Challenge:
Rethinking logistics
Diamond Logistics has a straightforward mission, and CEO Kate Lester has a direct way of expressing it: “We want to liberate British business from bad couriers.”
It’s well on its way. The company, formed in 1992, is now the UK’s fastest growing logistics provider. It has expanded from one office in Guildford to fifteen franchised operations in the past two years. It plans to open a further twenty five sites in the next twelve months.
“In terms of same day delivery, we’re already the third largest provider,” says Kate. “We’re doing some pretty special stuff.”
Kate’s new business strategy is proving it can take on jobs no one else can manage: “We make a lot of gains when people are desperate for change, where their regular courier has let them down. We’re a logistics troubleshooter. 90 percent of our larger contracts come through word of mouth recommendations.”
Recent jobs include rushing legal documents to a barrister on the courthouse steps, emergency blood supplies, and Fernando Alonso’s passport to the airport ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix. “We’re doing a job for one client in London, making 762 deliveries in one night. They gave us three days’ notice. Those are the kind of hoops we like jumping through.”
The business relies on the phone. “You might book a standard logistics job online, but for same day you want to speak to someone. You wouldn’t email for an ambulance, would you?” says Kate. “Our skill is being able to react quickly.”
Stung by the disruption of winter’s snowfall in 2013, and the difficulties of getting into the office
to answer non-diverted phones, Diamond began the search for an alternative telephony system. It wanted one that could knit its landline and mobile communication needs together, and have the flexibility to grow as the business grows.
Solution:
Improving response with one central number
Vodafone One Net Business provides and integrates Diamond’s landline, mobile and desktop phones in one, cloud-based system. It means calls to landlines are automatically directed to mobiles, or diverted to a personal mobile. Drivers have an individual four-digit number, allowing head office to direct calls quicker. The system can intelligently route calls, helping customers choose the service they want first time. For the caller, it’s just one number, regardless of whether they’re calling the Guildford head office or any of the franchise offices.
Benefit:
Delivering a great service, whatever the weather
“Forget the occasional heavy snowfall, disaster recovery is a reality. We’re based on a large industrial estate and we’ve had four power cuts in four years. No power means no incoming calls,” says Kate. “Incoming calls are paramount to our business. Without phone lines we’d lose same day work – and there is plenty of competition out there.” Vodafone One Net Business ensures Diamond can alter their incoming call routing without the need to be in the office. So they can continue to operate from any location. Customers only ever have to use one central number. “We’re a 24/7 business, with operations on going all round the country,” says Kate. “Vodafone provide the infrastructure we need to operate effectively. I know we’re answering 10 percent more calls than previous.” Kate says Vodafone One Net Business comes in cheaper than the previous solution and brings added value with a far greater flexibility to improve their service. It is easily scalable to cope with future expansion as the business grows. Now able to work remotely, staff say it’s improved their work-life balance. “I tend to work 14-hour days,” says Kate. “This solution helps make my life a little easier.
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