The challenge
Hallmark Consumer Services provides businesses across the UK with a range of outsourced support including e-fulfillment, direct mail, customer service, packing and logistic support. With 80+ clients and space at a premium, Hallmark needed the new SnapFulfil WMS up and running within a month and working in tandem with the existing system. New and extra functionality was also required immediately to get products sorted and away a lot quicker and onto different types of pallets in all the correct areas of the warehouse.
The solution
Hallmark now has bespoke location formats and walk routes, incorporating the new mezzanine level. One client, a major online craft beer retailer, has quickly enjoyed 40% efficiency increases on some lines, thanks to the SnapFulfil Pack Station functionality that caters for all labelling and streamlines the whole process and makes it more efficient and cost effective.
The benefits
Coupled with Metapack capabilities it provides carrier rate shipping to ensure the best value carrier is always used, plus with the many different sized products handled, SnapFulfil volumetric functionality drives pallets to the correct locations to maximise loading occupancy - a process which is continually being honed to optimize slot usage.
Hallmark Consumer managing director, Phil Hall, says: "Aside from these much welcome operational improvements, the transition has been fairly seamless in all honesty and the support service excellent. We had a dedicated in-house team testing the operating procedures with the SnapFulfil project management team, through peak demand periods, and they all remarked how easy the new system was to pick up.
"Minimal training was required on the hand held devices and the shift from onerous manual and paper-based procedures to digital automation has been a god send – particularly for goods in – where we've been able to tangibly improve labor efficiencies straight away."
