Client focus and passion for our customers at iForce starts at the top with a committed leadership team which has outstanding skills and experience across a range of industries. Please read on below for more information about our team.
27/04/2010
iForce, the UK outsourced
multichannel specialist logistics
operator, has gone live with a
multichannel fulfilment service
for Digital Village, the UK's
largest music equipment retailer.
From its Milton Park fulfilment
centre, near Oxford, iForce has
commenced a five year contract to
replenish Digital Village's eight stores
located around the country, provide
fulfilment for orders taken from the
retailer's online site - DV247.com -
and to fulfil orders placed by schools
and educational authorities for their
musical instruments.
For over 30 years Digital Village has
been supplying everything needed to
make and record music - including musical instruments and recording studio
equipment. With year-on-year growth, its business is expanding rapidly -
particularly through online sales. "We are a true multi-channel business," said
Paul Dennis, CEO of Digital Village. "We trade through our Digital Village stores,
through our DV247.com web site and, through our Music Village trading name, we
are also the largest educational musical equipment supplier in the country."
Digital Village considered keeping its distribution in-house, looking at various
options to expand its warehousing to accommodate its growth. "As we came to
talk more to iForce, its professional approach led us to believe that outsourcing to
a 3PL was the only option for us," said Paul. "It meant that we could continue to
expand and there would be no limit on that expansion."
With operations now underway, iForce is now fulfilling substantial order volumes
for Digital Village and its ability to scale its service is an important factor in
facilitating further growth, not just to the UK but also into mainland Europe where
Digital Village is already strong and is looking to expand even further.
Customer satisfaction is paramount to Digital Village and this was another crucial
factor in choosing iForce as a partner, as Paul explained: "You can't fail to be
impressed by iForce's client list. We were very encouraged that it is working with
retailers like Boots, Sainsbury's and John Lewis - companies that pride themselves
on delivering on their promise. That's our philosophy: we want to deliver on our
promise."
Digital Village's business presents a number of fulfilment challenges. First comes
the huge diversity in the retailer's product range: anything from a plectrum to a
limited edition Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, a violin to a piano, a microphone to
a mixing desk. Many of these products are custom-made and high value.
They all have to be put away, picked and packed by iForce in a manner that
assures safe and secure delivery. The educational business in particular will see a
large number and a varied mix of items in each order.
Deploying its expertise to pick and pack such a diverse range of products, iForce
then uses its in-house IRST carrier management system to manage the routing of
the deliveries though the most appropriate carrier - whether the order is for a
school, somebody's home or to the retail store.
Another key aspect is an ability to deal with the dual peaks in the education
sector: one in February and March when Education Authority budgets are spent
prior to the new financial year; and the second when schools return from summer
holidays in September. iForce offers Digital Village the flexibility to meet these
peaks with its ability to scale its operations and staff accordingly.