Elementor #7166
ArrowXL Case Study
How Socius24 helped ArrowXL optimise integration with their Service Partners
Website: https://www.arrowxl.co.uk/
About ArrowXL
ArrowXL are the UK’s leading specialists in two-person home delivery. Handling items that are too large, heavy, fragile, or valuable to be safely or effectively delivered by a single courier, offering flexible delivery options, including 24 & 48-hour delivery and online diary booking to allow customers to choose a time that best suits them.
The Project
ArrowXL have used Dispatcher WMS for many years, but as their supply chain evolved to include more third-party carriers and sub-contracting service partners, they realised they needed additional functionality that was outside the scope of a WMS. These challenges included:
Key Challenges
Limited real-time visibility and manageability of orders post-shipping
Before the One Fleet solution was implemented, products were only ever scanned post-shipment if it arrived back at the hub after a failed delivery. If a product was not scanned again after shipping, then it was assumed to have been delivered. Neither of these options offered ArrowXL the visibility or great customer service option they desired.
Dependence on manual communication
Because information could not be transferred from one system to another, communication had to be manual, which slowed things down and took up valuable operator time. Additionally, manual handling was considered to be a weak link that could potentially introduce errors into the operation.
“The One Fleet system wasn’t about offering an extension of our RDT’s – although now we do have people out on the road who can use warehouse functionality. It was more about bringing in self-service reports for our Service Partners.
“Post-implementation, our carriers don’t need to pick up the phone and speak to the hub if they have a question. It’s reduced queries and the time taken to answer them.”
– Dominick Prosser, ArrowXL
Inability to make dynamic, last-minute adjustments to delivery routes
Service partners often have more than one route, but before One Fleet, it wasn’t possible to dynamically move orders from a less efficient route to a more efficient one once they’d been shipped.
ArrowXL needed end-to-end traceability, real-time updates, and a smoother integration with their service partners to meet their own high operational standards, and optimise delivery planning.
Solutions Delivered
ArrowXL partnered with Socius24 to develop a solution that was tailored to their exact needs: One Fleet.
The new system has reduced the amount of lead-time needed to get product onto the most efficient route, and now we can dynamically swap routes if one becomes more geographically efficient than another after orders have shipped. We’ve effectively been able to merge 24-hour and 48-hour orders and created more efficient routes.’
Socius24 developed and implemented One Fleet via their User Services Portal (USP), which is fully integrated with the Blue Yonder Dispatcher WMS. This provided:
- End-to-End Traceability: Real-time post-shipping updates mean that every order can now be tracked from warehouse to doorstep. This has expanded visibility and increased control for ArrowXL’s planners.
- Enhanced Planner Functionality: By giving planners the ability to merge delivery types and move orders from one to another, One Fleet has expanded operational efficiency and delivery flexibility.
- Streamlined Service Partner Integration: One Fleet has given service partners tools to self-serve and manage orders autonomously. Consequently, the need for manual intervention has reduced, letting ArrowXL focus resources on what really matters, rather than on things that can wait.
Implementation
Socius24 used a phased rollout process with ArrowXL, guaranteeing a smooth transition for the business and its customers:
- Workshops and Prototypes: ArrowXL and Socius24 worked together to carefully define the additional requirements. They then collaborated using prototypes so that they could be sure the final One Fleet solution met all expectations.
- Agile Rollout: Incremental deployment of the new system meant that every aspect of the new functionality could be tested thoroughly before it went live. This guaranteed that milestones were met and created a stable platform throughout the entire process.
- Intuitive Training: Socius24 offered straightforward training, making sure that the team were confident enough to use the system. USP’s user-friendly interface helped to reduce the onboarding time needed.
Mat was onboarded as Project Manager and quickly organised workshops and recommended a method for identifying and creating changes. The workshops generated very few conflicts of opinion within the company – the whole thing was exceptionally well managed and positive, with Mat keeping us all focussed.
He asked us the right questions to dig deeper into what we really needed, even within the context of our own IT governance process. And his interpretation of our requirements - plus everybody’s input from the workshops – meant that we got a system that does what we needed it to do.”
Results
Improved Operational Excellence
The integration of One Fleet into Dispatcher WMS (Via Socius24’s USP) means that ArrowXL can now merge delivery types and make just-in-time changes.
“We’ve been able to improve our planning decisions without the need to invest in a separate planning solution. We can now merge things later in the planning process, increasing route planning efficiency.” – Dominick Prosser, ArrowXL
The Last Word
There have been no gaps in the software – and at no time have we had to revisit it. I wish we’d started working with Socius24 much earlier. Their performance has been great throughout the original project, and the additional changes to USP that we’ve implemented since.
The solution they have created for us has surpassed expectations and our overall experience of Socius24 is superb – ten out of ten.’
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