If you’ve been unsatisfied with your direct store delivery projects in the past, it’s time to try a new approach. Direct store deliveries are advantageous because they allow you to ship direct to a retail store or distribution center and avoid costly delays for fast-moving products. While direct store delivery projects can be complex, nuanced and time-sensitive, with a proper plan in place, they can be easily managed. At Continental Logistics, we’ve found that a highly hands-on approach is absolutely necessary for successful DSD projects.
For each project, we follow a three-stage process:
• On-boarding – Since no two retail stores or distribution centers are identical, on-boarding meetings allow us to plan accordingly by understanding the intricacies of each location, such as receiving hours, available dock doors and parking lot accessibility. We then relay the information to the key carrier that we’ve selected based on the requirements of the delivery in preparation for the project roll-out.
• Monitoring – Each project is monitored by a dedicated Logistics Coordinator with support from a Dispatcher and an Operations Manager. The Logistics Coordinator will function as the Project Manager with detailed knowledge of the requirements of the loading facility and the delivery destination and maintain direct communication with all parties involved.
• Project post-mortem – After every project, we review what went well and what didn’t. This allows us to improve our procedures and reward our carriers for good performance or hold them accountable for errors.
If you’re having difficulty planning direct store deliveries, you may need an expert on your side. At Continental Logistics, our team will be in your corner to help you manage the challenges of DSD projects.
Call us at (732) 417-0080 to discuss your project requirements today.
