e-commerce order fulfilment for UK suppliers to Far Corner – with zero stock

In August 2015 Far Corner of the USA asked Spatial Global to look at providing fulfilment and worldwide mailing support services for UK-sourced commodities sold directly to customers.  This would prove to be the first step in what has become a rapidly evolving partnership. 

 

The data suggested that more than 1 million UK-sourced units a year were being delivered to over 50 countries.  Order management would be handled via the customer’s own system – Orders Now.  Spatial Global immediately identified some streamlining opportunities – adding pre-printed postal authority indicia, introducing weighing earlier in the fulfilment process, and a range of operator-friendly features at the workstations (such as creating audible alerts for different types of orders).  Meanwhile Far Corner Technology programmed the agreed improvements.

The solution and pricing structure that Spatial Global proposed encouraged Far Corner to begin a trial as early as December with one of the UK-based suppliers.  The clear commitment of both teams then led to additional volume being added incrementally.  Following a visit to Spatial Global by the Far Corner executive team in February, full volume from all UK suppliers was turned on at the beginning of March 2016.

 

The keys to this successful trans-Atlantic collaboration are:

• Business leaders with a vision for their operations, and recognition of each other’s strengths.
• Rapid progress from early steps to a place of mutual trust and partnership.
• Spatial demonstrating its ‘easier to do business with’ culture.
• Spatial’s ability to take on the accurate, routine processing of tens of thousands items every day.
• Far Corner providing an effective product sourcing and order management software solution.
• Transparency of volumes and costs – with a focus on mutual benefits.
• Enabling specialist teams to work directly together – mail, IT, operations, etc.
• Excellent communications.

 

The benefits of the Spatial Global service proposition include:

• Purchase orders and order data now available in Far Corner Technology’s Orders Now system some 24-48 hours in advance of receipt/despatch.
• Multiple suppliers delivering product in bulk to Spatial Global’s centrally located UK distribution hub from purchase orders submitted.
• Using the customer’s Orders Now system, Spatial Global scans and packs individual orders – singles and multiples.  Typically the company receives orders by 12.00 noon and completes them by 16.00 hours the same day, ready for loading on to outbound vehicles in the evening.
• Orders Now is linked to Spatial Global’s F2D mail system, which determines optimal routing for each order and the postal authority that will deliver it.  The approach allows the appropriate PPI (printed postage impression) to be printed on the barcoded label – improving efficiency.
• Having weighed the units, the completed packet or parcel then flows through Spatial Global’s international mail despatch system without the need for any further administration.

 

USA-based orders are being routed via air freight on Far Corner Logistics’ services to New York, Chicago and San Francisco for onward delivery.  Spatial Global delivers these to the freight agent at London Heathrow Airport as part of its own daily service.  Orders for the rest of the world are routed via, and despatched to, the numerous service providers that Spatial Global partners with for international mail.

 

Scott Melville, COO of Far Corner Logistics, summed-up: “We began partnering with Spatial Global in December of 2015 for fulfilment and mail services.  Since that time we have increased our business with them substantially, and they have handled every request and volume increase.  The team members at Spatial Global are an exceptional group to work with.  The thing that appealed to me was their entrepreneurial spirit and out-of-the-box approach required for our business.  We developed a truly honest partnership with Spatial Global that has benefited both organizations!  I look forward to continuing to grow our relationship!”

In August 2015 Far Corner of the USA asked Spatial Global to look at providing fulfilment and worldwide mailing support services for UK-sourced commodities sold directly to customers.  This would prove to be the first step in what has become a rapidly evolving partnership. 

 

The data suggested that more than 1 million UK-sourced units a year were being delivered to over 50 countries.  Order management would be handled via the customer’s own system – Orders Now.  Spatial Global immediately identified some streamlining opportunities – adding pre-printed postal authority indicia, introducing weighing earlier in the fulfilment process, and a range of operator-friendly features at the workstations (such as creating audible alerts for different types of orders).  Meanwhile Far Corner Technology programmed the agreed improvements.

The solution and pricing structure that Spatial Global proposed encouraged Far Corner to begin a trial as early as December with one of the UK-based suppliers.  The clear commitment of both teams then led to additional volume being added incrementally.  Following a visit to Spatial Global by the Far Corner executive team in February, full volume from all UK suppliers was turned on at the beginning of March 2016.

 

The keys to this successful trans-Atlantic collaboration are:

• Business leaders with a vision for their operations, and recognition of each other’s strengths.
• Rapid progress from early steps to a place of mutual trust and partnership.
• Spatial demonstrating its ‘easier to do business with’ culture.
• Spatial’s ability to take on the accurate, routine processing of tens of thousands items every day.
• Far Corner providing an effective product sourcing and order management software solution.
• Transparency of volumes and costs – with a focus on mutual benefits.
• Enabling specialist teams to work directly together – mail, IT, operations, etc.
• Excellent communications.

 

The benefits of the Spatial Global service proposition include:

• Purchase orders and order data now available in Far Corner Technology’s Orders Now system some 24-48 hours in advance of receipt/despatch.
• Multiple suppliers delivering product in bulk to Spatial Global’s centrally located UK distribution hub from purchase orders submitted.
• Using the customer’s Orders Now system, Spatial Global scans and packs individual orders – singles and multiples.  Typically the company receives orders by 12.00 noon and completes them by 16.00 hours the same day, ready for loading on to outbound vehicles in the evening.
• Orders Now is linked to Spatial Global’s F2D mail system, which determines optimal routing for each order and the postal authority that will deliver it.  The approach allows the appropriate PPI (printed postage impression) to be printed on the barcoded label – improving efficiency.
• Having weighed the units, the completed packet or parcel then flows through Spatial Global’s international mail despatch system without the need for any further administration.

 

USA-based orders are being routed via air freight on Far Corner Logistics’ services to New York, Chicago and San Francisco for onward delivery.  Spatial Global delivers these to the freight agent at London Heathrow Airport as part of its own daily service.  Orders for the rest of the world are routed via, and despatched to, the numerous service providers that Spatial Global partners with for international mail.

 

Scott Melville, COO of Far Corner Logistics, summed-up: “We began partnering with Spatial Global in December of 2015 for fulfilment and mail services.  Since that time we have increased our business with them substantially, and they have handled every request and volume increase.  The team members at Spatial Global are an exceptional group to work with.  The thing that appealed to me was their entrepreneurial spirit and out-of-the-box approach required for our business.  We developed a truly honest partnership with Spatial Global that has benefited both organizations!  I look forward to continuing to grow our relationship!”

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