Before clothing, accessories, shoes and other items can be stocked on racks, shelves and in cases, the fixtures that contain them need to be delivered on time, assembled and the old fixtures removed. This has to happen according to precise instructions and within time frames that minimize in-store disruptions and the customer experience. If the retail operation is large, this can occur at multiple locations simultaneously, so a seamless execution is a must-have - and a less-than a perfect execution is not an option.
Moreover, the fixtures themselves can be bulky, prone to damage or oddly sized; some may need to be crated, others blanket-wrapped. It gets even more complex during holiday seasons when stores are stocking up on extra merchandise, and special fixtures and even decorations are being shipped out en masse. “Delivery” could mean everything from single-store installation to a coordinated multi-store rollout with detailed set-up, reverse logistics, tear-downs and debris removal – all at a time when supply chains are strained and store employees are stressed to the max.
As you can imagine, the logistics behind making all these variables come together requires the expertise of a single-source, total solutions partner able to anticipate every possible need, fill in the gaps and provide solutions for planning, coordinating shipping and even warehousing fixtures so they arrive on time, in perfect working order, and ready to do their job.
Helping a customer make the move to a national presence
One example of a successfully executed retail logistics solution is when UniGroup's Logistics team was tasked with helping a customer successfully execute a major expansion of its store operations nationwide. Rather than reach out to multiple providers, the customer wanted single point of contact, an ally that could leverage the resources of a combined nationwide network of 500 agents, an established fleet of high-touch delivery vehicles and movers, as well as warehouses located in strategic locations all across the U.S.
There were many logistical challenges involved, including manage all of the customer's warehousing and detailed inventory pieces, as well as provide quality last mile delivery services to each store location. As a single-source, end-to-end solutions provider the UniGroup Logistics team was able to see the” big picture” needs of the customer and coordinate people and resources to meet them. Additionally, our combined national footprint allowed the client to choose regional and local warehouses that would expedite deliveries and reduce costs. store deliveries
The challenges the UniGroup Logistics team overcame included:
- Offering local access to project-specific equipment which allowed a quick transaction from construction to opening day
- Consolidating inventory at multiple warehouse locations, coordinating delivery schedules with multiple stores
- On-time delivery to ensure the installation crew was able to complete work as scheduled
- Providing complete cost transparency, including monthly invoices with line items tracked by store number
Several years and hundreds of stores later, the national convenience store chain still looks to our UniGroup Logistics brand for their supply chain needs.
via https://www.aiupnow.com
Alexandra Saunders, Khareem Sudlow
