Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 25th July 2024 Issue no. 1124

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Jangro member PPS modernises last mile delivery with Descartes solution

Jangro member Professional Paper Supplies is using Descartes' last mile delivery solution to modernise and improve its delivery operations as part of a major digital transformation program.

By automating manual processes, the Descartes solution has allowed PPS' transport manager to save approximately 25 hours/week planning deliveries and routes. The solution also helped PPS gain 17 hours of productive time daily across its team of 17 drivers, or 1 hour/day/driver, which the company is devoting to more deliveries per day, staff training and other strategic imperatives.

"Our business has transformed many dated manual operations to become more efficient, productive and profitable thanks to digitisation," says Jon Robshaw, transport manager, PPS.

“We started with our enterprise resource planning (ERP) and warehouse management system (WMS) solutions before centring on last-mile delivery improvements.

"The Descartes solution shortens the time it takes to load our 250 daily orders into the best available vehicle, as well as to plan and route the optimal sequence of next-day deliveries-all while prioritising economical efficiencies. It's also replaced the use of printed delivery notes with electronic proof-of-delivery, saving paper and providing our customers with a modern consumer-like delivery experience."

Descartes' cloud-based last mile delivery solution helps distribution-intensive companies improve operational efficiency and customer experience. It supports dynamic delivery requirements, including same-day delivery, by offering flexible, efficient and cost-effective time windows and delivery options.

The Descartes solution improves route productivity by using advanced optimisation technology to reduce the distance driven per delivery, which maximises delivery capacity and reduces costs. With an integrated GPS-based mobile application, the solution coordinates drivers, dispatchers and call centres to ensure that routes are executed according to plan and exceptions are handled efficiently.

Electronic proof-of-delivery (ePOD) captures delivery details and helps streamlines the delivery process and self-service customer engagement allows customers to track their orders in real-time. The solution improves delivery sustainability through increased route productivity which results in less CO2 per delivery and eliminates paper manifests and delivery documents.

Gary Taylor, VP sales, EMEA at Descartes, says:

"We're pleased that our solution is playing an important role for PPS as part of its digital transformation journey. With changes in customer ordering patterns and greater pressure for same-day and next-day deliveries, delivery performance has never been more important for distribution companies.

“Descartes has a proven track record of investing in leading last mile strategies and technologies that help to keep its customers at the forefront of distribution excellence."

Founded in 1999, PPS is a rapidly growing, family-owned, family-led business that exists to make our customers' lives easier. PPS provides restaurants, schools, office cleaners, as well as thousands of other workplaces and venues with paper, cleaning and janitorial supplies; catering disposables; industrial packaging; personal protective equipment (PPE); workwear, and more.

www.pps-essentials.co.uk | www.descartes.com

22nd February 2024