Promtel Case Studies
PAYOT
High end cosmetics and skin care from Paris
Payot is a leading brand of skin care products sold in Australia exclusively through beauty therapy salons. Our client requires excellent stock control and accountability, security and skilled warehousing and dispatch services.
Promtel’s responsibilities include:
- Receive and stocktake container shipments of product from France
- Receive orders for salons via electronic order automation
- Scan pick, pack and dispatch orders – include packing list showing stock per carton
- Perform regular stocktakes and provide portal for client to download/view stock reports
- Package special promotion packs for distribution to salons
Promtel has been Payot’s warehousing and distribution partner for over fifteen years. During this time we have developed a strong bond and a common goal of excellence. Payot has taken on additional product lines and has expanded its business during our time together.
Promtel has introduced its current warehouse management system which allows Payot management to view online all orders, progress of orders, all inventory, to place orders and to download reports.
TRICHOVEDIC
Professional Hair Care Products – Hair Wisdom
Trichovedic is a leading brand of hair care products sold in Australian and international salons. This client came to us with a need for a warehousing and order processing solution. The existing provider did not have the skill set, staff or technology to properly carry out the storage, stock control and order preparation that was required.
Promtel’s responsibilities include:
- Receive and stocktake incoming products
- Receive pick pack and ship bulk wholesale orders for salons
- Receive pick, pack and ship eCommerce orders for individual customers
- Include packing list showing stock per carton
- Perform regular stocktakes and provide portal for client to download/view stock reports
- Package special promotion packs for distribution to salons as required
Promtel has been Trichovedic’s warehousing and distribution partner for many years. During this time we have developed a strong bond and a common goal of excellence. The Promtel – Trichovedic partnership has provided our client with the scalability required for modern day business success. From storing and packing up trade show material to receiving it back afterwards or simply making sure a one-unit order arrives on time, Promtel is flexible enough to meet expectations every time.
Promtel provides a robust warehouse management system which allows Thrichovedic management to enter/view online all orders, see the progress of orders, view all inventory, place orders and download reports.
MICROSOFT
Point of Sale Distribution
Microsoft has been a client of Promtel’s for over twenty years. During that time Promtel has provided many different kinds of services, ranging from inbound and outbound call centre, event management, event showbag fulfilment, web design and hosting, product storage, pick, pack and shipping, loyalty program management and financial and cashback services.
Promtel currently provides all of the above services and for the last year has been fulfilling the Point of Sale Distribution needs for Microsoft in Australia.
We worked with the Team Leader for this part of Microsoft Australia’s business to take over from the previous warehousing company, and devise a strategy for a more interactive and efficient methodology.
The point of sale items (posters, monitor toppers, signs, For Display Only product packaging, CD and DVD slicks, tear pads, stickers, window decals and product information sheets) and event furniture/stands and electronic items are delivered to Promtel’s warehouse. Promtel staff log all stock and house it either in a locked and secure portion of the warehouse or lay it out on picking shelves to facilitate efficient order processing. All items are barcoded by our team and located into our system on receipt into our warehouse.
Microsoft administration staff place orders using our online portal for their representative staff members, who deal directly with the major stores. They also place orders for all or some of the major Australian retailers of their products. Sometimes deadlines are short and order volumes are high. Promtel is required to make sure that enough staff members are at hand to ensure that all orders are received in stores on time across the country. Promtel obtains packaging and seeks best price/best service courier options. Promtel formats and imports the distribution list and produces freight labels using our warehouse management system.
Feedback from the client has been that since the move to Promtel’s warehouse, efficiency has increased markedly within this part of their business. They have been able to maintain stock levels and manage stock in a much more strategic way than ever before.
MICROSOFT
Cashback and loyalty program fulfilment
Promtel has been certified for many years as an authorised Microsoft Preferred Supplier. In this capacity Promtel works in partnership with Microsoft to facilitate the efficient and correct distribution of funds for rebate campaigns that Microsoft offers its customers from time to time.
Our call centre branch allows Microsoft’s customers to speak to our experienced operators directly about their claims. As a Microsoft Preferred Supplier we are able to work with the correct person within Microsoft should escalation be required. In this way we are able to ensure the high level of customer satisfaction that Microsoft strives to achieve.
Promtel’s IT division is sometimes required to build customer-facing websites to allow Microsoft’s customers to log their claims, enter their details or upload their documents.
Promtel’s experience and expertise means that the Microsoft marketing staff who design a campaign can hand the running of the campaign over to Promtel with confidence. They know that we will carry out the work in strict accordance with Microsoft’s privacy and efficiency requirements. They can also rest assured that should anything require escalation, it will be brought to their attention by our experienced staff.
Such is their faith in Promtel that we have been referred to other multi-national companies as a trusted supplier of this service. We now provide cashback fulfilment for a number of companies.
BROTHER
Printers and ink consumables
Brother Australia approached Promtel to carry out its cashback back-end fulfilment to its customers. Promtel was recommended to Brother by a satisfied client due to our expertise in this market segment. Brother needed a dedicated team to manage their cashback campaigns, which include rebates offered to their customers who purchase particular printer models in Australia.
Promtel was happy to help and has worked with Brother for several years now on these campaigns. Our dedicated Brother account manager liaises with the Brother client to obtain briefings, and trains the Promtel staff who work on the campaigns. Our part in the process is to access the data from the website and manage the collection and verification of the proof of purchase documents provided by the purchaser. We also provide an inbound telephone line so that Brother customers can contact us to obtain information about or help with their claim. We can escalate issues to our client should that become necessary.
Once we have verified the proof of purchase, we update the claimant record in the website database and approve the claim. Promtel is also responsible for controlling the float funds and making payments to the Brother customers. Brother has forged a reputation in the marketplace for rapid turnaround on its cashback claims. Promtel at all times adheres to (and exceeds) this short claim approval-to-payment time and recognises that this is a vital part of our ongoing commitment to Brother.
Brother customers regularly compliment us on our excellent and informative service. Promtel is proud to receive such compliments, because our team works hard to maintain high standards on behalf of our customers.
BAREFOOT
Specialised Running Shoes
Promtel worked with the Barefoot Inc team for many years. Barefoot came to us with a container on the way and needed a warehouse to house the stock and pick and pack the orders. We made some pallet storage space and shelving available, received and organised the stock and hit the ground running (pardon the pun).
They had a very good customer-facing website in place, so we worked with their IT team to automate the order process. Barefoot’s orders dropped instantly into our Warehouse Management System, iSupply, and were picked up immediately by our scanning guns.
Barefoot has a distribution network via retail store outlets around Australia. Barefoot staff entered wholesale orders into the website and once again, the orders dropped instantly into iSupply. We scan-picked, packed and shipped these orders, making sure we used the most cost effective carrier solution for Barefoot. We provided EDI functionality for Barefoot when they shipped to major retailers.
iSupply allowed Barefoot staff to enter manual orders, and also download reports and look at order activity, track orders and generally make sure that their customers were being serviced correctly by our organisation. Promtel was a silent partner, operating in the background and making sure that Barefoot’s customers had a pleasant experience purchasing from Barefoot Inc.
TINKERED BY
Jewellery and Art made from Recycled Products in Africa
This is a lovely story of affirmative action by one Australian woman living in Africa with her family. Kate lived in Kenya and saw an opportunity to bring together her marketing and IT skills with the fabulous artistic work being done by some of the artisans around where she lived. These artisans gather and rework discarded materials into an array of beautiful jewellery, artwork and home wares. Kate sold the items in Australia and allowed the African artisans to have an outlet for their skills and a good financial return for their work.
Kate needed a third party logistics company to help with storing the products, receiving orders and getting those orders out the door.
Kate also has a Trunk Show division to her business, which is a home-selling kit of products which we picked, packed, sent out, and received back after the Trunk Show was over. The kit was always depleted due to sales on the night of the home-based show. We replenished the kit(s) ready for the next Trunk Show. This way of selling proved very popular, and drove sales to the website.
Some of Kate’s customers came to our warehouse to pick up and return goods.
At the outset Promtel worked with Kate to code and sort all of her products, we provided containers to keep small jewellery items separated, and produced barcode stickers for all of her stock. We provided a Promtel person to work closely with Kate to get to know her stock, so that when she had gone back to Africa we could provide her with a contact here with product knowledge and expertise.
CHICANE MARKETING
Royal Easter Showbag assembly
Chicane Marketing is a company that makes many different types of showbags for the Royal Easter Shows around the country. Promtel’s involvement was with the Sydney Royal Easter Show for over ten years. Each year we assisted with the assembly of around 75,000 of the heavier, larger showbags over a period of 4-6 weeks.
Chicane arranged for containers of the various empty showbags to be delivered to Promtel. Promtel unloaded, counted and stored these empty bags.
Chicane sent stock to our warehouse for inclusion in the bags. Some of this stock required preparation, removal of plastic wrap, removal from cardboard cartons etc. Promtel handlers did this work prior to commencement of bag packing.
Promtel staff checked in the deliveries and made sure that all items were present prior to commencement of bag packing. A sample of all items for inclusion was gathered and a photograph taken for approval by the client. Once approved, the packing commenced.
Our expertise and ability to meet very tight deadlines meant that Chicane continued to return to Promtel each year for this project. Making sure we complied with the Royal Agricultural Society’s criteria for bag contents, managing deliveries and pickups, managing logging of all bags made, correct labelling of all cartons and pallets required a deal of experience, tenacity and enthusiasm. We used current technology to manage all incoming and outgoing stock, and worked with Chicane staff to update shared online documents to enable smooth information flow.
EVODIA
Australian Body Care, Skin Care and Home Fragrances
Evodia came to Promtel after finding us online after looking for a Sydney-based 3PL fulfilment partner. They needed an experienced third party logistics company to assist them as they relocated their warehouse from Country NSW to Sydney. During this move they needed to continue to fulfil weekly orders for Myer, a leading large retailer in Australia. For these Myer orders they required Promtel to provide EDI services at the same time as we were installing Evodia into our warehouse as a new client. This was a challenging brief as there were so many consecutive elements. With careful planning, however, we were able to provide the solution and keep the orders flowing whilst setting up the EDI functionality to satisfy the larger order requirements.
Promtel scan picked and scan packed Myer orders every week, as well as providing pick, pack and ship fulfilment to individual Evodia customers who ordered online from Evodia’s website. We were required to produce and affix Myer price tag labels to the stock prior to packing it, and deliver to Myer Delivery Centres for internal re-distribution to the many Myer stores.
Evodia’s small, end-user orders automatically dropped into our stock management system. Myer orders came to us electronically via Promtel’s EDI facility.
By utilising Promtel’s 3PL expertise, our client was freed to spend time on sales and marketing, product development and other core tasks.