Background
A subscription-based retail company ships boxes to 600,000 customers across the United States each week. The business relies on a number of shipping carriers to deliver boxes reliably and efficiently.
Challenge
The shipping method and carrier for each box was selected by default based on the destination’s zip code rather than an intelligent solution that could assess a number of factors. The company sought to optimize their supply chain operations and minimize the cost of distributing boxes to customers.
Approach
- Implemented an Alteryx workflow that developed cost data for different shipping methods. - Connected to Google sheets, Big Query, and various APIs to calculate the shipping costs for every possible method. The company can run the workflow once a week to adjust the shipping carriers and select the most economical option. - Assessed delivery truck utilization in order to further optimize supply chain operations. - Distributed weekly reports to summarize all of the needed boxes and trucks, then send this information to shipping carriers as well as to their own internal packing facilities.
Key results
Benefits
The company now uses an intelligent workflow that helps optimize their supply chain. At a box level, the workflow saves $30,000 each week in shipping costs. Optimizing at the truck level saves an additional $10,000 each week. The automated report saves two days of work each week for one full time employee. Together, these results were significant enough to gain the attention of top management, who recently asked Keyrus to assess efficiencies in other business lines. We look forward to continuing our work together.
Technology partners
Alteryx
Alteryx automates analytics, data science, and processes in one unified platform to accelerate digital transformation. Organizations rely on Alteryx to rapidly upskill their workforces and deliver strategic, high-impact, business outcomes.
120+
certified consultants
8+
years of partnership
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