Ms. Cara Strohack reports

HERSCHEL PARTS AUTOMATES MULTICARRIER SHIPPING AND IMPROVES COST CONTROL WITH DESCARTES

Herschel Parts, a global manufacturer and distributor of aftermarket agricultural replacement parts to businesses and consumers, is using The Descartes Systems Group Inc.'s Pacejet multicarrier shipping solution integrated with its enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Herschel is processing 98 per cent of its shipments through one workflow spanning parcel and less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers. By consolidating shipping workflows and carrier rating, Herschel has eliminated approximately 10 hours per week of manual data entry, gained immediate shipment visibility and identified carrier options that can be 5-per-cent to 10-per-cent less expensive for individual shipments.

"We previously managed parcel, regional delivery, and LTL shipping in separate systems and carrier portals, requiring employees to re-enter tracking numbers, freight costs, weights and other shipment details. Some information did not reach our legacy ERP system until an overnight update, delaying visibility for customer service," said Lori Archibold, enterprise systems manager at Herschel Parts. "On an accelerated timetable, we deployed a new ERP system integrated with Descartes Pacejet, eliminating extra work and lowering shipping costs. Tracking information and shipping documents now move automatically between the systems. Two members of our shipping team each used to spend about an hour each day re-entering shipping data; now, there is no manual entry, and our pickers and packers are amazed by how straightforward the process is. In addition, having all carrier rates in one place has been eye-opening. We can easily find less expensive options and choose the provider and shipping mode that fit us best. The visibility has been a tremendous asset in identifying cost savings."

Approximately 70 per cent of Herschel's shipments move by LTL, with the balance shipped as parcel. The mix includes long, irregularly shaped agricultural parts such as seven- and nine-foot sickles, making shipment dimensions and accessorial charges important to mode and carrier selection. Descartes Pacejet enables the team to compare parcel and LTL options using current rates and shipment characteristics. In one example, Herschel identified an $85 LTL option for a shipment that would have cost approximately $200 by parcel.

Descartes Pacejet is an enterprise-resource-planning-integrated, multimodal and multicarrier shipping solution that helps manufacturers, distributors and other shippers improve cost control, fulfilment efficiency and customer service by managing parcel, LTL, freight, and third party logistics services in one place. It supports rate shopping across carriers and modes by incorporating shipment dimensions, residential status and accessorial charges, including those for non-standard items, into comparisons before shipments are tendered. The solution also automates packing, shipping, labelling, customer notifications and data exchange, making tracking information immediately available to customer service teams and notifying customers when orders ship.

"We're pleased the Descartes solution is helping Herschel reduce administration, make more informed parcel-versus-LTL transportation decisions and give customer service immediate access to shipment information," said Mikel Richardson, general manager, e-commerce, at Descartes. "For manufacturers and distributors managing complex parcel and LTL operations, ERP-integrated shipping automation can improve cost control and delivery efficiency while providing the visibility needed to offer a better customer experience."

About The Descartes Systems Group Inc.

Descartes powers more responsive, efficient, secure, and sustainable international and domestic supply chains by uniting logistics-intensive businesses on its global logistics network (GLN). Shippers, carriers, and logistics service providers connect and collaborate on the GLN leveraging technology, data and AI (artificial intelligence) to manage last-mile deliveries, domestic and international shipments, transportation rating and payment, global trade research, customs compliance, and a variety of regulatory processes.

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