The Challenge
Unhappy with time-consuming processes and increasing shipping costs, the fulfillment company’s vice president of operations Thomas Scott* searched for a competitively priced delivery solution that his clients – who he invoices directly for fulfillment and shipping – frankly wouldn’t notice. Although his search was price-driven, Scott was determined to improve overall value beyond the standard rate sheet. His team was wasting precious time sorting packages, trying to match his processes to his legacy providers’ requirements.
“I can get a pretty good idea of the kind of service I’m going to receive by how willing a provider is to create a solution that meets my needs,” said Scott.
After two months of research, Scott decided to partner with logistics problem-solvers, Streamlite, in July 2009.
The Solution
Delivery time versus shipping rates – is it possible to have the best of both worlds? Scott admitted that he was hesitant to switch delivery providers. He based his choice on cost-savings, flexibility and service.
Cost-Savings
"Streamlite had competitive rates but also the flexibility – both in mindset and technology platform – to fully integrate with our system, which would provide ancillary cost-savings as well,” said Scott. Implementation was a breeze – quick and seamless – thanks to the like-minded IT teams on either side of the partnership.
Flexibility
Streamlite reviewed and streamlined various parts of the delivery process to meet the fulfillment company’s specific needs. "Other competitors dictated when and how our packages had to be presented for pickup – some on the floor, others on shrink-wrapped pallets," said Scott. "But Streamlite said, ‘You tell us,’ and they adapted to our system." Scott opted for unsorted as a means of saving time and simplifying his internal process. Streamlite picks up unsorted gaylords on a schedule that works best for the fulfillment company, sorts and processes product at the nearest processing and distribution center and sends the shipments out same-day. In addition to process flexibility, Streamlite’s billing capabilities enabled the fulfillment company to significantly improve what was a manual, time-consuming process to create individual invoices for each of their customers. Streamlite applied unique codes to Scott’s invoices, sorted by client and detailed down to the package-level. “Anytime I ask for something, Tara McErlean [director of sales] and the Streamlite team never hesitates,” said Scott. “They always respond, ‘Sure we can do that,’ and they find a way to make it happen.”
Customer Service
"We may not be Streamlite's largest client, but I could never tell that by the way we are treated and the attention we are given," said Scott. "Streamlite is like a guardian angel watching over us to ensure we remain profitable and efficient." McErlean added, "He sees our genuine desire to do business with him and that we are absolutely committed to providing him with the best level of service possible."
The Result
Since working with Streamlite, Scott has avoided a 25 percent transportation increase, secured a 10-15 percent increase in productivity (labor), and received a promotion, from director to vice president of operations.
"Once you confirm that a company is cost-competitive and has IT resources to mesh with your own, it really comes down to the type of service you'll get," said Scott. "We made the right choice with Streamlite. The honeymoon of customer service never ends."