Only green lights for e-commerce giant bol.com
What bol.com required was flexibility and independence in order to be able to innovate. They asked Dalosy to advise them on new equipment and the associated layout in the field of order picking, barcode scanning and label printing.
The process began with guidance on selecting the right hardware for the various logistic processes. The second step was to test these devices on site by means of a pilot and a test with the WMS, both of which were positive. After the opening of the bol.com fulfilment centre, all devices were delivered. Bol.com and Dalosy then started a phased rollout and upscaling.
In order to manage, monitor and provide support for all the devices, bol.com uses the SOTI Mobicontrol Mobile Device Management tool. Due to the daily management, bol.com can now identify, analyse and act on problems more quickly.
"Simply put: there are fewer links, which means we can now respond more quickly to problems"
Robin Nijhof, IT-manager at bol.com
A bol.com pick-up point platform
In addition to the delivered solution for the fulfilment centre, Bol.com had a second question. The success of the bol.com pick-up points at Albert Heijn was increasing and the devices used were due for replacement. Therefore, in August 2016 Dalosy was asked to develop a pick-up point platform. For this too, bol.com wanted all logistics processes to be able to be accommodated ‘in-house’. This way they wanted to be able to develop new solutions independently and thus be able to innovate quickly. A platform that made the logistics process from picking up a parcel from the Albert Heijn shops to delivery more efficient, customer-friendly and future-proof.
Dalosy supplied over 900 mobile devices via its installation partner Hollander Techniek from Amersfoort: the handy but robust Zebra TC51. Joint venture party iCapps developed the Afhaalpunt App. This app was developed specifically for bol.com and contains functionalities that are completely focused on the carriers that deliver the parcel, the employees at the bol.com collection points and the consumers who pick up and return the parcels. During the development of the app, all kinds of scenarios were mapped. Based on this, complex technical decisions were made.
"Dalosy was our linking pin. The cooperation felt good. Even when things got tense and time was running out. John and his colleagues gave us the support we needed, managed expectations and solved problems for us. We want to grow and are looking for partners to help us do so. Dalosy took responsibility, for both the hardware and the software."
David Rauws, Business Analyst at bol.com