Chainsawbars now moved to fulfilment

[Rob D]

We have now pretty much moved to a fulfilment website to do the actual picking and packing of orders. Why have we done this:

 

1. Should be less errors as everything is scanned in
2. We never had an accurate stock check at our place [particularly difficult to manage for chains made up from reels]
3. We never answer the phones as everyone too busy packing or checking the packing as orders are very complex
4. Did not want to employ and train more people
5. We had run out of space at our existing site
6. Chain making was becoming hectic - most chains are made to order in the morning - it's a very tough job to get right with all the different sizes. Much easier to make say x20 chains all the same length than the mixture we do each day

 

There are still plenty of teething issues to sort out - the fulfiment warehouse system is still not synching stock levels to our website - not sure why... so website stock is so so on accuracy. We're working on that.

 

The main downside of this is the chain making - the fulfilment place cannot make them - so we are creating the largest library of chains the world has ever seen - which will take some time. For orders rather than split them we will likely move to simply putting a 3 day wait time - so when you go to order them it will tell you 'this will take 3 working days'. You'll have the chance to remove from the order if that's too long.

 

It is a difficult one as mainly everyone wants to have an Amazon type service where it is all delivered next day - we have 50% of the chain library done so it should become a rarity as time goes on.

 

Anyone got any helpful comments or suggestions on this as to what they would like to see/be told if there was a 3 day wait? And it would be working days so if you ordered Monday prob you would get on Thurs. If you ordered Thurs prob the following Tuesday.

[Will C]

If people can’t be organised enough to keep a spare chain of each common size they use there is something wrong, I can’t see a problem waiting a couple of days. 
Good luck with the next venture Rob, if it’s anything like your service to date it will be spot on 👍

[Rob D]

10 minutes ago, Will C said:

If people can’t be organised enough to keep a spare chain of each common size they use there is something wrong, I can’t see a problem waiting a couple of days. 
Good luck with the next venture Rob, if it’s anything like your service to date it will be spot on 👍

 

Thanks Will - yep I don't think the packing will be as consistent as we got - but the scanning in of items should mean less picking errors.

 

Hopefully longer term it should be better.

[gand]

I feel your pain about making chains. I tend make a load of chains each morning. Measured out about 30 or 40 this morning, hoping to do more. Between answering the phone, sending out orders getting the weekly van orders ready and then serving on the counter. There still sat there now waiting to be spun up

[Dan Maynard]

True next day is getting less common anyway to be honest, between uncertain stock and postal delays. I think a few days is normal service now.

[Rob D]

2 minutes ago, gand said:

I feel your pain about making chains. I tend make a load of chains each morning. Measured out about 30 or 40 this morning, hoping to do more. Between answering the phone, sending out orders getting the weekly van orders ready and then serving on the counter. There still sat there now waiting to be spun up

 

Yep we have Sean in our place who seems to basically is the best and most consistent chain maker. I wouldn't trust myself to do it 😂well not for 30 or 40 I'd be ok with a few then I lose concentration.

[gand]

You just need to get the radio on and crack on. Did about 200 hundred Saturday. John at our place ( you've probably talked to him on the phone ) used to do them, but seems to leave it to me now. Longest part for is measuring and splitting 

[gand]

1 hour ago, Rob D said:

 

Yep we have Sean in our place who seems to basically is the best and most consistent chain maker. I wouldn't trust myself to do it 😂well not for 30 or 40 I'd be ok with a few then I lose concentration.

Oh whilst I'm at it, cheers for sending the 28" bar for a 560XP. It's going over to Norway and will be shown cutting snow for  a tv programme. 

[Rob D]

10 hours ago, gand said:

Oh whilst I'm at it, cheers for sending the 28" bar for a 560XP. It's going over to Norway and will be shown cutting snow for  a tv programme. 

 

Sounds good

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

14 hours ago, Rob D said:

Anyone got any helpful comments or suggestions on this as to what they would like to see/be told if there was a 3 day wait? And it would be working days so if you ordered Monday prob you would get on Thurs. If you ordered Thurs prob the following Tuesday.

Good luck with the 'internal' processing, my consistent dissatisfaction with online retail is where a company loses all of their own hard work, goodwill, reputation, customer satisfaction and return service through the bungling incompetence of a third party logistics delivery company.  

 

My piss boils when delivery is not executed as forecast by the 3PL agent or if packages go amiss, the customer is required to engage with the 3PL agent to trace.  

 

The customer has no relationship with the 3PL agent so the only interaction should be "thank you" when the package is delivered.

 

I'll often enquire at the purchase stage who the delivery company is and if it is one of a certain noted few the transaction goes no further.

 

Never had any issues with CSB deliveries though 👍🏻