Kingsdown Customer Story

A dream solution in delivery fleet management.

Headquartered in Mebane, NC, with manufacturing facilities in Virginia, Tennessee, Florida and Oklahoma, Kingsdown distributes premium sleep systems to retailers across the U.S. Historically, they’d outsourced their domestic delivery fleet to a third-party logistics provider. But to keep pace with growing consumer demand and expectations, and still maintain their commitment to service, the 100-year-old manufacturer wondered if there was a more efficient way to manage their delivery fleet.

The Challenge

In an increasingly competitive category, Kingsdown was looking for ways to streamline its delivery fleet, increase efficiency, decrease delivery errors and the associated cost of returns, tighten inventory control and still provide premium delivery of high-end bedding products to demanding retailers. Plus, they lacked the ability to accurately locate and keep track of shipments en route to dealers.

The Solution

We provided Kingsdown with a dedicated contract carriage (DCC) solution with advanced on-the-spot transportation technology, as well as the drivers and tractors necessary to move inventory in Kingsdown-owned trailers. Through sophisticated handheld devices with GPS software and scanning capabilities, Kingsdown is able to monitor deliveries the entire trip. Each product is tagged and scanned when loaded and again when delivered. Data is near-real-time uploaded into the dispatch management system. On the road, drivers use handheld computers with directions for each stop and UPS creates an efficient automated trip plan for each driver. Operations supervisors communicate with the fleet via text messaging to proactively respond to unexpected delays. Additionally, the automated route planner can relay when it’s efficient to pick up new raw materials for Kingsdown on return trips, or if empty trailers can be filled with third-party freight.

The Results

Kingsdown could once again focus on their core competency. Fleet efficiency was maximized and overall transportation costs went down. Delivery errors virtually disappeared, while customer service and key performance metrics dramatically improved. The real-time visibility enabled Kingsdown to streamline scheduling, routing and deliveries, which helped shorten its billing cycle. Finally, UPS was able to brand its fleet with Kingsdown’s logo and colors, ensuring a strong brand presentation for the company.

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