Supplyant Web Vending: Multiple Warehouses, One System
The Challenge
One of Supplyant's key e-commerce clients needed a way to manage over sixty UK warehouses from one system, with data pushed in via their website. Initially, they were relying on their suppliers to despatch the goods to their customers as well as relying on them to provide customer service information. This method provided neither visibility nor tracking facilities. Furthermore, they incurred high carriage charges because of the low volumes being despatched from each supplier. As parcel sizes varied from very small to very large, multiple carriers were required to deal with each type of parcel traffic effectively and cost efficiently. Supplyant approached a number of companies seeking a solution, but found it proved too complicated to seamlessly push an order through to multiple locations and immediately produce a label.
The Solution
Supplyant acts as an aggregator for many of its smaller customers, and assists their larger clients to manage their own carrier accounts. With MetaPack Delivery Manager, they have created individual warehouses for each of their suppliers and customers incorporating the relevant rates, services and allocation criteria. Director, Nick Morton explains the benefits, “now that we have MetaPack in place we’re able to pass on an average carrier cost reduction of 28% and reduce account setup to pickup time to under 48 hours. This has proved a big hit with small and large businesses alike.” Now when processing a ‘third party collection’ (where the consignor organises the collection from a remote address for either a return delivery or delivery to another address through MetaPack, all Supplyant or their customers have to do is enter the consignment details as normal, the supplier then logs into their warehouse and prints the label. The goods are despatched directly from the supplier with Supplyant or their customers having full visibility and tracking of each delivery. “MetaPack has automated our despatch process, reduced the amount of administration involved and enhanced our customer service by giving us the knowledge of where our parcel is at any given time” adds Nick.
"We encourage all of our suppliers and customers to use MetaPack, we consider ourselves ambassadors for the system. People generally concentrate on cost savings on the bottom line, and forget the cost of administration and automation. The savings we’ve made here have been incredible"
Nick Morton – Director
