Podfather logistics software streamlines delivery for Direct Window Supplies

Direct Window Supplies (DWS), manufacturers and suppliers of windows and doors, is using Podfather logistics software to streamline and automate its delivery service. Serving trade installers across the south-west of Britain, DWS makes around 700 deliveries of plastic and aluminium products a month. Using Podfather’s planning, route optimisation and ePOD solution, DWS is saving hundreds of man hours a year, working towards paper free deliveries and reducing its mileage by between 8 and 10 percent. In addition, Podfather’s automated ETA notifications and real-time tracking is boosting DWS’s customer service.

 “We have expanded at an exponential rate culminating in the opening of a new 20,000ft² aluminium production facility this summer,” said Nick Trueman, General Manager at DWS. “We also celebrated our thirty years in business milestone. Both of these achievements have been made possible by our loyal customers, dedicated employees, and supportive supply chain partners. However, as we have grown, we realised that some of our legacy workflows and practices are not supportive of this growth trajectory,” he continued. “The planning and execution of deliveries had become a time consuming and resource intensive task, taking up to 2 ½ hours a day, and multiple sheets of paper per job. We were also receiving large volumes of calls asking for updates on when deliveries were due.”

 Since implementing the Podfather delivery system earlier this year, DWS has reduced the time taken to plan next day deliveries from hours to minutes saving, on average, around 10 plus hours a week or 25 percent of the original resource. It has also removed physical delivery sheets from its workflow, reducing its paper consumption by more 1,500 sheets a month. Podfather’s advanced route optimisation features have also had a positive impact for DWS decreasing overall mileage, across the 5-vehicle fleet, by between 8 and 10 percent.

 Trueman adds: “When we first started looking for a delivery solution it was imperative that any system we chose had to integrate with existing software used to manage sales and plan production. After undertaking considerable background research, including customer reviews, in use case studies, and online tutorials, I reached out to the Podfather team as while something may look and sound good on paper it’s the people behind it that take it to the next level. The Podfather team did not disappoint. They have been supporting from initial query through to implementation and roll-out and I know that as we continue to find new ways of working and saving time and resources, they will be with us every step of our journey.”

 In addition to the operational savings and efficiency gains achieved through the use of Podfather, DWS has also boosted its customer service with automatic ETA notifications and real-time updates including the ability for customers to self-serve and ‘follow my driver’. This has been well received by customers, evidenced by fewer calls into the business, and DWS hopes to further extend its customer engagement with proactive delivery reporting including Damaged in Transit (DIT) notices. Other aspects of the Podfather system that are delivering change for DWS include automated Vehicle Checks carried out by drivers at the start of each shift using the app which are improving fleet maintenance with early notification of potential defects.

E: jgeary@podfather.com