Omnichannel logistics with smart data
DACHSER DIY-Logistics at spoga+gafa 2019
With their omnichannel concepts, DIY and garden stores now make use of all sales channels. Intelligent logistics solutions, such as drop shipment, support them in doing this.
At this year’s spoga+gafa garden trade fair in Cologne, taking place September 1–3, 2019, experts from DACHSER DIY-Logistics will be explaining why an intelligent IT architecture alone is not enough to achieve this and why advance shipments and higher data quality are needed (booth D001 in Hall 6.1).
In order for what sounds simple in theory to work smoothly in practice, an intelligent IT architecture is crucial.
Ralf Meistes, Department Head DACHSER DIY-LogisticsThe traditional supply chain in DIY-Logistics starts with suppliers and ends in DIY stores and garden centers. DACHSER supplies around 18,000 outlets across Europe on a daily basis. When it comes to drop shipments, the goods are transferred directly from the supplier to the customer, without ever having been physically available in the DIY store. The consumer places an order with the retailer, for example using a standard template. This order becomes visible in the system for the manufacturer and the logistics provider at the same time. Next, the logistics provider collects the goods from the manufacturer and takes them directly to the consumer. The big advantage is that the DIY and garden industry can increase their range of products without expanding their stores, thereby providing their customers with added value.
“In order for what sounds simple in theory to work smoothly in practice, an intelligent IT architecture is crucial,” says Ralf Meistes, Department Head DACHSER DIY-Logistics. “It’s not only consumers who want to know where their goods are at any given time; manufacturers, logistics providers, and retailers also have to work together closely and coordinate their processes accordingly.”
In times when resources are tight, data and networking will increasingly become the success factor for the DIY and garden industry. This applies to logistics in particular, where the shortage of drivers is already having a very noticeable impact. Advance shipment notifications (projected data) and improved data quality, for example regarding consignee addresses, are crucial for boosting efficiency and sustainability. They allow more flexibility, reduce workloads at the loading bay, and help to make the most of tight load capacity. Established logistics providers such as DACHSER have therefore been investing in their own, highly integrated IT landscape for years, which provides customers with a variety of possibilities for transferring data electronically. Now, DACHSER is systematically aligning its systems to process advance shipment notifications in order to optimize transport scheduling.
“DIY-Logistics pipeline”
In brief, intelligent logistics for the DIY industry means a combination of the standardized core services from the groupage network—transport, warehousing, value-added services, and integrated IT solutions—with custom service elements. DACHSER has offered its DACHSER DIY-Logistics industry solution for some 20 years now, and this “DIY-Logistics pipeline”, a completely synchronized supply chain solution, is the key to its success.
