Food Distribution Centre – Post POD Errors

This major manufacturer of bakery products distributes its products to all UK supermarkets from a distribution center fed by all its bakeries. The short life of the delicate product and additional seasonal variations mean that there is a fine line between getting it right and getting it wrong, with high waste and poor customer service (and fines) as a result. Lauras International was asked to coach the site team to deliver substantial efficiency and service improvements to this operation

Although relatively small, the distribution centre handled over 400 deliveries per week to multiple customers and multiple sites. Customer service is a key KPI for the site which was running at a stable level, with a recognition that it needed to improve. With most orders arriving on the morning of the delivery, the site had worked hard on the forecasting and stockholding to reduce the amount of shortages. However, Post POD Errors (errors found by the customer when checking against the Proof of Delivery note) had increased during the previous year, with over 150,000 cases affected.