Podfather Delivery Software Supports Lakes Showering Spaces Sustainable Objectives
Overview
Founded as a family business in 1986 and based in Tewkesbury, Lakes Showering Spaces is a prominent manufacturer of UK-designed shower enclosures, showering spaces, walk-ins, and bath screens. The company has a strong reputation for quality, first-class customer service, commitment to quick delivery, and innovation.
In addition to its delivery operations, the company employs a dedicated team of specially trained technicians who offer an impressive after-sales service, including on-site visits to handle installation issues or to support their lifetime watertight guarantee. Lakes is a certified Carbon Neutral Plus organisation and is also ISO 14001 and 9001 accredited.
24 %
cut in CO2 emissions
25 %
Increase in van fill rate
50 %
increase in drops per vehicle
Challenge
Prior to implementing Podfather, Lakes Showering Spaces faced challenges regarding sustainability, operational efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in their warehouse and distribution operations. While they had an existing logistics system in place, it was inadequate for their needs and their goals.
- The previous software system was not up to the job and failed to adequately support the company’s distribution and sustainability goals.
- Van fill rates were averaging only around 60%, meaning the fleet was travelling significant miles carrying empty space.
- The company struggled to maximise the number of delivery drops per vehicle, creating inefficiencies in routing and fuel consumption.
Solution
Lakes Showering Spaces implemented Podfather to overhaul its logistics and address operational inefficiencies. They utilised the software's advanced planning and route optimisation features to carefully plan deliveries, significantly improving van fill rates and reducing total miles travelled.
They also rolled out Podfather's configurable customer notifications and live tracking capabilities, providing customers with advanced warnings of when deliveries were due and updates if delays were likely. The electronic Proof of Delivery (ePOD) functionality, featuring sign-on-glass technology and date, time, and location-stamped photos, was deployed to digitise the final step of the delivery and completely remove paper from the workflow.
Results
The impact of implementing Podfather has been substantial. Operational efficiency soared, with average van fill rates increasing from 60% to 85% (and occasionally reaching 100%), and the number of drops per vehicle rising by at least 50%. This vastly reduced the miles vehicles spent travelling while partially empty, supporting the company's sustainability ethos and contributing to a 24% reduction in carbon emissions.
The digital transition has also greatly enhanced the customer experience by providing transparent tracking, automated delivery notifications, and instant digital proof of delivery. Looking forward, Lakes is planning to extend Podfather's use beyond standard deliveries to route their after-sales technicians and share on-site photos and technical reports, while also deploying product scanning features to improve their On-Time In-Full (OTIF) delivery rates.
We did have a system in place before Podfather but it wasn't really up to the job, so when I was brought in to look at the warehouse and distribution side of the business, specifically addressing sustainability, operational efficiency, and cost effectiveness, I knew this was something we needed to change. Podfather gave me everything! It gave me sign on glass, tracking, customer updates, planning, and route optimisation.
Kevin Hart
Warehouse & Distribution Manager, Lakes Showering Spaces
