or hey Josh thank you very much for taking the time help us with this interview and
this you know this one is immensely valuable um start with a quick introduction about
you know your facility and go from there okay so we are a working Kenco logistic services
we're a third-party fulfillment agent for a range of customers the current
customer we have in our facility has a product line that is very unique to our
vertical the products are expensive and definitely need to make sure that we are
doing a good job of being good stewards of number one making sure that when we
see products come in if there's damage if there's any type of deviation from
temperature control or any type of customer requirement that we definitely
are making note of that we're about a hundred two hundred forty thousand
square foot facility temperature controlled definitely got a lot of
opportunity for deviations to occur so we definitely utilize a product like
load proof to monitor to manage some of the risks that we do experience so can't
go into a lot of detail into exactly what our product line is doesn't want to,
respect my customers request so there's anything else you'd like to me to add it
definitely can answer more about that oh
all right what was the frustration and you were you know like him so painful
you know but originally what was the problem so there's there's two things
that we were dealing with one was shipper damage so we were seeing prior
to load proof instances where products would come in we do this
trailer inspection on the initial shipment we've identified damage
on the product prior to you know our material handling equipment removing it
from the trailers and we didn't really have a defined process or a tool that
would help us manage that we were seeing where communication wasn't in place
identification wasn't in place shipper damage was now making its way into the
facility at that point that product is now warehouse damage you know we're
having to eat the cost for missing that so that's one side of it the second part
of it is and we don't see a lot of this so when you look at our activity with load
proof it's kind of hit and miss but was dealing with LTL shipments outbound shipment
so there are instances where we want to make sure that the products that we load
we definitely have a record of what the condition was prior to leaving our
facility so we have a reference if we do get a claim and it's a verified claim
that we have the support and documentation to show the condition of
the product left up facility so those are the two main reasons so shipper
damage and then visible loading damage yeah got it so how did you
guys hear about us I mean you know first time no I know it was Trevor
you know what made you jump hey you know I want this yeah I definitely have a
great way to put Trevor and innovation labs the easiest thing for us to make
the decision to utilize Load proof was is just having that peace of mind to be
able to easily document items such as shipper damage or load damage
you know it only takes one or two times for when you see a potential inbound
carrier to file a claim or when we file a claim
and it's hard to argue with photographs and documentation so having something
like loadproof makes it really easy for us to have that peace of mind that
when we do our inspection process that we have an easy and retrieval record
that allows us to feel confident that we've done we followed our processes and
procedures and when we do file a claim that we've got that documentation
support that there's not going to be really any pushback same thing for the
outbound side there are certain instances with certain LTL carriers if
we have shipments that you know go from our Tennessee locations to California
and well within an LTL lifecycle it's going to hit four or five different
hubs that's a lot of different handles where the conditions probably not going
to look the same that's when it left our facility so we doesn't want to make sure
you know we catch that in talking with Trevor this was just an easy tool that
the Innovation Lab you know promoted to us and definitely for the cost
it's definitely paid for itself a thousand times over so quick great you
know you have so many end-user distribution center they already have
this and then finally being happens in the tipping point you
gotta buy this right so what was that tipping point in your site wouldn't that
mean you guys say will be gonna have this and you know on board it well
one of the things that we're working through is our Kenco operating system
which really focuses upon lean fundamentals and with our product line
here it doesn't take a lot to incur a significant charge and with us being a
pass-through cost you know it's our responsibility to
stewards for our customers and with such a low cost item it really was really a
no-brainer to be able to implement a tool to build a have at the point of use
for anybody in our site that's a user to be able to have access
to to quickly document and make sure I keep using that peace of mind phrase but
that's really what it is it's us being good stewards of our customer product to
make sure that we're making the decisions that we need to end
documenting where things are deviated from the process because we definitely
don't we do not want them to incur any excess expenses that really could be
caught if we're utilizing a quick and easy process like LoadProof
got it um you know why while how easy was it to turn on it I mean all right you guys
decided hey I have loadproof for and then how long did it take to you know turn it on
and then obviously right you know something called change management see
this all the time and we know turn on takes people's you know push back but
people take some time to and then they then haha moment oh I'm so glad I write
how is that process so as with anything like you mentioned with change
management anytime you add something new you can't get some pushback I think the
the goal that we tried to set was is trying to provide others to see the
value in why you would want to utilize a tool like loadroof I think we've
still got some gaps that we're working through to try to find the most most the
most ways that we can utilize the product but it didn't take us very long
here you know I think there are a couple of instances that come to my mind where
our customers inquired about claims that have been filed we quickly had
documentation to negate the claim from from the end user so I think as soon as
you can if you can provided an environment where people see the value
and how easy it is to create an application like an app that you know any
team member can use if you make it really effortless and has a high amount
of value it definitely will sell itself to say I mean for here probably took the
month maybe a little bit maybe a little bit more but I think
there is definitely you know I had a conversation this morning there's
definitely more instances where this program can be utilized and that's one
things that were working through is trying to identify you know how do we
continually see value added areas where a program like this can be implemented
in got it so do you guys have this in your associates mobile devices or
have dedicated mobile devices that are available in the DC to take pictures so what we do
on our site is is we have several users and they're mainly in the shipping and
receiving office so that's going to be from the inbound side and then the
outbound side for our leadership team members they have access to the app via
their phone their cell phone but we also have an iPad Mini at the site for
shipping and receiving team members along with returns team members that
have access to utilize the program so we really try to keep it in a really
controlled environment but we also definitely want to make sure from a lean
perspective that people have who need it can have access to that without having
to wait for somebody to come and help them for us for us here our goal has
always been to be able to make it so the team members can solve problems on their
own and empower them to do that so we're definitely trying to give them the right
tools and give them access to it when they need it so great great fantastic
where did you guys see the move on you was it in the inbound side or is it an
outbound side or is it in general you know usually right once something happens
then you know as a leader as a team you know it's been a lot of time sitting in
this how do we make sure you know it does not happen again how do we you know
change big points you know control checks so we can't we spend a lot of
time so that involves quite a bit of the labor where do you guys see the most the inbound
outbound or such labor you know savings definitely the inbound side we did we
don't see we don't we know when I work with the inventory control manager here
we don't see a lot of excusing verified claims for outbound damage it's very
very minimal we see more of it on the inbound side so I was quickly for me the
values been on the inbound side versus the a outbound side and what about labor
savings was definitely lot or is it wasn't a big deal so I think from a
claim perspective like I said I can't go into these details I definitely feel and
can see where you know in some of the verified claims that we've had where
we've been able to support shipments going out it's definitely been a cost
savings or cost a cost avoidance for our customer because we have proof of the
status of you know when an item came in I'm definitely making sure from an
inbound perspective you have to follow the the process of not touching anything
before you you handle it to make sure that there's no doubt but yeah it
definitely on the inbound side there's there's been some cost avoidance got
I've got it great you know how was the transformation always like before loadproof and
after load proof what has that mean in your environment and all those are shipping
you now that you know impacted I definitely think it makes people's lives
easier I definitely know whenever you receive an email and you're being
questioned about you know a certain shipment you know whether or not your
team members followed the right process it definitely lightens the mood when you
can show that you've got proofs that hey this shipment came in just like this
and you got needing a picture of the show and the conversation kind of dies
say okay well thanks we've got this and then our customer goes back and can
handle it on their end so I don't think it takes very long especially when it's
you that's the one that's being asked about assuming that you handle so
probably every instance is going to be different but it's always nice to be
able to not have to worry like I keep using that peace of mind it's it's
trying to utilize something to make your life easier so you don't have to go back
and explain because you you know the one thing I like
about photographs and documentation is and within our business here with our
customer we may ship something out today and not receive a claim back for
six months so we as human beings our record retrieval is very difficult so
it's very nice to be able to go back and have a file for oh yeah here's this
shipment here here's the photographs from it and it's really not a
conversation for anymore it kind of distraught off I'm sorry I comes in this
like oh my what is this right oh my god what did we screw up right and I don't
know you have pictures it's almost better life is so much better you know
that agitated feeling any longer that's quick you know you know for our site we
don't utilize it we don't photograph every about shipment and we utilized it
where we feel we need to utilize it we're at the point now where we're
trying to make sure that we're not over utilizing it we're not under utilizing
trying to make sure that we're on the same page and utilizing it where it's
value-added so I definitely think there's always room for improvement we
had a conversation this morning in our top tier meeting and just trying to look
at you know you know what examples do we have where there's areas maybe we're
missing and maybe we need to go back and you we could utilize load proof for
this or this and maybe it's not specific to inbound outbound maybe it's reverse
logistics where we can utilize it so we're always trying to make sure that
we're maximizing programs and abilities because it's really about making our
team members lives easier and just taking care of our workers
exactly I mean at the end of the day if you know all it about um we work so hard
and you know we don't want you coming and telling us oh my god you so when you
have that proof evidence you know just be ready for it
just so much better so you know how likely you know I said you know you guys
will recommend us right using me and why should someone say some someone
is on the fence you know why should you know you start using not I think when
when you can talk with somebody and you can understand what their pain is I go
back to an example when we started going through our lean journey there's a lot
of different ways that you can perform in action so the philosophy the philosophy
that I always try to take is here's the requirement that we're going to have to
meet here's a couple ways that we can do that so if somebody's on the fence like
for example with our 5s audit program we easily could have went the route of
filling out forms I could have collected all those forms I could have interpreted
all the data on the forms I could have entered all the spread information in
the spreadsheet I could have produced all the charts and graphs but at the end
of the day if there's tools out there that that can automate all that with a
little bit of input from an individual its number one going to make your life
easier - it's going to be more accurate and three just from a from a cost
perspective it's going to lower your cost so if somebody's on fence with
load proof absolutely I'm going to promote it because all the instances
that we've seen where we've been questioned about inbound loads or
outbound loads where we have records of it it's been very easy for us to produce
feedback with little pushback I know a lot of things that we see in our
facility our customer wants an immediate photograph that's outside of loadproof
through so there's there are certain things we don't use it for but I think
once you have to the people who are using it has to see the why in the value
if you can look at your operation and understand that you know to be a good
steward of my customer I need to make sure that I'm doing everything I can
to identify ways remove any process deviations and if there's tools out
there like loadproof then it's very easy to meet those goals great and and you
guys you know scenarios every shipment is being pulled-up and
scenarios where there we only certain maybe you know what was that thought
process behind that you mean one certain you know certain shipments maybe a aren't
for every single algorithm how did you guys get there the thought process
behind that so you were cutting out just a little bit do you mind repeating that
a little bit you know what was the you know thought
process behind you guys said hey we're gonna pick and choose the gonna
photograph right what I'm just curious right I mean someone you know and
obviously you have other sites with pallets that going out right but just curious you know anything tried
to lean what is it anything you know trying any other thing made you accept
instances know things well one of the things that we look at is we look
at historical data on you know where are we seeing damage
you know if it specifically was inbound okay there's a certain carriers it is
certain times of the day is it certain season on same thing with outbounds is
it specific to LTL is it certain they are specific to Full Truckload so we
definitely don't want to spend extra time taking extensive photographs if
it's really not going to be identified as value-added so we worked internally
to identify from a risk perspective you know where we've seen the most need and
where are we going to get the most value out of that so that's why in the
beginning you know when we're talking it's going to be mostly on our inbound
side because that's where we see a lot of areas where we can easily be in a
bond if we're not doing and following good documentation
practices not down the road not down the road like I mentioned earlier I
think there's other areas where the program can be utilized but I definitely
think there's a there's a line there where you can be excessive and start
creating non-value-added items in waste but there's also you know
just being aware of where is this most needed because you definitely don't want
to start adding waste into a process and photographing everything if you don't
really need to do that so it's all about that value at trying to create identify
where the value is gonna be created got it perfect that makes sense so question is what was the
ROI on this tool and obviously there is some labor as well know what
was the ROI why would it be possible to provide a ballpark number like per month
or you have something like that if it's if it's not a big deal right yeah I mean
I don't probably something I can't share I definitely I mean there's reason for
that I mean it's it's for the products that we store in the facility here it's
been requested by our customer just to not share that information but the one
thing that I can say is that the savings and I call it cost avoidance because
really not saving this cost avoidance by us following good documentation and
practices is significantly higher than
the amount of money we're spending to manage the process if that makes sense
I definitely wish I could share more but I think when you look at the cost for the loadproof
per month per based on the user package that we have it's just it's it you
easily saved the money from one ship I could say one shipment I mean that's
paid for for probably the lifespan that would utilize it so perfect um I mean
you know I think that's all I wanted for this video so I'll do it and stop recording
and then we'll do the other one okay