Kitchen trade supplier Waterline deploys Descartes Systems Group last mile delivery solution

Waterline, a UK-based supplier to the independent kitchen specialist sector, is enhancing the operational efficiency of its fleet delivery and customer service operations using Descarte Systems Group’s cloud-based route planning and optimisation; pre-delivery customer email notifications; and electronic proof-of delivery (ePOD) solutions.

It says that it has achieved a 4% reduction in fleet mileage and decreased customer contact centre enquiries by 50%.

“Waterline runs successful e-commerce, logistics and customer service operations,” says Matt Elborough, Head of Logistics at Waterline.

“However, in order to support our growth and to continue to deliver exceptional customer service, we explored what systems we could invest in to become more efficient. More effective route planning, pre-delivery customer email notifications, and ePOD all formed part of the answer.”

“Today, not only are we creating more efficient routes and delivering goods more accurately, we’re building better customer relationships too.”

“Descartes has reduced our delivery route planning from a few hours per day to a matter of minutes and enabled more effective overnight runs. This has allowed us to focus on other areas of the business, such as compliance management and driver training.”

“Further, since deploying Descartes’ pre-delivery customer email notifications (with delivery ETAs) and ePOD, communication with customers has improved, resulting in approximately 50% fewer calls to our contact centre. Having route planning and ePOD all on one platform is a real advantage— deliveries and routes are planned, executed and tracked all on one system.” 

“Waterline has the right product and operational capabilities to fulfil and ship to customers fast and accurately, and to continue to deliver a great customer experience as it grows,” says Peio Ribas, SVP Sales EMENAR at Descartes.

“We’re delighted that our route planning and optimisation solution, pre-delivery customer email notifications, and electronic proof of delivery are supporting Waterline with more timely, accurate and efficient deliveries.”