A UK-wide locker network designed to offer an end-to-end delivery service has significantly improved the operational performance of field engineers in the comms sector, according to Mark Garritt, Managing Director at ByBox, provider of the service.
Thousands of lockers are located at sites ranging from petrol stations and supermarkets to sports grounds and fire stations. And ByBox claims that on average there is a locker within three miles of an engineer, meaning that waiting at home for spare parts to arrive or travelling to depots to pick them up is a thing of the past. ByBox specialises in delivering items pre 8am and delivers 20 million items a year with 20,000 engineers using the platform daily. The firm is well established in the telecoms sector and for many years has distributed parts that are required, often at short notice, around the clock and in remote locations to help engineers maintain networks 365 days-a-year.
"Once a delivery has been made into a locker, engineers receive a text or email alert advising them that their goods are ready for collection," commented Garritt.
Engineers can order parts up to 11pm for delivery the next morning. The first time pre 8am delivery success rate is 99.77 per cent and 96 per cent of deliveries are in lockers pre 6am. "This increases scheduling flexibility and significantly reduces the number of inefficient same-day deliveries made by alternate, less efficient transport systems," added Garritt. "It also reduces the number of repeat visits to sites as engineers receive all the parts needed to complete their day's jobs at one convenient location pre 8am."
ByBox also operates a network of Forward Stock Locations (FSL) around the UK and Europe that are accessible 24 hours a day for engineers who require parts urgently outside of normal hours. Urgently required parts can be dispatched 24 hours a day from the nearest FSL either direct to site or to the nearest locker or, alternatively, be held at the FSL for collection by an engineer. ByBox' electronic lockers (iBoxes) can also be used as mini Forward Stock Locations. Fast moving and emergency parts can also be stored within a dedicated iBox door close to likely demand.
"All stock is visible over the web so field based staff can confirm if a required item is available before visiting the locker," explained Garritt. "The iBoxes are accessed via card or code and are available with a variety of door sizes and columns that can handle anything from large parts to small accessories. The lock boxes, which are accessed by key, also have a large capacity, with the biggest doors having a 1.188 cubic m3 capacity."
In addition to the UK, ByBox has networks in the Republic of Ireland, France and the Benelux. Not only can it manage the distribution of items, but it can also look after the warehousing, inventory, returns, repair and provide engineering resource. Through its subsidiary echo it can supply a bespoke range of tech and logistical support services consisting of outsourced low-level engineering through to high end technical repairs on a range of equipment.
ByBox' offering is underpinned by its supply chain system, Thinventory, which increases the visibility of new kit from OEMs and suppliers and provides complete visibility over the entire supply chain. The system has a full track and trace facility via the website providing total transparency across the supply chain 24 hours a day, seven days a week, making it simple to locate any urgently-requested part and move it to where it is required.
"The level of visibility provided allows companies to run lean inventories as they know exactly where their stock is, and can move it to where it is needed," added Garritt. "Savings associated can be considerable. Some companies have leaned out their inventory so much by using our locker network that they have managed to reduce the size of their warehouses, cut running costs and freed up capital."
The Thinventory system also simplifies the returns process enabling engineers to use the locker network in reverse to return faulty, unused or decommissioned parts. "Once an engineer has placed a part in a locker and attached a returns label, our tracking software automatically redirects it back to the manufacturer, supplier, customer or back to ByBox, leading to a reduction in new purchases," added Garritt. "Combined with our distribution network, the system accelerates the reverse logistics loop and also speeds up our ability to process repairs and facilitate Return Merchandise Authorisation processes with OEMs."•