White glove delivery is the epitome of high-end, soup to nuts service in the logistics industry. It requires precision, timing and a mastery of virtually every component of the supply chain. There are no plug and play solutions for these types of deliveries. Everything must be carefully customized based on what is being sent, where it is going, and when it needs to be there.
In this case, our client trusted us to be the stewards of their high-end retail electronics displays, and we were ready to put on our “white gloves” and get to work handling their retail fixture distribution.
The challenge
Our client had a range of electronics displays and components that needed to be shipped to various retail stores located in shopping malls across the country. Installation crews would be onsite and waiting at a specific date and time, providing a small delivery window that would be easy to miss should something go wrong. To complicate the situation, the displays were extremely fragile and prone to damage. Since damages were not an option, there was zero room for error when it came to proper packaging and careful delivery.
To recap this multifaceted retail logistics conundrum: all we had to do was deliver delicate displays while meeting precise delivery deadlines. Perfection would be good enough.
The King solution
In order to execute our plan of action, we would need to optimize everything from inventory management to order fulfillment, pick and packing, delivery, and the removal of all packaging upon completion. After a pre-project meeting to review the fixture components and to discuss packaging options and delivery requirements, we rolled up our sleeves (keeping the white gloves on, of course) and hit play on our three-phase plan of action:
Phase one: order integration
We set up a direct link between the client’s inventory system and our warehouse management software, giving our IT staff the ability to set up and test order integration within a week.
Phase two: choosing the best packaging
We opted for a blend of re-useable crates, foam inserts and corrugated corner protectors to cushion the fragile fixtures and components, resulting in zero damage claims since the plan was enacted. This contributed to our ongoing 99.9% claim-free record!
Phase three: choosing the best transportation mode
Fixtures were shipped to specific regional final mile agents via PTL (partial truckload). Final-mile agents then used lift-gate trucks to deliver the fixtures directly to installation crews located inside mall retail stores at the specified dates and times. Upon delivery, drivers waited for crews to unpack the fixtures before removing the empty re-useable crates and packaging debris from the site. All empty crates and materials were returned back to King’s Dayton warehouse via LTL shipping, reducing the overall shipping costs of the project.
The results
The client was extremely satisfied with our pre-program consultative approach to determine packaging and the best modes of transportation, and that was only the beginning.
Everyone involved in this process, from the installers to the retail store staff and customers, felt the effects of our timely and coordinated deliveries. Our packaging choices and delivery method enabled installation crews to complete their jobs on time and with no revisits due to damages or late deliveries, and our quick removal of crate and packaging materials resulted in minimal disruption to the store’s retail activity.
Since working with King, the client has experienced cost-effective, damage-free and timely deliveries of all their fixtures.
Special delivery, just for you.
Whether your team is shipping a trade show booth, retail store display or nearly any product inventory, we create programs tailored to each organization’s needs. From our 99.9% claim-free rating to our global distribution footprint, we have the capability to ship your retail display on-time and on-budget.
Ready to talk solutions for your business? So are we. Contact us to learn more about our retail logistics services today.
Joel Rice