Temperature-controlled distribution company Run It Cool has tripled in size after adopting Podfather fleet planning, route optimisation and electronic proof of delivery software.
Operating out of three depots, Run It Cool now makes around 2,500 deliveries a week to brands such as Hilton Hotels, Ivy Restaurants and Waitrose.
The company has increased its fleet size by 75% but the operations growth has been achieved without the need for additional back-office staff due to Podfather’s automation of delivery planning and customer reporting.
The company has also made additional savings with intelligent route planning, reducing mileage and optimising vehicle usage.
Heather Menzies, managing director of Run It Cool, said: “We introduced Podfather to give us visibility of our distribution operation. And it has 100% delivered on that objective.
“However, we have seen significant benefits above and beyond our original expectation,” she continued.
“We have grown exponentially, with our operation three times the size it was then, and our Leeds depot continues to push our geographical coverage week on week. We have increased the number of vans we operate, and we are more informed as to how we use them with more pro-active vehicle checks, intelligent loading and better route planning.”
Podfather manages the growth in Run It Cool’s delivery business by automatically planning loads and routes, taking into account vehicle capacities and driver hours, as well as customer delivery windows. This information is automatically sent to the driver’s mobile device and customer ETAs are generated, updated and shared, improving visibility and reducing the need for calls and messages between the office, vans and delivery recipients.
Proof of Delivery is also completely automated with signatures, photographs and temperature records all captured digitally making them instantly accessible and shareable.
Run It Cool is also taking its fleet management to the next level using Podfather, with two, rather than one, daily vehicle checks ensuring timely notification, and therefore intervention, for damage and defects.
“One of the most noticeable differences in the three years we have been using Podfather is how many of our customers are now using the system,” Menzies concluded. “Major producers, who also operate their own fleets, are now using Podfather which makes the exchange of information much easier, it also allows us to share experiences and best practice. You’d be surprised how often we end up talking all things Podfather!”
