Wren Kitchens Completes 56% More Customer Appointments and Saves £2 million Annually with Descartes Routing Solution

Rhea-AI Summary

Descartes Systems Group (DSGX) partners with Wren Kitchens to optimize surveyor productivity, leading to 56% more customer appointments and £2 million in annual savings. The use of Descartes' dynamic appointment scheduling and route planning solution has significantly reduced the 'cost per appointment' for Wren Kitchens.

Insights

Supply Chain Management Expert

The adoption of Descartes' dynamic appointment scheduling by Wren Kitchens represents a significant stride in supply chain optimization. By increasing surveyor productivity by 56%, Wren Kitchens has effectively leveraged technology to streamline its in-home estimation process, a critical step in their sales funnel. The substantial reduction in 'cost per appointment' and the 13% savings on annual fuel costs point towards an enhanced operational efficiency that is likely to contribute to improved gross margins.

From a supply chain perspective, the integration of route optimization and dynamic scheduling can lead to a more agile and responsive business model. This is particularly important in the home renovation industry where customer experience and timely service delivery are pivotal. The reduction of 354,000 miles driven not only implies cost savings but also enhances the company's sustainability profile, which can be a competitive advantage in an increasingly environmentally conscious market.

Financial Analyst

The announcement by Descartes Systems Group regarding its impact on Wren Kitchens' operations has direct financial implications. A £2 million annual saving is a considerable figure that can affect the bottom line and potentially improve earnings per share (EPS), which is a key metric for investors. Furthermore, the reported improvements in productivity and cost efficiency are likely to be viewed favorably by the market, potentially leading to a positive impact on Descartes Systems Group's stock performance as it showcases the effectiveness of their solutions.

Investors should monitor the scalability of such technology solutions and their adoption across other clients, as this could signify a broader market trend towards efficiency-driven technology investments. The operational improvements and cost savings reported by Wren Kitchens could serve as a case study for potential clients, potentially driving sales growth for Descartes.

Environmental Sustainability Analyst

Wren Kitchens' initiative to reduce mileage and fuel consumption through Descartes' solution aligns with broader environmental sustainability goals. The reported reduction of CO2 emissions through increased route productivity is a testament to the potential of cloud-based last mile delivery solutions in contributing to corporate sustainability efforts. This is not just a cost-saving measure, but also a reflection of corporate responsibility towards climate change mitigation.

It is essential to quantify the environmental impact of such initiatives. The reduction of 354,000 fewer miles driven translates into a significant decrease in greenhouse gas emissions. This progress could improve Wren Kitchens' Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) ratings, which are increasingly factored into investment decisions by institutional investors. The long-term benefits of such improvements include not only a better corporate image but also potential incentives and regulatory advantages as governments around the world push for greener logistics practices.

LONDON and ATLANTA, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Descartes Systems Group (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSX:DSG), the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, announced that the U.K.’s leading kitchen retailer, Wren Kitchens, is using Descartes’ dynamic appointment scheduling, route planning and optimisation solution to improve surveyor productivity allowing them to complete 56% more customer appointments and significantly reduce its overall ‘cost per appointment’, which has saved the company £2million annually. The solution has dramatically improved the productivity of Wren’s surveyors, who typically visit a customer’s home to provide estimates for kitchen or bedroom renovation projects.

“As the business expanded, we outgrew our legacy in-house system. We wanted a more robust tool with the ability to book appointments with 2-hour time slots and optimize who, where and when a surveyor visits to carry out customer estimates,” said Lee Holmes, Transport and Logistics Director at Wren Kitchens. “With Descartes, now when a customer books an appointment, the comprehensive solution works in the background to automatically optimise surveyor schedules and travel routes to appointments. This enables us to increase the number of appointments per day in an area, which not only lowers mileage and fuel consumption but also drives down the cost per appointment. Working with Descartes, we’ve saved 13% on annual fuel costs, which equates to approximately 354,000 fewer miles driven.”

Descartes’ routing solution is part of its cloud-based last mile delivery solution suite, which helps distribution-intensive companies improve operational efficiency and customer experience. It supports dynamic delivery requirements, including same-day delivery, by offering flexible, efficient and cost-effective time windows and delivery options. Using advanced optimisation technology, the solution reduces the distance driven per delivery to maximize delivery capacity and optimize the productivity of mobile resources. With an integrated GPS-based mobile application, the solution coordinates drivers, dispatchers and call centers to ensure routes are executed according to plan and exceptions are handled efficiently. Electronic proof of delivery (ePOD) captures delivery details and streamlines the delivery process, and self-service customer engagement allows customers to track orders in real-time. Additionally, the solution improves delivery sustainability through increased route productivity, which lowers CO2 emissions per delivery, drives fuel savings and eliminates paper manifests and documents.

“We’re pleased that our routing solution is helping Wren achieve even higher standards of customer service excellence and exceptional productivity gains, which are driving compelling bottom line benefits,” said Gary Taylor, VP Sales, EMEA, Descartes said, “For companies with service-driven vehicle fleets, like Wren, efficient routing is critical in overcoming the challenges associated with rising customer demands and labor shortages. Descartes’ route planning and execution solutions help companies of all sizes in diverse industries transform operational performance and heighten the customer experience.”

About Wren Kitchens

Wren is the UK's number one affordable luxury kitchen retailer, also offering a wide range of affordable luxury fitted bedrooms. Employing more than 7,000 people, last year Wren delivered more than 130,000 kitchens to homes across the UK.

From their 110 UK and 13 US family friendly, VR equipped showrooms, Wren is committed to providing affordable luxury, high-quality design solutions and market leading finance options to ensure their luxury kitchens and bedrooms are available to more people than ever before. With a strong focus on innovation, customer experience and affordability, Wren continues to elevate homes across the UK and US. All Wren kitchens are designed and manufactured in their purpose built, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities.

Wren’s future is not just about commercial success, it’s also about being people and planet positive. Their drive to future proof the business for generations to follow, and lead the way to a healthier and more sustainable environment, is underpinned by an evolving programme of environmental initiatives throughout its value chain, that is on track to drive Wren to Net Zero by 2030.

Contact:	Debra Hutt, Head of PR, Wren Kitchens
	debra.hutt@wrenkitchens.com
	M: 07768 623672
	https://www.wrenkitchens.com/

About Descartes

Descartes (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSX:DSG) is the global leader in providing on-demand, software-as-a-service solutions focused on improving the productivity, security and sustainability of logistics-intensive businesses. Customers use our modular, software-as-a-service solutions to route, track and help improve the safety, performance and compliance of delivery resources; plan, allocate and execute shipments; rate, audit and pay transportation invoices; access global trade data; file customs and security documents for imports and exports; and complete numerous other logistics processes by participating in the world’s largest, collaborative multimodal logistics community. Our headquarters are in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and we have offices and partners around the world. Learn more at www.descartes.com, and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Global Media Contact
Cara Strohack                                                                     
Tel: +1(800) 419-8495 ext. 202025                                 
cstrohack@descartes.com  

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (“forward-looking statements”) that relate to Descartes’ routing solution offerings and potential benefits derived therefrom; and other matters. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the factors and assumptions discussed in the section entitled, “Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results” in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission and other securities commissions across Canada including Descartes’ most recently filed management’s discussion and analysis. If any such risks actually occur, they could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. In that case, the trading price of our common shares could decline, perhaps materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purposes of providing information about management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. We do not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

FAQ

How has Descartes Systems Group partnered with Wren Kitchens?

Descartes Systems Group has partnered with Wren Kitchens to improve surveyor productivity using dynamic appointment scheduling and route planning solutions.

What benefits has Wren Kitchens seen from using Descartes' solutions?

Wren Kitchens has seen a 56% increase in customer appointments and saved £2 million annually in overall 'cost per appointment' by using Descartes' solutions.

How has Descartes' routing solution helped Wren Kitchens?

Descartes' routing solution has enabled Wren Kitchens to optimize surveyor schedules, reduce mileage and fuel consumption, and save 13% on annual fuel costs.

What is the impact of Descartes' last mile delivery solution suite on distribution-intensive companies?

Descartes' last mile delivery solution suite helps distribution-intensive companies improve operational efficiency, customer experience, and delivery sustainability.

How does Descartes' solution improve delivery sustainability?

Descartes' solution improves delivery sustainability by increasing route productivity, lowering CO2 emissions per delivery, driving fuel savings, and eliminating paper manifests.