Online sports retailer Route One has increased productivity and reduced errors after implementing MetaPack’s delivery management system.
The move followed an upgrade to Snow Valley’s MUSE platform, an online storefront, which fully integrates into MetaPack enabling smooth transfer of automatic data from the customer’s shopping basket to receipt of delivery.
Prior to the introduction of the MetaPack system, orders were processed through an in-house warehouse management system.
Each order was printed individually and warehouse staff would then have to allocate goods to a carrier based on their size and weight.
The goods were then picked and packed with the delivery information being typed into the relevant carrier management system.
Royal Mail deliveries were completed in a similar manner, with the delivery information being copied and pasted into their dispatch system.
Now, Route One’s orders are transmitted from MUSE to the MetaPack system via API where they are automatically allocated to the correct carrier based on size and weight.
Pick slips are printed in bulk, and goods are packed and labelled using MetaPack’s “rapid print” function, which produces labels with one scan of the barcode.
Once the label is applied, Route One staff mark off the order in the Snow Valley system, which runs alongside MetaPack on a second screen. The next phase of implementation will immediately update the Snow Valley system once the label is scanned and printed, making the second screen redundant.
Michael Hayter, operations director at Route One, says: “The advantages were instant. Since the introduction of both the MetaPack and Snow Valley systems we have seen our order output increase from 400 orders per day to 1,000 per day.”
As well as increasing productivity and reducing errors the system has boosted customer service levels through tracking, which Hayter says has been a major benefit.
“It has enabled our customer service team to quickly source information and report back to their customers in a professional and efficient manner. Whereas before we had to sift through manifests for that date and both carriers’ systems.”
The roll out of MetaPack has also enabled Route One to offer more delivery options, and because services can be switched on with the system the retailer is now looking to offer nominated day and same day deliveries in the future.
