Softeon announced a comprehensive logistics solution for companies with distribution-intensive supply chains – largely those with their own fleets for retail delivery, but in other sectors as well –who know the challenge of getting end-to-end automation and optimization across distribution center operations, truck-loading, and route operations.
Part of that challenge is on the technology side, where solutions are fragmented. Existing Warehouse Management System (WMS) providers generally do not provide support for route operations, nor generally support optimal truck loading plans well.
The result is often disconnected systems that miss opportunities for operational savings from synchronization of the end-to-end process from order to delivery.
Softeon, provider of the supply chain software industry’s most innovative and functionally-rich solutions, has solved these challenges with a complete solution for these delivery-intensive companies, and continues to gain new customers and successes in the market.
Softeon’s solution set for delivery-intensive companies includes:
- A powerful warehouse management system (WMS) solution, with special capabilities needed by delivery-intensive companies such as sophisticated picking functionality to support stop- and product-sequenced loading, full support for Voice technology, powerful labor and resource management functionality, and more.
- Optimized delivery-truck loading, directly connected to picking operations in the WMS, including support for optimal loading of side-loaded truck common in beverage distribution.
- Order management and forecasting solutions, capable, for example, of directing what inventory should be loaded on delivery trucks not only for pre-orders but also what is expected for “opportunistic” sales at delivery stops.
- A robust route accounting solution, capable of running not only on traditional terminals but also now on smart phonesor tablets as well.
- A comprehensive direct-store delivery (DSD) solution.
This entire, end-to-end solution is available in either a traditional deployment, or on-demand in the Cloud.
The marketplace is noticing Softeon’s powerful solution set. Delivery-intensive Softeon customers include Casey’s General Stores, Ben E Keith, a number of Anheuser Busch Distributors, and several large customers in the LATAM region.
“The Softeon WMS solution will streamline the entire supply chain from receipt of product at the distribution center through delivery to the stores. Increasing visibility into real-time inventory will allow us to better plan picking of store orders from a range of food, beverages, tobacco products, health and beauty aids, automotive products, and other nonfood items,” said Bill Walljasper, Senior VP & CFO, Casey’s. “In addition, the solution will automate processes to improve truck load planning for weekly store replenishments that are currently in excess of 350 stores on an average of 47 routes per day.”
“The challenges of delivery-intensive companies are very real, and we have really put a lot of thought and development effort about how to best solve them for our customers,” said Gana Govind, President of Softeon.
There are also parallels in related segments, such as the repair service operations at Sears, for which Softeon’s solutions are providing complete inventory visibility from master DCs through multiple levels all the way down to each individual repair person’s van.
