Cames is more than just a food delivery wholesaler. As a family-run company in its fourth generation, Cames supplies petrol stations, small supermarkets, kiosks and convenience shops in North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and even in neighbouring BENELUX. With 26 of its own vehicles and a team that knows the region and its customers inside out, Cames stands for personalised service, maximum flexibility and reliability.
The grown tours on the test bench.
Over the years, Cames had repeatedly adapted its route planning to the needs of its customers and the experience of its drivers. The company worked flexibly and on the basis of practical experience - but the planning effort grew continuously. Route assignments and stop sequences were determined with paper, pen and the expertise of the dispatchers and drivers. Although the system worked, the desire for a better overview and more predictability became more and more noticeable. Targeted optimisation was almost unthinkable in the structure at the time - the company was too tied up in day-to-day business.
A look behind the scenes at BLF.
During the quotation phase, we visited our long-standing customer BLF. There, Cames was able to see for itself how BLF uses TransIT to simplify and accelerate its route planning and exploit optimisation potential. The enthusiasm at Cames was great - our industry experience in food wholesale and the simple operation of the software created trust and the certainty that there is a lot of potential here. A jointly conducted optimisation check also impressively demonstrated the existing savings and improvement potential.
Step by step to a better overview with TransIT.
The starting signal for the collaboration was given before the pandemic, but coronavirus initially put the brakes on implementation. After corona, Cames then realised its full potential:
- Transparent planning: At last, the schedule of every single tour was visible down to the last detail.
- Digitisation: With the launch of TransIT, Cames also began digitising its receipts - together with 3KB, the foundation was laid for end-to-end digital delivery documentation.
- Fast support: The project management and support team were always available for initial questions and changes and ensured that everything ran smoothly.
- Training that provides security: Employee training made the changeover easier and allayed initial scepticism.
TransIT is also seamlessly connected to Webfleet - so routes and order data are automatically available in real time on the drivers' PRO Driver Terminals, and the scheduling department has an overview of status and progress at all times.
Space for the important things.
The success was quickly noticeable: thanks to TransIT, Cames can reliably adhere to delivery windows and react more flexibly. New customer enquiries or postponements, which used to take a lot of time, can now be planned in just a few clicks.
"Tuesdays were always the busiest day. With TransIT, we have managed to distribute some tours in such a way that the resources are used evenly throughout the week and have been able to significantly relieve the team," says Anto Rimac, fleet manager at Cames.
The drivers join in - and so do the customers.
Particularly important: the drivers, who were used to their previous approach at the beginning, are now much more relaxed with the software. The new colleagues who have just joined Cames quickly find their way around the routes optimised in TransIT and feel well supported.
Hannah Staek from Project Management Logistics at Cames puts it in a nutshell: "I had no previous experience with route planning software. Now the work is really fun and TransIT supports me in my decisions."
Customers also benefit: Reliable notification is crucial for them, as teams are often available to clear the goods - TransIT ensures planning security here and thus contributes directly to greater customer satisfaction.
Outlook: On the right track for the future.
The collaboration with gts and the use of TransIT have helped Cames to transfer its established practice into the digital future. Tours are better planned, processes are more relaxed - and customer service is better than ever. As a result, the family business remains strong and well-positioned for future generations.
