South Lincs Foodservice, part of the Caterfood Buying Group, has implemented Podfather logistics software in a move to transition to paperless deliveries and improve operational efficiencies. The use of Podfather, which includes planning, route optimisation, and ePOD features, is also improving the customer experience for the foodservice company which dates back to the 1930s.
Offering a six-day a week service with next-day delivery on orders placed before 1030 pm, South Lincs Foodservice serves customers in the hospitality, education, and care sectors, across Lincolnshire with a 90-mile delivery radius from its Boston location. A one-call-one-stop-shop, South Lincs Foodservice has access to more than 4,500 products in store, with thousands more available from its buying group network. South Lincs Foodservice operates its own mixed fleet of multi-temperature vans and trucks and can make up to 400 deliveries a day during peak seasons.
“Before Podfather we were choking on paper,” commented Damon Ingamells, Head of Operations at South Lincs Foodservice. “With multi-sheet invoices, produced in duplicate, as well as picking lists, credit notes, and delivery schedules, the planning of and reporting on deliveries was very manual, very resource heavy, and very much paper-based.
“Since we went live with Podfather this has all changed,” he continued. “At a conservative estimate I would say that we are saving around 1 million sheets of paper a year – that’s about 120 trees. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the impact Podfather has had on the business.”
South Lincs Foodservice began its use of Podfather earlier this year with a soft launch. A pilot test, using a diverse range of customers, and drivers, was completed before the solution was rolled out across the entire operation. “I picked a handful of drivers to trial the system ranging from the biggest tech-heads to the most stubborn technophobe,” Ingamells continued. “Working on the principle that the former would test the system to breaking point, and the system, if not fit-for-purpose, would test the latter.
“The feedback was universally positive. After just a couple of days the tech savvy guys were showing me what the system could do, and our reluctant volunteer wouldn’t stop raving about how easy to use it was and ‘if he could do it anyone could’.”
Since implementing Podfather across the delivery operation, South Lincs Foodservice has realised additional benefits. Operating fixed routes, Podfather is being used to ensure these are optimised, to reduce mileage and improve efficiency, while still adhering to weight and height restrictions, and the system helps transport planners react to changes in schedules and accommodate ad-hoc orders.
At the start of each shift drivers use the Podfather app to guide them through, and record the results of, comprehensive vehicle checks. These provide early warning of any potential defects and confirm the vehicle is safe, roadworthy and operating within prescribed limits to ensure goods arrive in optimum condition.
South Lincs Foodservice is also enhancing its customer experience with automatic ETA notifications for customers, live-tracking of drivers, and real-time issuing of ePOD documents including date, time and location stamped photographs and signatures. The company plans to further enhance its offering with an online portal allowing customers to self-serve documents, reports, and delivery histories.
“By letting Podfather do most of the day-to-day, labour intensive, repetitive tasks we are freeing up our most valuable resources – our staff,” Ingamells concluded. “Rather than taking calls from customers asking where a delivery was or when it was due, our telesales staff can concentrate on giving customers the best possible experience, our transport team can ensure that each and every order and item is transported with the utmost care and attention and our drivers can concentrate on driving and interacting with customers on-site.
“This has huge potential for us as a business moving forward!”
