Liverpool FC: Increasing productivity, Improving customer service
The Challenge
As Chris Jennions, Internet Sales Manager at Liverpool FC comments, “the manual despatch process we previously employed had always limited our productivity during key trading.” In order to process their orders, they would print each customer invoice, using them as pick notes. The pick notes were taken to the pack bench where they were sorted in to UK and International consignments.
Goods were packed and the invoice was affixed to the parcel and packed into cages and moved to the despatch area. The cages were unloaded and the delivery information was manually typed into the carrier management system. The goods were then labelled and loaded back onto the cages. The bottom portion of the customer invoice was torn off and taken to the office where it was updated in the internal system as despatched.
Once the goods were despatched, Liverpool FC were only able to operate a reactive customer service. If a tracking query was raised, they would enter the details into their carrier management system, which more often than not proved unreliable. With customer service at the forefront of their minds, Liverpool FC knew it needed to streamline their operation to cope with the influx of orders they experience around kit launches and Christmas holidays
The Solution
As Snow Valley, a fully integrated MetaPack partner, is the eCommerce engine behind Liverpool FC’s online shop, MetaPack was the obvious choice to manage their delivery. Especially as they were aware of the ways in which our system had streamlined the despatch processes of other companies and so was interested in what MetaPack could do for them. The main focus points were: improve customer service, increase productivity and introduce a scaleable solution. MetaPack were able to accommodate all three. Delivery data is now sent through to the carriers using a file import method, alleviating manual input. Using MetaPack’s ‘Rapid Print’ functionality, the order number found on the customer invoice is typed into our system and the label is automatically produced. The goods are loaded onto the cage once and taken direct to the despatch area. The new process has improved productivity dramatically especially during the all-important key trading times. Jennions agrees, “During our recent home kit launch MetaPack enabled us to despatch a record volume of orders with relative ease.” Not only have they increased order output but they also make use of an ‘enhanced expression functionality’, which allows them to automate allocation based on monetary value. This ensures that the lower item goods are going with the correct carrier and not incurring any unnecessary costs while the higher value items receive a premium delivery service. In addition to this, the introduction of tracking emails has seen the inbound ‘where is my order’ calls reduce by 50%. “MetaPack reduced the volume of inbound calls almost overnight thanks to the automated tracking email it sends our customers. This functionality will help us cut costs in the long term and improve the service we offer our customers” explains Jennions.
"MetaPack is one of those enhancements that we now look back on and wonder how we ever coped without it. The introduction of MetaPack into our fulfilment process has helped us to significantly increase the volume of orders we can despatch on a daily basis. Going forward MetaPack will enable us to broaden our horizons with regards to delivery options we offer our customers, something we could have never had contemplated prior to MetaPack integration. MetaPack is by far the leading delivery solution and their client list reinforces this."
Chris Jennions, Internet Sales Manager
