Reverse Logistics – Major Retailer

Client:

Well-known retail establishment

Category:

Reverse Logistics

Objective:

For the last 4 years, AmerTrans logistics has provided support to a well-known retail establishment for the return of goods sold. We aid them in the recovery of reusable products.

This partnership in reverse logistics has fostered a loyal, dependable, and higher brand value perception among partners in the supply chain.

The customer requested that we remove reusable products from a store that was closing. We needed to transport to another store that could re-sell the product to keep wasted material low and profitability numbers high.

We came up with a plan that involved having our teams place a call to all closing locations 21 days and 7 days before the scheduled pickup. We did this so each store would have all the details about how to pack and palletize the merchandise for transport. Additionally, the store managers could ask any questions regarding the process or the pickup day and time so there would be no confusion. During this call, we could also find out if they needed any help with palletizing the products or any supplies to do so.

The other part of our plan also involved calling the stores that would be receiving the merchandise 21 and 7 days before the scheduled delivery. Our teams gave these stores the details on when the delivery would arrive so they could schedule their own employees to help unload it. During the call, the stores also had the opportunity to voice any concerns they had or ask for any assistance they might need.

On the day of the scheduled pickups, our team members arrived at 8 am at the closing stores to remove the merchandise. While the merchandise was in transport, the shipment was completely traceable and trackable. So, the customer could see real-time data about where the trucks were and when each shipment would arrive at the other store.

This project involved full-service pickup, meaning our drivers went into the store to shrink wrap the palleted merchandise, used a pallet jack to take the pallets out of the store, and loaded the pallets onto the truck with a lift gate. On the other end of the delivery, the drivers offloaded the pallets and brought them into the stockroom of the store receiving the merchandise.

Challenge:

We had to be very accurate with our timing for both pickup and delivery. Permit requirements, labor availability, the store’s schedule, and other deliveries may affect that. So, This reverse logistics process requires extreme attention to detail.

Solution:

AmerTrans created an open line of communication with all parties including the customer, the closing store, the receiving store, and local in-market partners.

This included:

• Completing pre-calls to all parties to give ample notice and detailed instruction, promoting a clean and smooth transition
• Working with local in-market partners to determine transit time to destinations and sharing that with the receiving stores for labor planning
• Working with local in-market partners to have transparency on any delays or changes in the pickup or delivery schedule so that could share them with the customer if they arose.
• As always, being accessible to the customer any time of day

Results:

This partnership in reverse logistics has fostered a loyal, dependable, and higher brand value perception among partners in the supply chain.