East Midlands-based 3PL provider RCS Logistics is providing comprehensive
e-fulfillment services to TV shopping channel specialist Pitch World Ltd. Services provided by RCS include bonded warehousing, customer order picking, packing and despatch, as well as online order tracking and dealing with any customer returns.
Established in 2007, Pitch World is a fast-growing online retailer and TV shopping channel business with two dedicated 'Pitch TV' shopping channels on Sky and a further three channels on Freesat. In addition to its five TV shopping channels, customers can also place orders by telephone via a 24/7 call centre, or by ordering online at the Pitch TV website (www.pitch.tv). Products sold by Pitch World are carefully selected for their unique, innovative properties. These products range from car cleaning products and gazebos, through to DIY products, soft toys and inflatable beds.
David Bredow, founder and Operations Director at Pitch World comments: "We're a lean business with 11 employees, as we tend to outsource most of our operations. Since August 2009, RCS Logistics has been providing our warehouse storage and e-fulfilment services, from receipt of initial customer order, right through order picking, packing and despatch to the customer, including order tracking - all of which is fully automated and traceable. We are extremely happy with the partnership."
David Bredow emphasises that logistics and e-fulfillment are "absolutely critical aspects of our business" and so Pitch World requires a logistics partner that it can trust and that is flexible and adaptable. "With e-commerce and TV shopping, you typically get just one chance with the customer. If you get it right, the customer may return and buy more from you. However, if you get it wrong, you may never get another chance. That's why logistics and e-fulfillment are so critical to what we do here. Whilst many 3PL providers are good at providing traditional logistics and warehousing, many are not so good when it comes to e-commerce and e-fulfillment," warns Bredow.
"When we were looking for a suitable logistics supplier, we decided not to work with any of the major 3PLs because, as a business, we felt that we would have to adapt to suit their regimes and systems. We therefore decided to look for a small-to-medium sized 3PL, who would be willing to adapt to our systems and practices. In this respect, RCS has performed very well and is continuing to improve its services. We are particularly pleased with how helpful and open to new ideas RCS has been and how well the company has changed its working practices to suit our own business."
At its Corby site in the East Midlands, RCS Logistics employs a dedicated Pitch World representative. As David Bredow puts it: "That person has been very proactive in solving any customer issues that have arisen and has really gone the extra yard for us when we've needed her to. Customer returns are now at their lowest level since Pitch World began trading," he adds.