Shawston Maintains 98% Customer Satisfaction Rates using Podfather Delivery Software
Overview
Shawston is a market-leading distributor of fire sprinkler products and the only multi-depot supplier to the Mechanical Services, Fire Sprinklers, and Dry and Wet Riser markets. The company provides nationwide next-day delivery across the UK, handling an annual delivery volume of 1 million items.
Founded in the 1970s as a pipe fabrication business in Hyde, Manchester, Shawston entered the fire growth market in the late 1990s. Today, it has grown from a 10-person operation into an employee-owned business with 170 staff members and an annual turnover of £40m. Across its nationwide network, the distributor handles around 3,500 deliveries every month.
70 %
Less paper
98 %
Customer satisfaction
30,000
Miles saved each year
Challenge
Before implementing Podfather, Shawston faced operational bottlenecks stemming from traditional logistics methods. The administrative burden of tracking performance metrics and managing a multi-depot distribution structure manually was increasingly difficult to scale.
- Core reliance on manual planning and load allocation processes that consumed extensive staff resource
- Inefficient paper-dependent delivery workflows that generated at least two sheets of paper per delivery, accumulating to thousands of dispatch notes monthly
- Failed trials with alternative software systems that were unable to integrate with the company's Sage accounting system, paired with high implementation costs and restrictive contracts.
Solution
Shawston first trialled the Podfather system at its High Wycombe branch before executing a full rollout across its remaining customer-focused depots and service hubs. The software was configured to directly automate core logistics workflows, removing manual scheduling variables.
The implemented solution features a suite of planning and optimisation tools alongside real-time tracking and electronic Proof of Delivery (ePOD) capabilities. This digital ecosystem automatically generates and sends delivery confirmations and ETA notifications directly to clients, while providing transport managers with an interactive overview of branch resources.
Results
The deployment of Podfather has streamlined Shawston's delivery network, projecting a total savings of approximately 3,000 man hours a year. Back-office staff have seen a dramatic decline in inbound and outbound inquiry calls, allowing them to shift focus toward unlocking other business efficiencies.
Fleet management visibility has improved significantly, enabling managers to review live schedules and balance delivery parity between drivers, vehicles, and branches in real-time. Furthermore, Shawston's push toward a 100 percent paper-free target saves an estimated tree every month on dispatch notes alone; cost and environmental savings the company uses to fund Highland rewilding initiatives.
Before Podfather we meticulously checked our performance. Every week I would review every reported error and explore and implement ways to prevent it happening again. With Podfather this information is instantly accessible, I can see, in real-time, what's happening, where it's happening and what I can do to keep the delivery operation on track. This is a significant contributing factor which means we can maintain a 98 percent Customer Satisfaction rate compared to an industry average of just 85 percent.
Gareth Thomason
Operations Director, Shawston
