activity there are many women though, in positions as agents, cashiers, Station Directors, engineers, economists, some of them being in managerial positions.
I think that being a woman in a managerial position it is the same either in the railway activity as in any other field. Unfortunately, a woman has to give up the time spent with her family and use it to get up with the job tasks.
Even so, when you have good results the satisfaction of a well-done job balances the other possible problems in your private life.

Silvia Mitulescu