Metro Archives | Page 15 of 33

Taking track & trace to the highest level

Jun 12, 2024 | Metro, MVT, Technology

Metro’s multi-award winning supply chain management platform, MVT, has been optimising supply chains for over two decades and the latest release of its AI-powered track & trace module is a Masterclass in shipment visibility.

MVT is a global operations platform, which has been designed to simplify supply chains, with a wide range of modules including customs automation, DC delivery management, PO management, CO2 reporting/offsetting and track & trace.

Conceived, developed and supported by Metro’s technical solutions team, MVT embraces leading-edge technology, including Artificial Intelligence, machine learning and automation technology to power its wide range of modules.

Metro customers have been automatically transitioned to the latest version of the track & trace module, which was released on the 20th May 2024, making it even more intuitive and easier to navigate, while improving the overall user experience.

There are over a dozen enhancements and new features, including a new landing page, which provides a visual dashboard for high level reporting, with easy drill down access to live shipments and a zoomable global map view, with AI tracking for the most accurate location fix.

Because Metro customers are busy, there are notification tools, which alert them to recent changes and critical shipments can be pinned to their dashboard for live updates, while document pop-ups gives them immediate access to anything important.

With a whole bunch of filters, download and data interrogation tools, Metro’s track and trace is much more than T&T, and it’s a free ‘added-value’ benefit to customers.

Click HERE to download the full list of the new MVT Track &Trace features, or EMAIL Ian Powell to arrange a demo.

Metro road freight division continues expansion

Jun 12, 2024 | Metro, Road

Metro’s mission to develop infrastructure, systems and services to drive the effectiveness and cost efficiency of our European transport solutions is gathering pace.

Just three months ago, our European Road Director, Richard Gibbs, said, “Metro has expanded its European road freight platform considerably in 2023, growing the dedicated commercial and operational team and we are forecasting the continuation of this trajectory in 2024, with a 100% further increase in shipment numbers.”

Richard’s team has expanded coverage in France to serve 80 locations across the country, with daily groupage services to/from Paris, Lyon and surrounding areas, with Germany set to follow and similar expansion plans for key regions.

In addition to daily groupage services, the road freight team offer express, part load and full load services, with equipment for every type of cargo, including refrigerated, hanging garments, outsize and hazardous goods.

Cargo is received continuously at freight centres for groupage departures and for urgent shipments we provide an all-in price, transit time and booking for Express van shipments, including guaranteed next day delivery.

Since our last report the Metro road freight operation in Desford has outgrown their facilities, with the team relocating to a customised site located in Earl Shilton, East Midlands (pictured below), with the option to link to the airport, to enhance express operations and the capacity to accommodate 40 personnel, in line with the future expansion plans.

New team members continue to join our road team, with more being welcomed in the coming weeks, including a Business Development Manager, who will spearhead further expansion in the North East of the UK.

With defined departure and delivery dates, our groupage services are the perfect economical solution for smaller cargo loads. Reliable door-to-door solutions, with easy booking, seamless customs processing and online tracking.

Leverage our extensive knowledge, local expertise and unrivalled customer service to enjoy efficient, tailored solutions that meet your supply chain needs, with end-to-end supply chain visibility and milestone tracking.

Metro’s road transport solutions incorporate dedicated vehicles moving on set routes for security, with defined delivery deadlines and GPS tracked trucks, to provide full transparency on transit schedules throughout the UK and France.

Our road freight teams are located close by major manufacturing and transport hubs across the UK. To explore the potential of our French, German and other European services EMAIL Richard Gibbs to begin a conversation.

If you’re helping, we can help

Jun 12, 2024 | Metro

There are many reasons why businesses supporting charities is good (not least that most of us, as consumers, would rather be aligned with a philanthropic company), but above all that it’s just compassionate, positive, and the right thing to do. Which is why we like to help.

While Metro – and our team – regularly support charities that are relevant to us personally or locally, our customers’ charitable endeavours make a real difference and it is rewarding to know that anything we do to support them, directly or indirectly, will make an impact.

We highlight a couple of examples below, so that you can contribute to the worthy causes featured – ALL donations valued.

Monsoon Accessorize Trust
The MA Trust was formed in 1994 to give back to the communities that the business source from.

It has raised over £7 million and financed 262 sustainable development projects around the world, to deliver life-changing support to over 240,000 people, running charitable projects that generate income and empower.

We have contributed towards their current target and you can make a contribution to the Monsoon Accessorize Trust too by clicking HERE

JCB
For over 40 years JCB has supported the NSPCC, the UK’s leading children’s charity, helping to keep over a million children safer through its work with schools, national helplines, and specialist centres.

JCB has donated more than £5 million to the NSPCC which has been raised through a variety of charity events including bike rides, lotteries, concerts, raffles, and a host of other sponsored events.

Over the next two years, JCB is committed to raising £2 million pounds for the NSPCC and, in addition to financial contributions, Metro is organising an array of events to help JCB reach that goal, while raising awareness of the great things the NSPCC do!

We have already raffled off 4x VIP Club Wembley tickets for the FA Cup Final (raising £615) and won by valued client, Tracy Sney, of Polyflor.

More events are in the diary including…

50 mile bike ride
From Metro HQ to JCB HQ
8 Metro staff participating
DONATION LINK

Man vs Food
Metro staff will take on the challenge later this summer.

Summer Party
Metro’s summer party on the 10th August will feature fund-raising games and races

If you would like to support our work for the MA Trust, or the NSPCC, or you have a charity we can help you support, please EMAIL our Chief Commercial Officer, Andy Smith.

Sharing our customer survey results: May 2024

May 30, 2024 | Metro

Gathering regular feedback from our customers provides us with the essential insights we need to improve our services to better meet your needs and direct the continued development of our customer focused business.

These customer surveys provide an invaluable channel in understanding customer priorities, evolving needs and issues that should be addressed.

Interpreting your feedback helps us enhance existing services and create and introduce new bespoke services and platforms.

Thank you to all the respondents of our most recent survey on the 9th May, your feedback will help us:

– Refine our carrier relationships
– Plan our global resource levels
– Develop new services and creative solutions
– Improve communications and market intelligence awareness
– Prioritise technical development in areas where it is needed

We understand how busy our customers are, which is why our surveys are always quick and easy to complete, with the latest version comprising just nine questions, which could be completed in a couple of minutes.

1. In 2023 16% of respondents were anticipating a reduction in freight volumes, while this year’s response has been overwhelmingly positive, with 100% expecting volumes to increase, or stay the same.

2. Full container loads (FCL) is the favoured transport method of 72%, with road transport second at 52%, while air freight is an important mode for an impressive 24% and LCL is close behind for 20% of respondents.

3. We asked which non-freight Metro services were of most interest, with technological solutions scoring highest. The MVT supply chain platform appeals to 40%, with 28% selecting the CuDoS automated customs brokerage solution. Bringing up the rear was 4PL with 12% and a supply chain health check for 4%.

4. In 2023 83% of survey responders rated Metro’s service above competitors and in 2024 100% of you rate our services as ‘excellent’ (71%) or ‘good’ (29%).

We welcome your positive feedback, but we are not complacent, because we know that keeping our customers’ confidence is the most important factor for continued success, which is why we will now endeavour to raise that 71 to 100%.

5. Dealing with issues, before they become complications is our primary focus, but it is gratifying to see that 68% of you rate us as ‘excellent’ and 28% as ‘good’ in resolving problems.

6. Track and Trace (64%) and CuDoS (14%) were the most popular MVT apps that most interested you, with ECO, PO management and Delivery Control Management in joint 3rd place.

The final questions related to the Metro Newsletter, every issue of which is read by 48% of respondents, with just 4% reading it rarely. The market insights it contains are always valuable to 40%, with 56% getting value sometimes.

Very interesting to see that the joint most popular subject matter requested for future issues (alongside ocean freight) is news and updates relating to Metro.

Our regular survey (not too regular you will be pleased to know) is a valuable tool for us to continue to improve and optimise the solutions that we deliver to our customers. However, nothing replaces good old fashioned conversation, meetings and proactive updates to ensure that we deliver satisfaction and, hopefully, exceed expectations. Your support and collaborative partnership approach is valued and encouraged every day that we operate.

We would like to thank all our respondents you for your feedback in this survey and hope that, if you didn’t participate this time, we can count on your support in the next survey.

We will use your feedback and comments to make necessary adjustments to our operations, so that that we continue to deliver excellence.

Your account management team will be in contact with you in the near future to discuss our findings and the areas that we can add that little bit extra ‘oomph’ to our proposition and solution.