Dorking, UK, 04 December 2008 – T.Quality, a leading fish and chip and fast food wholesale supplier, is using the latest computer technology to boost its delivery services. The company installed Paragon Software Systems' Multi Depot routing and scheduling solution to streamline its weekly plans that underpin its next day delivery services. With Paragon, T.Quality is able to optimise its routes thereby reducing mileage travelled and fuel costs as well as lessen the environmental impact of its fleet.
T.Quality uses the software to efficiently route and schedule its entire fleet of dual-compartment vehicles used to service its 4,500 trading customers throughout England and Wales. The company has 10 depots and Paragon allows the management team to analyse which site is best placed to serve each customer and plan efficient delivery routes. In addition, Paragon has enabled T.Quality to expand its business without adding additional vehicles to its fleet.
"We have very tight delivery windows as our customers expect our drivers at fixed times so it is essential that we plan the best routes to provide maximum service levels. Paragon allows us to load all customer details into the system and extract the most efficient routes. This is enabling us to reduce mileage and subsequently our fuel costs. And, if we are using efficient routes this means our carbon footprint is also reduced," says Richard Mansfield, Operations Director, T.Quality.
Before implementing the centralised planning solution, T.Quality used manual territory-based route plans. This manual system hinged on the expertise and knowledge of depot managers. The efficiency and accuracy of the routes was, therefore, variable. Richard Mansfield says that Paragon has changed this by ensuring visibility and accuracy of the routes, enabling each customer to be serviced by the most appropriate depot and vehicle.
"By showing all our customer delivery routes on a single map screen, the software allows us to see whether or not we are doing the right thing. Paragon allows us to look at the entire customer base and we can see precisely which depot and which vehicle in that depot should be servicing each customer. If necessary we can then adjust the route plans accordingly. It helps us to resolve any disputes between sites over who should be doing what and allows us to optimise our 'route run cards' that we use to provide route details to the drivers," says Richard Mansfield.