SR Transport - Case Study
Case Study
Moving with the times
Savva Roberts of SR Transport Services, left, and Lyall Cresswell, managing director of Courier Exchange. |
In the last ten years Savva Roberts has come a long way in the express courier business. For the previous ten years he operated as an owner-driver delivering consignments to ships on Tyneside. Seeing at first hand how the job 'should be done properly' convinced him to take the first big step and build up a business for himself. Six years ago SR Transport Services moved into its current premises in Washington Tyne and Wear.
Savva's business has been built on quality principals of 'doing everything right' when it comes to tachographs, transport law and drivers' hours. He is now running 12 vehicles including 7.5tonners, Sprinters, Luton vans and 18-tonners, with nine drivers on the books offering UK same day, European next day and providing a 24 hour
service 7 days a week.
Building a reputation
Having built up a reputation in the automotive sector for high quality service, Savva is taking his next big step and by January 2003 will be moving to a four acre site, still in Washington, but with a 20,000 sq ft warehouse and storage facility providing a 24 hour-a-day, 365 days a year automotive supplies on a 'hold and go' basis.
Using a 'hands-on' customer service 'can do' approach he has developed a loyal customer base of 89 companies in the Tyne and Wear area. Savva wishes that the industry was a 'level playing field' and because in his view it is not, he is often reluctant to subcontract work to local couriers. "I know I can make a reasonable return on local runs at £40 but some operators offer the same job at £20 which I know is completely uneconomic".
Savva Roberts has found Courier Exchange very useful for finding return loads from Europe and currently uses the site every day to fill gaps and ensure his vehicles are utilised as effectively as possible. |
Keeping up to date
Using the Courier Exchange for the past two years, Savva believes has helped him feel that a more level playing field can be created in an area where the competition is 'cut throat'. "If we were not in the Courier Exchange I feel I would be behind the game," he explained. This is particularly the case he says with the European business, where the decline in manufacturing locally has led to a decrease in business from five to six loads a week to two to three.
Signed up to the European part of the Exchange, Savva has found it very useful for finding return loads from Europe and currently uses the site every day to fill gaps and ensure the vehicles are utilised as effectively as possible.
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"If we were not in the Courier Exchange I feel I would be behind the game" |
In spite of his natural reluctance to sub contract, a key asset of Courier Exchange for Savva has been building up relationships with other couriers in the local area as well as nationally. Savva believes that the 'star' accreditation system is very useful, and gives him a 'comfort factor' when choosing another courier to share work. He has also been impressed by how quickly people get to know you and what you can do for them. This is where Savva's 'can do' approach and high level of customer service by providing a vehicle within one hour of the call, is really paying off. Savva also uses the reload facility on the site very carefully. "I do not tend to put prices in at the beginning but look for what is available." This approach ensures that he can get the rates he is looking for on return loads back to the North East, for which he tends to use southern-based couriers. This has also helped him build up additional relationships in other parts of the country when his vehicles are in their area.
Exchange of information
Being a small business Savva finds the 'chat' section of Courier Exchange very useful indeed. He cited a 'heated discussion' on operators' licensing where many Courier Exchange members contributed their views what is the weight limit that can be transported as a load on a Sprinter? This facility gives Savva access to a lot of knowledge and understanding of the business from other operators and makes him feel part of something far more substantial than his own business. This also has a beneficial effect on his customers because any request made to him that he is not sure about, another Courier Exchange member will be sure to have dealt with this type of problem before.
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This gives Savva access to knowledge and understanding of the business from other operators |
Latest website technology
Savva Roberts with one of his 12 vehicles, with which he offers UK same day and European next day services, 24 hours, seven days a week.. |
Embracing the latest website technology through using Courier Exchange, Savva has also signed up to satellite tracking technology. So he knows where his vehicles are at any time. But for day-to-day control of the business he is confident that nothing beats a simple diary of all events.
This gives him a feeling of total control in his business. He knows where his vehicles are, he knows what jobs he has got on the go at any time. And he also knows that Courier Exchange can help him fill any gaps and keep his business profitable in a highly competitive marketplace in the North East.