Case Studies> Covetrus
Covetrus is a global animal health, dental and medical distribution business with a turnover of $12 billion, employing 5,000 workers and operating in 26 countries. From its division based out of Annacotty, Limerick in Ireland, Covetrus supplies animal health products to large animal and companion animal veterinary clinics throughout the Republic of Ireland. It employs over 55 people and occupies two warehouses in Limerick with over 52,000 square feet of operating space.
Covertus, located in Limerick, Ireland, operates a depot and provides a next-day delivery service to its customers. They recognized the importance of improving visibility and ensuring that orders are delivered on time and to the correct destinations. Since Covertus deals with regulated products, it is crucial for them to track packages from the moment they are picked up until they are delivered to the customers.
Every day, in Ireland, they were carrying out more than 200 deliveries across over 20 routes using a fleet of 25 vans. The management of this extensive operation, which involved real-time tracking and ensuring precise deliveries, presented a significant challenge.
Covetrus relied heavily on manual methods for tracking deliveries, including paper-based records and manual data entry into the system. This led to errors, duplication of efforts, and increased administrative burden.
The lack of real-time visibility into delivery status and location made it difficult for Covetrus to monitor the progress of deliveries and promptly address any issues or delays.
Without a standardised system for proof of delivery, Covetrus struggled to ensure accurate confirmation of deliveries.
Communication between drivers, dispatchers, and customers was often fragmented and inefficient, leading to delays in response times and inadequate resolution of delivery-related issues.
RouteMagic helped Covetrus address these challenges and improve delivery tracking accuracy. The ePOD system allowed Covetrus to digitise and automate its delivery tracking process, providing real-time visibility into delivery status and location.
The orders as usual were dispatched to their pre-allocated routes but now with RouteMagic they are able to track the orders in real-time and ensure that the orders are delivered, signed and validated. With the order number they can check if any individual order is delivered to the correct veterinary clinic with appropriate proof of delivery. With RouteMagic’s Route Monitor functionality they can also check and track any in-progress delivery.
Key features of the ePOD system included:
The software integrated GPS technology, allowing real-time tracking of delivery vehicles. This feature ensured accurate monitoring of delivery routes and provided customers with precise delivery time estimates.
With the help of RouteMagic, customers received automated notifications about the status of their deliveries. This transparency helped in managing customer expectations and minimising disputes.
Delivery personnel utilised the mobile app integrated with the software to capture images of the delivered materials at the customer's location. The software allowed customers to provide electronic signatures upon receiving their orders. This streamlined the confirmation process and eliminated the need for physical paperwork.
Automated notifications were sent to customers upon delivery completion, providing them with real-time updates and confirmation of delivery
By embracing the power of ePOD, About Roofing successfully transformed its proof of delivery processes. The proactive approach not only improved financial stability but also strengthened customer relationships through enhanced transparency and reliability in the delivery process. The success of this implementation underscores the importance of leveraging technology to address operational challenges in the ever-evolving landscape of wholesale distribution.
The scanning of deliveries eliminates the chance of an incorrect load, and the dispatch team can view the status of each route, and see how many packages have been loaded, and how many are waiting to be loaded, at any time. This allows the team to make decisions to release a partially loaded vehicle and move delayed orders to later routes, ensuring routes are dispatched without unnecessary delays.
At the delivery locations, the driver scans the package barcode against the customer order, ensuring the correct package is always given. Once a delivery is completed, the delivery status for that customer is updated and can be viewed by the Customer Services team on the Route Monitor, with instant access to the signed Proof of Delivery.
With accurate and timely delivery updates, Covetrus improved customer satisfaction and loyalty. Customers appreciated the transparency and reliability of the ePOD system, leading to positive feedback and repeat business.
The automation of delivery tracking and documentation reduced manual errors and administrative overhead, allowing Covetrus to streamline its operations and allocate resources more effectively.
Real-time data provided by the ePOD system enabled Covetrus to make informed decisions regarding delivery routing, resource allocation, and customer service prioritisation, leading to improved efficiency and cost savings.
