CUSTOMER PROFILE

Bulky freight with urgent deadlines

Our client is a national supplier specialising in water control technologies, with a core product range that includes industrial water valves and associated products. They operate from a central distribution centre, supported by a sales team located in every state, servicing a broad B2B customer base including commercial builds and remote mine sites. Their freight profile is a mix of small consignments, heavy items, and full loads—often urgent and time-sensitive.

Before partnering with CFS, the business was grappling with fragmented systems, unreliable carrier performance, and a lack of visibility over freight operations. Their high-value goods required cost-effective, dependable delivery solutions—but existing processes were inefficient, reactive, and heavily manual. Without a centralised logistics strategy or dedicated freight support, their internal teams were frequently bogged down by admin, miscommunication, and delays. This resulted in lost freight, inflated costs, and a freight process that simply wasn’t keeping pace with their operational demands.

Fragmented Freight Management Systems
The team was using multiple freight platforms, requiring manual entry of quotes across various systems just to price-check and book. This clunky, inefficient process created internal delays, inconsistencies in quoting, and unnecessary admin workload.

Lack of Visibility and Control Over Freight
With no centralised system in place, the business lacked clear visibility over their freight movements. This made it difficult to track shipments, proactively manage delays, or respond to urgent delivery needs—particularly for time-critical or breakdown freight.

• No Freight Recovery Strategy for High-Value Goods
  Because their high-value freight is not on-charged to customers and is absorbed into their cost of goods, they needed a cost-efficient freight solution with reliable delivery outcomes. Previous carriers offered limited accountability, resulting in major losses with no resolution.
  
  Poor Internal Communication Flow
  The centralised distribution model combined with a nationally dispersed team meant freight enquiries were often funneled through the warehouse, disrupting operations. Their internal teams lacked a clear contact point for shipment issues, leading to confusion and miscommunication.
  
  Limited Flexibility and Carrier Options
  Without access to a diverse and fit-for-purpose carrier mix, the business lacked the flexibility to adjust quickly when their freight needs shifted. They were unable to plan ahead effectively or switch carriers when circumstances changed.

CFS delivered a full-scale logistics transformation—designed to streamline operations, improve delivery performance, and reduce costs for a high-value, time-critical freight environment. By consolidating systems, tailoring carrier selection, and providing a direct line of support, we created a logistics model that gave the business control, visibility, and confidence in every shipment.

Consolidated Freight Management Platform
We replaced multiple clunky freight systems with a centralised TMS, eliminating the need for duplicate data entry and manual quoting. This gave their team one simple, reliable platform to manage all freight activity—saving time and reducing admin.

Strategic Carrier Network Access
We aligned them with a curated mix of carriers tailored to their freight profile—balancing cost, service level, and freight type. This allowed for better planning, more competitive pricing, and reduced risk for high-value shipments.

Direct Communication & Support Structure
Instead of routing customer delivery queries through their internal warehouse team, our team became their direct point of contact. This significantly reduced operational noise and freed up the warehouse to focus on dispatch, while improving response times and service clarity across their business.

Comprehensive Freight Planning
We provided tailored freight planning, including optimised scheduling and route management, to reduce delays and streamline the logistics process for both standard and specialised deliveries.

Time-Critical Freight Expertise
We implemented a tailored strategy to handle urgent and breakdown deliveries, ensuring the right carriers, lead times, and tracking processes were in place to support fast turnaround requirements for their B2B clients.

Cost Reduction Without Compromising Service
By improving planning capability and aligning carrier choice to job type, we helped them achieve a 39% reduction in freight spend—without sacrificing speed, service, or reliability.

Scalable, Future-Proof Logistics Model
With system integration underway between their order platform and our TMS, they’re now positioned to scale seamlessly. We’ve also built in carrier contingencies, ensuring flexibility and adaptability as their freight needs evolve.

• 
  39% Reduction in Freight Costs
  By aligning their freight to more suitable carriers and improving planning, we helped reduce their overall transport spend by 39%—a critical win given freight costs are absorbed into their cost of goods.
• 
  Improved Freight Visibility & Tracking
  With real-time tracking and proactive updates in place, their team has visibility from booking through to delivery, reducing time spent chasing updates and allowing them to respond quickly to customer needs.
  
  Faster, More Reliable Deliveries
  Urgent and time-critical shipments are now handled with greater precision, meeting the demands of breakdown scenarios and B2B clients who rely on fast turnaround.
  
  Simplified Communication Chain
  All freight enquiries now route directly through CFS, eliminating the need for internal warehouse teams to triage logistics queries. This has significantly reduced operational noise and improved communication across their business.
  
  One System, Total Control
  With one platform in place to manage all quoting, booking, and tracking, the team has a single source of truth—reducing admin burden, quote discrepancies, and double-handling.
  
  Confidence in Carrier Network & Contingency Options
  They now have a trusted carrier mix in place with built-in flexibility to pivot as needs evolve. This gives their team confidence in every shipment, with the ability to scale operations seamlessly.