Paragon route optimisation software masters home delivery for Dixons

Paragon has been selected by high street electrical retailer Dixons Group plc to underpin the transport planning element of its Mastercare home delivery service.

Dixons’ decision to implement 18 Paragon systems reflects the software’s capability to deliver the reliability, flexibility and sophistication vital to home delivery operations, and has already resulted in transport efficiency improvements.

In the course of an extremely thorough evaluation process, Dixons tested Paragon people and systems against all its major competitors. This exhaustive analysis was intended to identify a system that could not only produce cost-saving plans for the distribution of electrical goods from local delivery centres to customers’ homes, but also ensure the fulfilment of its Mastercare promise of delivery.

With the Mastercare operation involving the home delivery and installation of gas cookers and everything electrical, from a washing machine to a complex home entertainment system, Paragon’s route optimisation software had to demonstrate its ability to get the right product, delivered by the right driver, with the right installation skills to the right place at the right time. Paragon’s ability to accommodate all these demands, facilitated by the close working of its sales, support and development teams, resulted in the rapid provision of additional facilities to provide enhanced geocoding and match product type to driver expertise.

In this major test of Paragon’s latest release, Dixons’ 18-depot roll-out is proving the system’s improved ease of use, enhanced by specially-developed macros, as well as Paragon’s familiarity with home delivery operations. Paragon has now been installed in all 18 local distribution centres for the daily planning of home delivery routes, and is already generating transport cost savings. As well as the cost reductions resulting from Paragon’s route plans, Dixons is also achieving savings in distribution manpower costs, enabling more efficient use of staff to deliver improved customer service.