Overview
eDirect provide a wide range of IT & Telecom based services for business. Established in 1999, the company is already recognised as a premium IT support & business communications provider. Based in Greater Manchester their clients cover a wide cross section of industry sectors.
Problem
Catalogue companies that use couriers to deliver their parcels are increasingly losing revenue due to parcels that are either not delivered to customers first time around, or get lost/stolen once left outside customers homes. Research shows that approx. 20% of parcels are not delivered to customers first time around, and approx. 30% that are left by couriers outside a customer's house, go missing.
eDirect's client, i-store have come up with a novel way to solve this problem of inefficiency and theft. They suggested various supermarkets and other retail outlets act as collection and delivery points for parcels. The idea is, instead of couriers returning undelivered parcels back to their depots, parcels would be left with the nearest partner outlet instead, and a card would notify the customer where their parcel is. This way the customer could collect the parcel at a time convenient to them. The advantages of this are that catalogue companies save on courier's time and costs in re-delivering parcels and replacing missing parcels. It also saves the customer having to arrange multiple deliveries.
eDirect devised an ingenious Internet based method that tracks these parcels, so that customers and companies know each parcel's location in real-time.
eSAY's Solution
Having already been let down by a previous software house, eDirect chose eSAY Solutions to develop the application to track the parcels.
eSAY developed an Internet based solution for eDirect that operates on a mobile pocket PC (produced by SYMBOL). It uses a GPRS connection, which means it is always on- line and information can be processed inreal-time. Also because it uses a GPRS connection, it keeps costs low, (as payment is only made for data that is sent and received - there is no charge for connecting to the Internet). The handheld devices also have in them integrated barcode scanners, that allow i-store to scan parcels as they are collected and delivered, and log the information into the system, to track their movements.
The system also allows customers to sign for the parcel on the screen of the SYMBOL device using a special pen - this acts as proof of receipt and the signature is stored into the system.
The way the process works is if a customer is not in when a courier goes to deliver a parcel, he takes it to a 'PUDO', which is a partner outlet to I-store, that is open for long hours (such as supermarkets or service stations). The eSAY developed software controls the delivery and collection of the parcels. It also has built in controls to prevent fraud. The system captures the data and posts it onto i-store's website. This allows staff at I-store's head office to track and monitor parcels instantly and accurately at any one time.
Results and Benefits
The new system has made it extremely easy to track parcels accurately and efficiently. Catalogue companies can now give their customers a better, more improved quality of service, through the dual benefits of saving customers' time and reducing company operating costs. The solution is the first commercial project using GPRS technology operating on a SYMBOL device. "We are thoroughly pleased with the business solution eSAY has provided us with. The outcome has been a reliable order delivery system, significantly improved customer confidence and a competitive advantage in the market. eSAY has over delivered and we are delighted!" Matthew Sime Managing Director |
