case-study

484 Total Displays delivered from Southern California to locations across the country and Canada with 99% on-time performance

BACKGROUND

One of the top golf equipment manufacturers in the world, known throughout the golf industry and beyond, with many iconic professional golfers using their equipment, contacted AGS to help them with a very important national high-end display roll-out for an iconic brand name from the past. The brand-name drivers were famous fifteen years earlier as the leading edge drivers in the golfing world. The customer decided to “re-introduce” the brand name to a new generation, with outstanding results.

The customer, headquartered in Southern California, had previously used integrated small-package carriers to deliver their displays to golf stores, outlets and pro shops around the country, with mixed results. Damage to the displays was high, and on-time delivery was less than acceptable. They used the integrated carriers primarily to save on freight costs, but the damage and poor delivery times negated any savings they enjoyed.

TRANSPORTATION AND DELIVERY SOLUTIONS

With the extremely high importance of these displays to be delivered to nearly 500 golf stores, outlets and pro shops on-time and without damage, to be introduced to the public on the same day around the country and Canada, the customer made the decision to change its delivery tactics and bring in an expert, namely AGS.  An initial meeting between AGS Sales and the NA Transportation Manager and his staff was arranged.  The customer stressed the importance of having each and every display delivered on-time and damage-free so that they could execute a national campaign all over North America on the same day in February.

AGS was well represented in the all-important second meeting, and they convinced the customer that they not only could deliver the hundreds of displays on-time but would do it with minimal or no damage. They provided spreadsheets and details on how this would be accomplished using a “shotgun” approach, and the customer was sold. The deal was done, and AGS went to work.

Thirty (30) truckloads were scheduled for pick-up of the displays at the display manufacturer’s warehouse in Downey, CA, beginning in early February. All thirty (30) trucks were break-bulked at the AGS Los Angeles distribution center where they were unloaded and separated by destination and put on trucks which left the warehouse at different times on different days, depending upon destination – the “shotgun” approach. The golf shops and pro shops that were on the east coast, Atlantic coast, and eastern Canada, were picked up first due to the longer transit time. The idea was to deliver the displays to an AGS location close to the end customer and deliver them in local trucks and vans, most requiring liftgate and inside delivery, with white glove service provided at the delivery site as needed. This was done over a 3-5 day period, with the national roll-out day planned by the customer being the target date.

This “shotgun” approach was immensely successful, with every truck that left the AGS Los Angeles DC being monitored the entire way. They were in constant communication with the shipper, who passed the information along to their Marketing staff, who then coordinated with the end customer. It worked flawlessly, with only sixteen of the hundreds of displays delayed a day or two because of extreme weather. Several pro shops and golf stores they were supposed to deliver to were also closed. However, AGS kept trying to deliver in spite of the extreme winter weather and finally delivered the final mile in time for those sixteen (16) stores to participate in the national roll-out on the designated day.

The massive effort was successful due to the coordinated efforts of AGS personnel at origin and destination sites, constant monitoring of each and every truck as they made their way across the U.S., and the outstanding communication between AGS and the shipper in Southern California.

The golf club manufacturer in Southern California was so impressed with the AGS dedication to service and their outstanding communication; they decided to award future display business to AGS. Since then, AGS has handled the most important display roll-out programs for the company, with nearly 100% on-time and damage-free deliveries.

CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP

With a network of over 400 storages and logistics sites in the U.S., AGS can provide temporary storage of displays to meet specific requirements that would streamline the display delivery and placement at the final retail location.

Founded in 1958, and just celebrating their 60th year, AGS provides complete supply chain solutions specializing in forwarding, transportation, logistics, and warehousing, with white-glove delivery a specialty. Key to AGS’ customer-centric solutions is innovative and customizable technology tools that provide a seamless flow of information and give customers global supply chain visibility.