“At the start of the year I championed ‘streamline’ as our buzzword for 2026,” commented Connor Grinham, IT Administrator at Harris & Bailey. “We are an established business with an impressive history, but it was obvious we needed to update some of our processes, and the paper-based delivery operation was a natural place to start as, prior to Podfather, this was completely manual, and the red books we used were all powerful.
“However, by utilising the experience and expertise of our transport team, together with Podfather’s easy to implement, easy to use functionality, we are already seeing positive impacts for our customers and our business.”
Having been in business for around 113 years, Harris & Bailey equips the building and plumbing trade with an extensive range of products for building, plumbing, heating, renewables, and electrical works. Using a mixed fleet of 12 vehicles, including crane lorries, curtain sided trucks, and vans, Harris & Bailey carries out up to 25,000 deliveries a year across its core delivery area which covers London to the south coast and Essex across to Reading.
“Giving our customers a 21st-century delivery experience was top of our wish list for Podfather, and it hasn’t disappointed,” Grinham continued. “We are now able to share real-time delivery information with our customers, as well as our customer facing staff and management, and this has reduced the number of queries the transport team and drivers have to field allowing them to focus on delivering a first-class service.”
Using Podfather, Harris & Bailey has already reduced its paper consumption by an estimated 40,000 sheets per annum, with further savings predicted. Integrated with the company’s ERP system, delivery routes are initially planned by the transport team before being optimised using Podfather. This should deliver additional savings in mileage and fuel usage.
At the start of the day, ETA notifications are issued to customers by email or text, and live updates can be shared as the day’s schedule unfolds. Harris & Bailey is also capturing electronic proof of delivery evidence, including date, location, and time stamped signatures and photographs, using Podfather. This can similarly be shared with customers, and within the business, further improving visibility and reducing queries.
As part of its ongoing commitment to customer excellence and reducing its environmental impact, Harris & Bailey has recently achieved Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) gold status. Designed to drive up standards in fleet management, Podfather is an Associate of the voluntary scheme, with app guided vehicle safety checks part of its core offering.
