Natures Menu

The Idea

The challenge for Natures Menu was improving customer relations whilst saving on time and resources. Previously, orders from stores such as Pets at Home or Jollyes would be received via email, and then typed up manually. This would take approximately 20 minutes to process.

Natures Menu also wanted to reduce reliance on paper. Each delivery required two paper copies of invoices, one for the driver and one for the customer. With over 70 drivers, you can imagine how quickly printing costs accumulated.

For retailers, deliveries can make or break the customer experience. Natures Menu had access to a lot of delivery information. Placing this information in the hands of customers would lead to better service.

The Result

Netmatters needed to leverage Natures Menu’s existing production software, Microsoft Dynamics NAV, a powerful supply chain and management software for large businesses. Orders received via PDF, CSV and XML were converted into a common format for quick and easy processing. 

As of January 2018, 57,000 orders (with a total value of over £5m) have been processed electronically. This has saved nearly 625 days’ worth of manpower! It also led to 3 full-time staff members being reallocated to customer service roles.

Now, anyone due to receive an order will receive an email the night before. Following this, they will receive two automated text messages: one on the day of the delivery and one an hour before the driver is due to arrive.

Deliveries were also optimised with the help of GPS tracking. A new ‘Track and Trace’ feature on the website meant customers could see who was handling their order, where the driver was located and when they would arrive.