Discover how building materials distributors are transforming their performance by using advanced solutions to plan and execute delivery operations. Learn from the stories of five businesses like yours how they leveraged new strategies, tactics, and technologies to achieve considerable success.

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LEADING BUILDING MATERIALS DISTRIBUTORS SHARE THEIR RESULTS

EXPERT INSIGHT

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The building materials industry is challenging—short lead-times, demanding customers, a wide array of products in various shapes and sizes, and expensive vehicles to deliver them. However, there are building materials distribution companies that have turned the challenges into opportunities and grown their business and bottom line through superior delivery performance.

From our extensive experience in the building materials industry, we have learned there are many ways that building materials distributors can transform their performance. We assembled an eBook that highlights how five companies reduced costs, improved driver productivity, streamlined the delivery process, eliminated paper, changed the customer experience, and performed at such a level that allowed one of them to sell its commodity products at a premium based upon superior delivery service.

A common thread through the five customer success stories is they wanted to dramatically improve their customer experience while achieving lower operating costs. Many were mired in manual processes and had little visibility into their operations or the ability to keep their customers informed of their delivery status. They recognized they needed an integrated solution that could manage the entire delivery lifecycle from delivery appointment scheduling to planning, dispatch and real-time tracking, driver mobile apps, and customer notifications.

We hope the insights from companies like yours will help you take your delivery operations to the next level.

Turning Distribution Challenges into Opportunities Introduction

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Challenge: Optimizing Delivery Processes

US LBM Holdings, a specialty building materials distributor, operates in a very dynamic industry, serving custom home builders, professional re-modelers, and commercial contractors who often require specialized and expedited services. The company recognized that focusing on the customer delivery experience was key to continued success.

It needed to replace its paper-based scheduling system with a fully integrated, automated route planning and last mile delivery system. Because most of its customers and salespeople are on the road every day, US LBM sought a mobile solution to provide real-time delivery information and help operations set goals, measure performance, and show continuous improvement.

Solution: Real-Time Visibility for Customers & Team

US LBM leveraged Descartes’ last mile delivery solution to build a mobile construction delivery solution to help contractors improve efficiency and better manage construction projects. The company’s integrated mobile customer app helped it overcome one of its greatest obstacles—communication about deliveries between field operations, inside sales support, and the mostly-mobile salesforce.

By tightly integrating Descartes’ technology with the app, visibility was enhanced, and customer phone calls were greatly reduced. This allowed operations to plan more efficiently and get more deliveries out, which improved fleet utilization and lowered fuel and labor costs.

Additionally, Descartes’ solutions helped US LBM manage complex fleet, capacity, and demanding delivery requirements. With automated scheduling, drivers now access delivery schedules on mobile devices. Real-time GPS data keep delivery times up to date.

US LBM Boosts Productivity and Service

WATCH VIDEO

US LBM Boosts Productivity

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Executive Summary

Who We Surveyed

The Importance of Screening

Automation & Intergation

Mitigating Risk

How Can You Take Action Now?

How Descartes Can Help

About Descartes Systems Group

CHAPTERS Results at a Glance

Increased Fleet Efficiency

US LBM was able to turn around trucks more than 30% faster and improve fleet utilization due to enhanced fleet visibility made possible with the route planning and execution technology.

Better Delivery Performance

With dynamic delivery planning and real- time mobile update capabilities, many locations improved on- time delivery from 70- 95% while decreasing transportation costs by over 10%.

Cost Savings

Paperless proof of delivery significantly reduced the number of customer calls and claims, helping US LBM save tens of thousands of dollars every month with better delivery claim resolution.

Improved Customer Satisfaction

Real-time visibility into construction site deliveries, automated exception notifications, proof of delivery, and other order details increased overall customer satisfaction.

Descartes’ last mile solution helped US LBM dramatically improve delivery performance, reduce costs, and increase customer responsiveness. US LBM Boosts Productivity

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Challenge: Improve Fleet Efficiency

SIG UK, a leading building materials supplier, has a fleet of about 500 vehicles and 180 operating centers. SIG’s strategic focus was to connect with their customers, suppliers, employees, and the community as part of its transformation journey. The company sought to increase the efficiency of its fleet, improve service for internal and external customers, and—consequently—grow sales.

Solution: Delivery Capacity and Oversight Improved

Initially, during a period of consolidation within the business, SIG chose Descartes’ last mile delivery solution. By gaining more data and insight on how the fleet could be optimized, they hit their target of a 25% improvement in delivery capacity.

Subsequently, SIG implemented vehicle route scheduling to increase their agility and support the intelligent growth of the business through better visibility, planning, and improved communication, especially for customers. The delivery scheduling and vehicle routing solution has also enabled the introduction of other Descartes hardware and software solutions to drive operational efficiency and customer service enhancements further, while handheld terminals have improved the experience for their drivers.

Also, mobile ePOD software gives instant confirmation when a customer’s order has been received. Together, the software and hardware solutions have provided a multitude of benefits. And with Descartes’ telematics solution, SIG can identify challenges and improve driving practices and behaviours, while enhancing transport compliance and recording accurate tachograph information.

Watch SIG’s full success story on Descartes’ website.

SIG UK Increases Delivery Capacity

WATCH VIDEO

SIG Boosts Delivery Capacity

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Executive Summary

Who We Surveyed

The Importance of Screening

Automation & Intergation

Mitigating Risk

How Can You Take Action Now?

How Descartes Can Help

About Descartes Systems Group

CHAPTERS Results at a Glance

Increased Capacity

A 25% increase in the volume of deliveries has been achieved by implementing delivery scheduling and vehicle route optimization.

Enhanced Customer Service

SIG is now better able to differentiate itself by offering a more agile and reliable service to customers, with the ability to track the progress of their deliveries their improved responsiveness makes a huge difference to customer service.

On Time In Full Improved

Through better visibility, planning, and improved communication, particularly with customers via pre- delivery notifications, the system has enabled SIG to increase On-Time In-Full (OTIF) deliveries by 15%

Reduced Environmental

Impact

Formerly relying on paperwork, SIG has been able to transition to a paperless environment with digital POD. This also enabled a contactless experience for driver and recipient–essential during the Covid pandemic.

With insight from Descartes’ solution, SIG optimized its fleet, improved capacity with existing resources, and enhanced the customer experience.

SIG Boosts Delivery Capacity

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Challenge: Optimizing Last Mile Delivery

BC Sands sells and distributes sand and other bulk building materials to customers in Australia. The company operates in a dynamic environment with project schedules in constant flux. With high labor costs, contractors place considerable value on making orders as late as possible, getting the delivery in a tight time window (often same day,) and tracking the progress of their order.

Add to that a busy, intricate road network, an array of products varying in dimensions and capabilities, and complex load building rules and regulations, and you have a lot to juggle.

Solution: Same-Day Optimization Drives Efficiency

BC Sands implemented Descartes’ delivery appointment scheduling, route planning, execution, and mobile solutions. The software combines planning, execution, and comprehensive reporting to provide sophisticated route optimization with fully integrated route tracking and execution via mobile devices.

BC Sands takes advantage of same-day optimization capabilities to book its online and phone orders directly into the dispatch schedule. Real-time status updates from GPS-tracked vehicles help ensure accurate availability, while providing visibility into deliveries in route and the ability to notify customers of delivery progress.

BC Sands Elevates the Customer Experience

BC Sands Improves Service

By placing a high value on helping customers in a material way, they can charge a premium price for products.

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Executive Summary

Who We Surveyed

The Importance of Screening

Automation & Intergation

Mitigating Risk

How Can You Take Action Now?

How Descartes Can Help

About Descartes Systems Group

CHAPTERS Results at a Glance

Differentiated Customer

Experience

BC Sands improved its last mile delivery experience with Descartes’ advanced same-day optimization technology and real-time delivery appointment booking. Customers enjoy short lead-times, flexible time window choices, and consistent deliveries OTIF.

Increased Accuracy & Efficiency

The Descartes solution ensures the right product is loaded onto the right truck, while scanning and POD ensure accurate delivery. With optimized scheduling and route management, orders can be changed in real time and routes dynamically adjusted based on actual performance.

Reduced Costs

By optimizing route planning and delivery with a GPS-based mobile solution, Descartes helped BC Sands reduce logistics costs by enhancing fleet capacity utilization, reducing frequency of returned loads, and minimizing distance travelled and fuel usage.

Improved Business Insight

With the critical logistics data captured by the Descartes software, BC Sands is better positioned for growth through increased visibility and deeper insight into its operations and improved monitoring of key metrics.

BC Sands Improves Service

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Challenge: Optimizing Last Mile Delivery

Richards Building Supply (RBS), a wholesale distributor of building materials serving 12 states, needed to improve processes to meet contractors’ high delivery expectations. Lead times on orders are often less than 24 hours. Some must go out the same day and others to specific delivery windows.

Lack of real-time visibility meant there were limitations in adapting to external conditions requiring urgent response. Plus, paper-based proof of delivery is fraught with illegible details and lost paperwork meant claims could become an obstacle to delivering outstanding customer service.

Solution: Making Last Mile Delivery a Priority

With Descartes’ route planning solution, RBS gained real-time visibility—and proof of delivery when customers receive their orders. This puts them in a stronger position to drive realistic and reliable delivery schedules, increase the number of deliveries they can make each day, and ensure delivery windows are tightly coordinated with customer requirements.

Real-time updates from GPS-tracked vehicles offer visibility into driver availability, the status of deliveries throughout the day, and the ability to notify customers of delivery progress. This is key when weather interferes with planned work and the associated planned deliveries.

By optimizing scheduling and delivery processes, RBS is also getting more capacity out of its vehicles. And by ensuring the right product gets onto the right truck—and unloaded properly at the job site—the solution is helping reduce delivery challenges.

Going Paperless Heightens Delivery Performance

RBS Goes Paperless

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Executive Summary

Who We Surveyed

The Importance of Screening

Automation & Intergation

Mitigating Risk

How Can You Take Action Now?

How Descartes Can Help

About Descartes Systems Group

CHAPTERS Results at a Glance

Real-Time Delivery Route

Planning

By replacing traditional paper-based route planning with technology, RBS can now plan deliveries, optimize routes, and communicate with drivers and customers in a completely paperless environment. With more intelligent route planning, RBS has improved on-time delivery performance.

Paperless Proof of Delivery

With mobile devices, RBS’ drivers now use digital pictures to verify that the right materials, in the right quantities, in the right condition, were delivered at the right place and time. It gets drivers back on the road quicker to meet other delivery windows and helps drive up the number of deliveries per day.

Enhanced Customer Service

By implementing technology that helps the company run more efficiently while better serving customers, RBS has enhanced on-time delivery performance for commercial and residential customers alike.

Updates on Mobile Devices

Drivers access delivery schedules using a mobile device. GPS information is received every few minutes to provide full visibility into vehicle locations to monitor delivery times against customer expectations. With mobile technology, contractors also know exactly what material has arrived and when so they can keep construction projects on track.

RBS Goes Paperless

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Challenge: Inefficient Processes Drive Up Costs

US Supply Company, a distributor of plumbing and heating supplies, had to minimize efficiencies, reduce the cost to serve, and increase customer satisfaction. With branches doing deliveries independently, the company lacked centralization and drivers did not have the tools to manage or organize deliveries.

Deliveries were very inefficient, frequent, and expensive. Various disorganized efforts were made at the branches, but it was disruptive, frustrating for employees, and the customer service was inconsistent.

Solution: Elevating Performance to the Highest Standards

The first major goal was to centralize the company’s operations; more specifically to “right size” the company fleet and driver pool. In addition, US Supply was looking to reduce overall equipment costs and the number of vehicles on multiple shifts. Finally, the company wanted to achieve the highest standard of customer service in their industry: providing next-day delivery down to the specific hour.

When asked about the importance of this initiative, Kevin Hollinger, Director of Operations, said the initiative was important because he wanted to be able to grow the business significantly by being able to provide the highest levels of customer service. His goal was to achieve on-time and complete deliveries at 99.5% or higher—something that has happened consistently with Descartes.

Optimized Routing Creates Compelling Business Proposition

US Supply Optimizes Routing

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Executive Summary

Who We Surveyed

The Importance of Screening

Automation & Intergation

Mitigating Risk

How Can You Take Action Now?

How Descartes Can Help

About Descartes Systems Group

CHAPTERS Results at a Glance

Enhanced Operational Efficiencies

The company has inventory at each of the branches and the inventory has to be replenished daily. The Descartes solution allowed to apply the same delivery standards for on-time and complete deliveries as they do with all of their customers.

Near-Perfect On-Time Record

The Descartes solution enabled the company to offer next-day deliveries at a designated hour. The company increased its on-time deliveries, hitting goals consistently at 99.5% on time and complete for the specified time and hour.

Cost Savings

Thanks to optimized processes, US Supply Company reduced the number of drivers from 19 to 9 and eliminated excess equipment cost. Furthermore, having reduced costs by over $425,000 and having minimized the upfront investment, helped profitability.

Competitive Business

Proposition

Using Descartes OnDemand enabled the company to share on-time performance metrics with their customers. With the added transparency and their current delivery record, US Supply expects to boost confidence with their customers.

US Supply Optimizes Routing

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Descartes helps building material distribution companies dramatically improve delivery productivity and create a differentiated end-to-end customer experience that helps grow the top and bottom line. From small to large operations and simple to complex delivery requirements, Descartes can help distributors get the most from their delivery operations to homes and construction sites.

Reservations: Smart delivery appointment scheduling for next- and same-day deliveries that enhances the customer experience, increases revenue, lowers delivery costs, and is environmentally friendly.

Planning & Scheduling: Advanced optimized planning combined with machine learning minimizes cost, maximizes capacity utilization, and minimizes the use of expensive specialty equipment.

Dispatch & Tracking: Intelligent performance dashboard enhanced with machine learning and real- time GPS improves delivery visibility and reliability and reduces depot turnaround times.

Mobile Apps: Intuitive proof-of-delivery (POD), manifests, and navigation improve driver productivity, reduce driver stress, and capture critical delivery location and material quantity and quality information.

Notifications: Engage contractors from delivery appointment booking through real-time delivery tracking, POD details, and to allow contractors to optimize crew scheduling and utilization.

Telematics & Safety: Help ensure driver and vehicle performance, enforce safe operations, and meet regulatory reporting requirements.

Descartes in the Building Materials Distribution Industry

Descartes in the Industry

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Descartes is the global leader in providing on-demand, software-as-a- service solutions focused on improving the productivity, performance and security of logistics-intensive businesses.

Customers use our modular, software-as-a-service solutions to:

y Route, schedule, track, and measure delivery resources.

y Access global trade data.

y File customs and security documents for imports and exports.

y Plan, allocate, and execute shipments.

y Rate, audit and pay transportation invoices.

y Complete numerous other logistics processes by participating in the world’s largest, collaborative multimodal logistics community.

Our headquarters are in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and we have offices and partners around the world.

Learn more at www.descartes.com, and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The Descartes Systems Group Inc. 120 Randall Drive, Waterloo, Ontario, N2V 1C6, Canada Toll Free 800.419.8495 | Int‘l 519.746.8110 www.descartes.com | info@descartes.com

Uniting the People & Technology That Move the World © The Descartes Systems Group Inc. All rights reserved.

About Descartes Systems Group

About Descartes

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Intro US LBM Boosts Productivity and Service SIG UK Increases Delivery Capacity BC Sands Elevates the Customer Experience Going Paperless Heightens Delivery Performance Optimized Routing Creates Compelling Business Proposition Descartes in the Building Materials Distribution Industry About Descartes Systems Group

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