Factory Direct Flooring accelerates success with Wynwood Logistics in the driving seat.
Like most firms, Nuneaton’s Factory Direct Flooring had to react quickly to the COVID-19 lockdown and sudden changes in customer behaviour.
A DIY boom amongst homeowners with time on their hands has given the flooring specialists a 40% uptake in online orders – record e-commerce sales for the company.
Accommodating the sudden influx of online orders relied on more than Factory Direct Flooring’s internal processing team, its logistics solution was key to upholding its high customer service standards and tight delivery deadlines.
Thanks to Factory Flooring Directs partnership with Pall-Ex shareholder member Wynwood Logistics the business has been able to grow during difficult trading conditions by utilising the flexible nature of the pallet delivery model of distribution.
Paul Hambidge, Founder and Managing Director at Factory Direct Flooring, comments: "The weeks and months immediately following the UK coronavirus lockdown gave rise to the greatest operational challenge ever faced by our business. “With our showroom closed and a reduced warehouse team, the surge in demand for online DIY products like laminate flooring created an overwhelming demand on our team.
Had it not been for the consistently high-quality service from the Pall-Ex network, we simply would have had to close our online business.”
The pallet network for quality
Having previously worked with Pall-Ex on and off, Factory Direct Flooring returned to the No.1 pallet network for quality three years ago after facing difficulty with other carriers.
It now works closely with the local Leicestershire Pall-Ex depot, Wynwood Logistics, which has a dedicated lorry liveried with Factory Direct Flooring branding.
Paul’s decision has since been critical to the growth of Factory Direct Flooring in recent years - particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown in the UK.
During the height of the lockdown (1st April - 31st May 2020), Factory Direct Flooring saw a 55% increase in website users and a 40% increase in orders for free samples.
Paul and his team noted a shift in user purchasers, with customers buying more affordable DIY laminate flooring - an uplift of 73% - that can be fitted by anyone, removing the need for flooring fitters.
Many orders require different sizes and shapes in every shipment, which could have resulted in difficulties with fulfilling large collections of orders in one go.
Pall-Ex and Wynwood Logistics have helped Factory Direct Flooring to navigate the difficulties of fluctuating order sizes and numbers, all while adhering to social distancing guidelines.
Its flexibility and versatility removed this issue and ensured consignments were delivered more efficiently, benefitting Factory Direct Flooring and its customers.
Supporting the growth of local businesses
Wynwood Logistics and the Pall-Ex model have facilitated the growth of the business during a very challenging time and Paul has been able to grow and expand Factory Direct Flooring without concern about fulfilling orders on time and damage-free.
Paul adds: “Pall-Ex's service facilitating our inbound freight and outbound client deliveries wasn't just maintained during this testing time, it was improved and exceeded my expectations.
“Traceability of our pallets has been accurate, and damages have been down to less than 0.5% during these past few months, which is incredible.
Jamie Baptie, Managing Director at Wynwood Logistics, comments: “It has been a challenging time for businesses in every industry, so we’re proud to be able to support a local company as they adapt to changing customer needs and thrive under these difficult circumstances.
“The pallet delivery model is designed to scale deliveries up or down, depending on need, so our team is well experienced in adapting to a sudden increase in deliveries while maintaining the quality of service and an excellent customer experience.
“Our tracking and visibility technology, MyNexus, also provides customers with the delivery information they need, which also helps to reduce enquiries to Factory Direct Flooring’s customer service team.”
Find out more about Factory Direct Flooring or contact us to get a tailored quote for pallet delivery.
Wynwood Logistics offer a wide-range of palletised freight solutions that will enhance and streamline your business. From a single quarter pallet to full-loads they are on hand to distribute your goods around the Midlands, the UK and throughout Europe.