The United States has experienced an industrial boom in the last three years that “may never be repeated in our lifetimes” — and that places extra emphasis on job site delivery.
Through the first three quarters of 2023, an all-time high of 450 million square feet of industrial space was added across the country. As this industrial boom sweeps the nation, the task of industrial supply will grow more and more important — especially the aforementioned job site deliveries and store-to-store transfers.
If delivered well, this last-mile delivery in the industrial space can build trust with customers and partners and secure greater market share. The opposite is also true. Inconsistent, inefficient job site deliveries and store-to-store transfers diminish trust and throttle an industrial company’s ability to grow.
Below, we explore specific ways you can turn job site delivery and store-to-store transfers into trust-builders for your business. Continue reading to learn more, and get in touch with us to discuss working with FRAYT as a partner for these important deliveries and transfers.
The Challenges of Job Site Delivery For Industrial Suppliers
Why are job site deliveries so cumbersome for industrial suppliers? The foundation of the problem is that providers of services and products (like plumbing, HVAC, solar, equipment rental, and flooring companies) are typically regional or nationwide chains that need to find local drivers who can get the job done.
That task isn’t as easy as it sounds.
It’s difficult to build a pool of qualified drivers who have the conscientiousness and custom-first mindset needed to deliver on time while creating outstanding experiences.
Further complicating matters is the need to build a fleet of vehicles to accommodate job site deliveries and store-to-store transfers. There’s the cost of procuring vehicles, plus the costs of insurance, maintenance, fuel, etc. We’ve created a calculator that helps you compare the cost of managing your own fleet versus working with a third party.
The calculator typically demonstrates the value of working with a third-party partner for job site deliveries and store-to-store transfers. Industrial suppliers can completely outsource these duties to a third party, or they can work with a third party that complements in-house capabilities. In the next section, we explore the primary reasons why industrial suppliers choose to work with third parties.
3 Ways an On-Demand Partner for Job Site Delivery Offers Reliability and Builds Trust
The best part of working with a third party is that it can help your business overcome the traditional challenges of job site delivery and store-to-store transfers. Here’s a look at three specific ways that a delivery partner brings value to your operation.
1. Access to High-Quality Drivers
You don’t have to build a pool of qualified drivers when you work with a third party. Your delivery partner has already secured a team of the high-quality drivers you need.
These drivers are more cost-effective because they aren’t on your payroll. They also receive regular training that empowers them to do the best job on behalf of your business. Great customer experiences lead to repeat purchases and word-of-mouth referrals. The right delivery partner connects you to the drivers needed to achieve these results.
2. A Diverse Fleet of Vehicles
Rather than purchasing and maintaining your own fleet of vehicles, working with a delivery partner gives you access to a diverse fleet that’s ready to get to work at a moment’s notice. When you pair the right vehicle with a specific type of delivery, it also creates a sense of professionalism and enhances the customer experience.
Fleets need everything from sedans to pickups to sprinter vans and even larger vehicles for success in industrial supply. That’s a lot of vehicles for any industrial supplier to purchase and maintain. At FRAYT, we offer a diverse fleet that you can use to create the customer experiences that drive growth for your business. See below for more information on our vehicles.
3. Capacity on Short Notice
The hardest part of hiring your own drivers and buying your own vehicles is that they are on your payroll no matter the demand for your products and services. The opposite is true when you work with a third-party job site delivery partner. You enjoy access to on-demand capacity whenever you need it.
Outsourced delivery drivers can handle urgent tasks, and they can also help create a better division of labor within your organization. For example, your in-house team can handle regular deliveries, and your delivery partner can step in when urgent needs emerge. This helps keep your entire operation on schedule.
When you have access to the capacity you need on short notice, it leads to prompt deliveries and greater trust over time.
Success Story: The Tile Shop
The Tile Shop found that offering same-day delivery created a competitive advantage and matched customer expectations. However, relying on local couriers and other delivery platforms led to poor experiences.
The company started working with FRAYT to gain access to reliable drivers, plus real-time tracking information that helps support customer satisfaction. Now, the Tile Shop works with the same group of high-quality drivers via the FRAYT platform, giving it access to the vehicles and on-demand capacity needed to grow its business.
Read the full story of the Tile Shop here.
Work With FRAYT for Job Site Delivery and Store-to-Store Transfers
At FRAYT, we provide solutions to many of the traditional problems industrial suppliers face with job site delivery and store-to-store transfers. We provide high-quality drivers, a diverse fleet of vehicles, existing tech for real-time tracking and other features, a presence in key markets, plus capacity that scales up and down as you need it to.
If you’re ready to create the outstanding customer experiences needed to delight your customers and grow your business, we’re here to help. Ship with us.
