Computer Transport and Logistics

Final Mile

Maintaining Final Mile Standards During Crisis Times

The events of the past couple of months have disrupted long-established work patterns and challenged us to re-think many of the fundamentals of work and life. The pandemic has given many of us a real wake-up call both personally and professionally, prompting us to reconsider how we navigate both our daily lives and our businesses.

For many of us operating in the logistics and supply chain industry, COVID-19 has accelerated the need to move systems online to have better visibility of our operations, support our teams, and provide real-time updates to our customers.

Come rain, hail, or a global pandemic; our industry is expected to remain agile, to maintain business continuity and to meet the needs of our customers, no matter what. For many, the goods being shipped are critical to the health and wellbeing of our people and the economy as a whole.

SalesForce recently commented that “in the face of this shifting landscape, companies with strong digital capabilities are turning to digital solutions to optimise their businesses, while others are introducing brand new technologies to transform, empower and future-proof their businesses.”

Given the challenges presented by border closures and social distancing regulations, it has been observed across all industries that customers are more anxious about their consignments and are demanding increased transparency with their logistics partners to facilitate accurate supply chain planning and revising processes.

The key is to stay in contact with the customer at all times and manage their expectations through open conversations and flows of information. I’ve spoken here before about how technology enhances our final mile service by enabling us to be more flexible and resilient.

Slawomir Pawlak (CIO at Raben Group) echoed “entire supply chains are in upheaval, and customers are struggling to regain visibility into the movement of their goods and what they can expect in terms of timing. Now more than ever, it’s critical that we give them the right digital tools to access the data they need”.

Over the past decade, ATC has held an excellent record for meeting delivery windows, consistently exceeding our SLA expectations. We put this success down to four key areas:

  • Dedicated Workforce
  • Investment in Technology
  • Partner Network
  • Personal Service

 

Dedicated Workforce

We are very proud to have a team who enjoy their work and are committed to exceeding customer expectations at every touchpoint. At ATC, we have always maintained an “Open Door” policy, even if that is more of a virtual door these days. We listen to our team to ensure they are happy and performing to the best of their ability with the support of ongoing training. Read our blog “One Man, One Truck” to find out more about what life is like for our truck drivers on the road, albeit it was written pre COVID, so things have changed slightly since then.

 

Investment in Technology

We continuously invest in technology to facilitate internal collaboration while delivering real-time information to our clients and a direct line to their driver.

Our trucks have built-in GPS tracking and communication systems which means that our clients can access the location of their goods giving them peace of mind and assurance that their shipment is secure and on track to be delivered within the allotted timeframe.

Also, our drivers complete electronic logs so we can monitor, in real-time, how many hours they have driven, fuel consumption and monitor their mental wellbeing which is imperative during these strange times that we find ourselves in.

We integrate with our customers systems so that all our information can flow through automatically, allowing them to automate steps further down the supply chain.

 

Partner Network

An essential element of our final mile service is the partner network that we have created. This network enables us to provide a ‘white-glove’ level of service to our clients, whether they are global logistics providers seeking a final mile service or cloud service providers. When combined with local knowledge and capacity, our training, experience and attention to detail help ensure on-time deliveries to the final floor position.

 

Personal Service

Last, but certainly not least, we always say that “We earn our customers’ trust by GETTING THE JOB DONE to the highest standards of safety, security, and reliability — every time”. It is critical to us that every one of our customers is satisfied with the service we provide. We value our client relationships and are very grateful to our data centre providers  and our technology partners for enabling us to stay in contact and continue to provide a high-quality service – no matter what.

So, even in a pandemic, it’s business as usual at ATC.

 

Keith Young

Managing Director

Data Centre Location and The Supply Chain

Recently we shared an article over on our LinkedIn page entitled “Data Centres worth €7bn says report as IDA fights back”, Independent.ie. This article was talking about how there is a necessity in Ireland to build more data centres in regional areas of the country due to Dublin now being at almost full capacity. However locals are arguing that with a new data centre comes a huge level of energy consumption which they believe will outweigh the benefits associated with the number of jobs that are proposed.

The IDA argue that data centres are generating a substantial amount of revenue for the country and, for that reason, the public should be open to this proposition as, ultimately, there are substantial net economic benefits to be gained for Ireland. Furthermore, ICT makes up such a large proportion of our employment in this country and the IT companies creating these opportunities need to be supported with critical infrastructure.

As I mentioned above, some of the big factors for data centre location are power costs, power availability, accessibility and, of course, data! However, another important factor for Data Centres to consider is the logistics side of their operations.

It may appear to be a small cost in comparison to everything else, however, it can turn into a big problem and an unnecessary large cost if it is not managed correctly.

Data Centres and the Supply Chain

A robust supply chain that has complete visibility right the way through and trusted partners with a clean record is a must for any data centre to ensure that savings made on choosing the right location do not come at the cost of a disrupted logistical experience.

Since the inception of ATC, customer service has been at the heart of everything we do and with that we have developed a European network like-minded partners who share the same values. Working with our partners enables us to provide a ‘White Glove’ level of service to our clients whether they are global logistics providers seeking a final mile service or cloud service providers. When combined with local knowledge and capacity, our training, experience and attention to detail help to ensure on-time deliveries all the way to the final floor position.

As always, if you would like to learn more about any of our services you can email me directly at alan.young@atc-logistics.com

Thanks for reading,

 

Alan Young

Founder and Director

Final Mile – The Highest Level of White Glove Service

Do you remember the blog I wrote last year on White Glove service? It was at the same time that we made the exciting announcement, that we were expanding our team in Frankfurt in order to grow our White Glove and Data Centre services in the region.

Today, I wanted to focus on these services and show you how the Final Mile and White Glove services are linked and complimentary. But first, let me tell you what Final Mile is.

Final Mile – What is it?

Very simply, ATC works within your supply chain or with your global logistics partner to complete the last leg of the journey; that’s the final mile. So, how does White Glove strengthen our Final Mile offering?

Our White Glove services takes our clients’ equipment or racks beyond the loading bay and puts them into final floor position, on time, always. This is so much more than a standard delivery, what sets us apart is the extra level of service and quality we provide. The key to this success is the training, experience and attention to detail of our team at ATC.

Meeting Demands

In a growing economy, we are all faced with increasing demands from clients who have tight schedules and very high standards to maintain. By combining White Glove and Final Mile, we are better positioned to meet these demands.

Furthermore, there is a high demand these days for Final Mile combined with White Glove service. Over the years, we have listened to our customers and what they wanted was to be able to track and trace their shipment from the day of collection right through to delivery and installation. What ATC provides is confidence and certainty that your supply chain will perform as required, 100% of the time.

White Glove and Technology

White Glove isn’t merely about maintaining care and attention of the shipment, it encompasses so much more than that. It informs the technology that a company like ours will use to carry out our service, and the various touch points that will be required along the way. This leads to our final mile service being more efficient and effective.

As I said in my previous blog, “each and every one of our clients has different needs and so it is important that we listen carefully to them and prepare a plan that will tick all the boxes”. 

Managing Expectations

According to the Logistics Bureau, “Consumers are more apt to make repeat purchases when the existing purchase and expectations during the previous Final Mile delivery are met, if not exceeded”.

Our planners sit down with our clients to map out every single detail of their delivery requirements prior to commencement, in order to ensure that they are comfortable with the details and that our 100% record for meeting deliveries to the highest of standards is maintained.

Control

By having a Final Mile service, we have more control over the shipment and can reduce and manage risks. Ultimately, as it says in the Cerais article, “shippers can better align their existing operations with consumer expectations, improving visibility along the way”.

I hope that this blog has provided you with a picture of how our Final Mile supports our White Glove service to ensure that our customers’ expectations are met. Please do get in touch with us if you have any questions or indeed a requirement for our services.

 

Thanks for reading,

Alan Young 

Founder and Director