LifeSeasons is a leading manufacturer of dietary supplements and health-related products distributed to various retailers and sold directly to customers through their website and other online platforms.
As the company grows, it is crucial that they streamline processes, digitize and automate their operations, and reduce costs.
The Challenge
All companies and industries face their fair share of challenges, but there are specific issues that predictably arise in manufacturing, especially related to supply chain. These challenges include:
- Inaccurate demand forecasting leading to overproduction or stock shortages, resulting in increased costs and reduced efficiency.
- Managing multiple suppliers, coordinating delivery schedules, and ensuring product quality.
- Maintaining adequate inventory levels, especially in case of unpredictable demand, leading to storage costs and missed sales opportunities.
- Complex logistics networks, transit times, and delivery schedules can result in delayed shipments and increased costs.
- Disruptions in the supply chain, such as natural disasters, political unrest, or supplier bankruptcy, can result in lost sales and increased costs.
To maintain their industry-leading customer experience, LifeSeasons needed to find a better process for managing returns, which was leading to an increase in workload. In fact, they were faced with a decision of hiring another full-time employee to handle returns, which would add a significant cost increase for the department. They were also in need of a single source of truth for their shipping data, as well as a way to monitor the status of their shipments in real-time.
The Solution
To address these challenges, LifeSeasons made a strategic decision to invest in technology to optimize supply chain operations and increase efficiency. LifeSeasons partnered with project44 in November 2021, to implement a real-time transportation visibility platform that could automate tasks, improve tracking, and provide predictive analytics. This provided LifeSeasons with a single source of truth for all their shipping information, enabling them to monitor the status of their shipments in real-time. With this solution, they were able to save time, increase efficiency, and reduce the overall workload. It also freed up more time for team members to focus on activities that provided more value to the business.
““I’m very familiar with various shipping software, and I would say project44 is extremely easy to use unlike other visibility platforms I’ve seen. I like how simple it is and the amount of visibility it provides. All of the information is in one place and just a click away.””
Cost Savings and Improved Carrier Performance
LifeSeasons was able to analyze carrier performance and choose the best option for their business, leading to a reduction in costs and increased flexibility. In one instance, they were able to quickly realize that a particular carrier was not a good fit for their business, reducing the risk of missed return on investment and customer dissatisfaction. The team can now easily report on carrier performance, average transit time, and on-time delivery, enabling them to make informed and strategic decisions for their complex supply chain.
Reduction in Manual Tasks
The implementation of project44 resulted in a 50% reduction in time spent on manual tasks, specifically handling “Where is my Order” (WISMO) calls and emails. The Operations Manager at LifeSeasons reported that the time it took to handle WISMO calls and emails was cut in half, saving time for the customer service department. With all the information in one place, there was no need to navigate multiple sites to track down shipments.
Improved Customer Experience
Automatic notifications and filtered views for shipments helped LifeSeasons become more proactive, ultimately improving the overall customer experience. Now the company receives positive feedback on the automatic shipment notifications sent out to their customers, which in turn reduced WISMO calls and saved time for the customer service department.
The Results
After implementing project44 to optimize their overall supply chain, LifeSeasons realized the following results:
- 33.3% efficiency gain for the returns department (able to manage with 2 employees instead of 3)
- Annual cost savings of $80k for the returns department
- Significant reduction in WISMO calls for the customer service department
- Enhanced customer satisfaction and experience
- Cost reduction and flexibility when choosing carriers
- Robust analytics for carrier performance, on-time delivery, average transit time, and other key metrics for the Operations department
- 50% time savings for manual customer service WISMO tasks
The implementation of project44 has helped LifeSeasons streamline their supply chain processes, reduce costs, and improve customer satisfaction. With real-time shipment visibility and automatic notifications, the company has become more proactive, leading to a significant reduction in manual tasks and time savings for the customer service department. The robust analytics have enabled the Operations department to make informed and strategic decisions, resulting in cost reductions and improved carrier performance.
Looking ahead, LifeSeasons is planning to provide access to their entire customer service function as a way to improve their overall customer experience.