CASESTUDY 33
BODEN TAKES A
expanded and now delivers to 62 countries from the UK.
B
For the past three years P2P Mailing has provided Boden with international and domestic mailing solutions, and currently distributes in excess of 2 million Boden packages per year. These packages are transported from the UK across the world, mainly to other parts of the UK, the US and Germany. Boden’s relationship with P2P goes beyond the standard supplier and customer dynamic. By understanding the key drivers of the business, P2P offers advice and suggestions on how to make the operation fl ow more effectively. “Our relationship with P2P is so valuable because they are a consultancy rather than a just a service provider,” explained Chris Potter, head of operations development at Boden. “Their knowledge of the global postal market is second to none; they have a whole portfolio of different solutions at their fi ngertips and can tailor the service to suit our needs. And because the company is independent we know that the pros and cons of each service will be laid out objectively allowing us to make the right decisions for the business.” The ‘hands-on’ account management approach of P2P means that the company is more responsive and fl exible than many other service providers that Boden has dealt with in the past. If something changes within the business, P2P can immediately react to accommodate it. As well as providing this consultative approach,
working with P2P has enabled Boden to make signifi cant savings. “From a cost perspective, we get a better deal because of P2P’s relationships within the global postal market. I believe that we’ve saved between £80,000 and £100,000 on the cost of shipping our domestic packages alone,” said Potter. “In addition, in respect to the packages going to US, we saved in excess of £200,000 simply on the costs of handling in the warehouse.”
This money has been saved by changes to
operations management. P2P has minimised the number of separate collections by consolidating different markets and routes. This approach has vastly reduced the amount of handling and sortation required
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 RETAIL TECHNOLOGY
oden is the online clothing brand well known for its rapid growth and huge success. Launched in the UK in 1991, the business has steadily
PERSONALISED APPROACH UK clothing retailer Boden supports international growth with long-standing strategic fulfi lment relationship
in the Boden distribution facility. As well as bringing down costs, this move has the added benefi t of reducing carbon emissions, an important consideration for today’s green-minded businesses.
Reliability is another vital factor in the relationship. “They are without doubt one of the most reliable of the delivery services we use,” added Potter. And, in an increasingly competitive e-commerce market, reliability is key. Since Boden started in 1991, almost every High Street fashion retailer has joined the internet marketplace, vastly increasing competition. But Boden has a very loyal customer base and part of this is thanks to delivery reliability. “Everyone in e-commerce knows that as soon
as your delivery system falls down, you will lose customers,” Potter said. “There’s nothing customers hate more than parcels that turn up late or not at all. Having P2P as a partner gives us the reassurance that our goods will be delivered on time and customer satisfaction will be maintained.” This success is the driving development of the relationship. While P2P currently distributes Boden packages under 2 kilograms, there are currently discussions regarding P2P handling the delivery of larger packages and also Boden’s returns service. Potter concluded: “Our relationship with P2P has
evolved over time and I am sure that it will continue to do so. For us the combination of the consultancy approach, resulting cost savings and reliability, is a winning one.”
Everyone in e-commerce knows that as soon as your delivery system falls down, you will lose customers. There’s nothing customers hate more than parcels that turn up late or not at all...
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