The Yorkshire-based company, whose brands include Laptops Direct and Appliances Direct, delivers thousands of electrical appliances directly to consumers daily and manages end-to-end product fulfilment for national retailers including Debenhams.
BigChange’s offering combines cloud-based delivery planning and scheduling, an Android mobile app for drivers and real-time tracking of the vehicle fleet. Next-day delivery was a key part of Buy It Direct’s offering. The company chose BigChange after evaluating a number of competitive systems in the market.
Before, Buy It Direct relied on a paper-based system, including paper-based manifests and delivery notes that drivers were required to collect in the morning and return for processing and filing at the end of each day. Without real-time visibility of the operation, contact centre staff made multiple phone calls to drivers to check the status of deliveries.
The new solution is integrated with Buy it Direct’s routing software, and the entire delivery process is automated on rugged Samsung tablets. At the start of each day, drivers start their timesheet and complete an electronic vehicle walkaround check, logging any defects that are automatically flagged to fleet managers. Drivers have instant access to their delivery manifest, and the app navigates them efficiently from job to job, with the benefit of live Google traffic information.
Customers automatically receive a courtesy message by text message, giving them an accurate ETA for delivery. On arrival, items are scanned and verified using the JobWatch app. Photos are taken before, during and after each drop, providing robust proof of delivery and product condition.
Custom worksheets guide the delivery team step-by-step through installation procedures. Additional photos are captured for installation of white goods (for example, test washes and connection to water and waste pipes). Proof of delivery with signature is captured at the end of the process. This information is instantly relayed to the back office, and customers immediately receive delivery confirmations by email.
Mick Eaton, operations manager for Buy It Direct, says: “The BigChange system means the delivery team and our customer contact centre are always in perfect sync. Our advisors are empowered to instantly answer any questions and have a real-time view of the operation. The robust proof of service is invaluable in dealing with customer queries and protects our drivers and the business from false damage claims or fraudulent activity.”
Based on BigChange data, Buy It Direct has been able to optimise and streamline their delivery operation. The system has provided business intelligence into how long it takes to deliver specific types of products. For example, previously, too much time was allocated to each drop, creating wasteful slack in the schedule. This new insight means that productivity has been increased with more drops taking place per vehicle per day. Capacity across the operation has been increased without the cost of additional drivers or vehicles.
The new technology has also assisted with management of the vehicle fleet, as the daily driver checks enable management of defects. And the live tracking system monitors and reports on driver behaviour, providing a motivational debrief at the end of each day.
Eaton adds: “Since we implemented the BigChange system, we’ve seen an improvement in fuel consumption, less vehicle wear and tear and the level of goods damaged in transit has reduced significantly. Overall the BigChange system has been a revolution for our delivery operation and I would not hesitate to recommend it to other home delivery operators.”