The Network and Expertise to Increase Fleets for Peak Seasons
Delivering first-class service to meet the changing demands of the business
There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all shipping solution in retail. This becomes a difficult proposition for many dedicated operations because they lack the ability to flex up to meet the demands of peak seasons. On the other hand, many providers don’t have the ability to flex down when business is lighter than expected. That is the exact situation one of the world’s largest e-commerce retailers faced when they came to Paper Transport (PTI) for a solution.
Managing the ups and downs of business cycles is second nature for PTI
The Challenge was increasing capacity in extremely tight timelines
Ebbs and flows in retail shipping are expected. The challenge for this particular business was the speed with which they needed changes made. E-commerce doesn’t always follow regular retail seasons. Thus, planning for holiday upticks can be accounted for, but other peaks can pop up at a moment’s notice if products start trending or get featured by an online influencer. The ability to respond in those instances are critical to the long-term success of even the largest e-commerce retailers.
For this retailer, effectively responding to unexpected changes in business cycles meant flexing the fleet up or down within 48 hours. In a dedicated operation, that means applying a series of levers to meet the cyclical demands. The more levers a provider has to pull, the more likely that provider will be to meet expectations.
PTI found the solution in its network and its expertise
PTI didn’t wait for the first cycle change to figure out how they were going to increase capacity with short notice. PTI relied on its decades of transportation knowledge to build flexibility into the process from the beginning of its relationship with the retailer. This started in the implementation planning process, understanding the key deliverables for managing capacity needs and addressing changes in the business.
As part of the fleet implementation, PTI assigned drivers for the fleet and identified those who could float between assignments. The floaters were found among the regional over-the-road drivers who were cross-trained on the retailer’s business in addition to the drivers’ regular routes. This gave the retailer a pool of drivers they could dip into as needed when the business called for more capacity.
In addition, PTI could always tap into its network of trucks and drivers for special occasions and use its spot network to cover other loads as needed. They could also transfer dedicated drivers to other accounts or network freight in the event of slowdowns for the retailer. This way, PTI kept its drivers working and ready for when the pace of the retailer’s business returned to normal levels.
PTI Delivers an Unbeatable Performance
Proven agility to flex up and down in record time
Grew the fleet by 8 trucks and 9 trailers in 48 hours
Reset to a 6-driver, 15-trailer fleet immediately following the holiday surge
Mitigated fleet costs by leveraging the PTI network over spot rates
Proper planning paid off, and the results exceeded expectations
The nimbleness of PTI’s solution was quickly put to the test as one of the retailer’s biggest non-holiday events took place just two weeks after PTI took over fleet operations.
With the support of its network and expert planning, PTI flexed its ability to deliver customized, scalable solutions for its customer. The flexibility that was built into this retailer’s dedicated operations has proven to be a cost-effective, highly nimble solution. It has given the company the peace of mind that comes with an efficient, effective fleet, and it has also allowed PTI to deepen its relationship with one of the world’s largest online retailers.