Brussels (Belgium), 5 May 2015 - To support their diversification strategy, including the introduction of a parcel pick-up and delivery service for business partners and consumers, Kariboo!, Belgian leader of press distribution AMP has implemented a new Proof of Delivery and Collection system from Zetes. The system, based on the ZetesChronos Proof of Delivery (POD) and the ZetesMedea logistics execution solutions, provides full visibility of all logistics flows between AMP's distribution centres and thousands of sales outlets. It enables the efficient execution of unattended night deliveries while streamlining the reverse logistics of totes and unsold goods. 

AMP's distribution centres are dispersed across the country. Every week, 6 nights out of 7, 350 vans packed with magazines, newspapers and parcels set off at the crack of dawn to deliver orders to thousands of sales outlets in Belgium, including independent newsagents and retail outlets. At the same time, unsold newspapers and magazines are collected in order to be processed in AMP’s distribution centres and sent back to publishers.

Full visibility on logistics flows

To guarantee complete transparency, to both themselves and their customers, AMP has replaced their paper-based operations with a robust delivery tracking system. The main challenges were twofold: to respect the extremely short turnaround time, and to track parcels from their arrival in the DC, all the way through the delivery process.

AMP is now using 2 solutions of the Zetes Collaborative Supply Chain Suite:  ZetesMedea registers in real-time all movements in AMP’s distribution centres, such as goods receiving and cross-docking operations, so that AMP’s SAP system can split up the goods to deliver into optimal routes. ZetesChronos optimises the Proof of Delivery and Proof of Collection processes. 

Night deliveries in a 3-hour turnaround time

Goods are delivered at AMP during the night and orders have to be assembled right away – the first ones leaving the DC only minutes afterwards. The drivers, equipped with mobile devices, log in to the ZetesChronos application, check the different stops planned in their route and load their vans accordingly. Once on the way, the monitoring system supplied geolocalises the drivers, allowing the back-office to have an overview on the progress of routes and to manage last-minute changes, such as cancel a delivery, or add an extra stop.

Most deliveries happen during the night in locations where no-one is physically present to receive the goods. Factual proof of delivery is provided via the capture of the GPS coordinates, complemented by a picture in case of incident. Data is immediately fed back to the central system to ensure real-time tracking. At all times, the back office knows which goods are in, out, how they have been dispatched, and where they will be delivered. It allows AMP to provide high level of customer service as the back office can inform clients in real-time when there is a problem. 

Rolf Vermeulen, Operations Director at AMP: "The implementation of our Proof of Delivery solution was originally intended to support our diversification strategy, including the launch of a new parcel service, Kariboo!. Today we cannot live without it. Zetes delivered a complete solution that gives us end-to-end visibility throughout our supply chain and allows us to execute pickups, deliveries and reverse logistics more efficiently". 

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