Time is money. Managing jobs, fitting teams and customer expectations can be a precarious juggling act, with productivity and efficiency heavily dependent on reliable product delivery.
“Installers need to know exactly what’s going on with their deliveries,” says Clodagh Driscoll, Head of Customer Services & Processing at Emplas. “If they've got a fitting team booked in, a customer waiting and a job that needs to be completed, they need to know that the products are going to be there when they're supposed to be.
“Being able to accurately anticipate those things means they aren't left wondering where an order is or having to spend time chasing it up.”
A delayed delivery can have significant knock-on effects. From fitting teams left waiting to frustrated homeowners, delays can cause both financial and reputational damage for busy installers.
As part of Emplas’ wider service proposition, focused on giving installers greater visibility, efficiency and control, real-time, trackable deliveries are one of the fabricator’s strongest service USPs.
Customers receive a confirmed date and a two-hour estimated delivery window the night before, followed by live tracking information on the day itself. As the driver finishes the previous stop, a tighter one-hour window is communicated via email, along with a link to a route map, allowing customers to follow the vehicle’s progress in real time.
“Tracking isn’t just a gimmick,” says Clodagh. “It’s a practical support tool that we’ve chosen to significantly invest in because it makes installers’ lives easier, and the feedback we’ve received confirms that.
“Installers are already spinning a lot of plates with quotations, surveys, ordering, customers, fitting teams, snagging, the list goes on ... Delivery is another part of that chain, and when it works well, it’s one less thing to worry about.”
The ability to keep homeowners informed also helps installers manage expectations and maintain confidence in their services.
While delays are sometimes unavoidable, not knowing what is happening is often more frustrating than the delay itself. Having direct access to delivery information means installers are better equipped to keep homeowners in the loop.
There are practical benefits behind the technology, too. Better delivery visibility can help installers make more effective use of their fitting teams, helping to minimise unproductive time. For smaller businesses in particular, where labour and vehicle costs can have a significant impact on margins, that added certainty can make a real difference.
It also helps installers plan around the customer. Knowing when products are due to arrive makes it easier to coordinate access to the property and avoid unnecessary disruption. The result is a smoother experience for everyone involved and improved cash flow.
