For over 30 years Room & Board has been delivering high quality handcrafted furniture and exceptional service to their customers.  Over 90 percent of the furniture itself is made in America by small, family owned-businesses and artisans who share Room & Board’s passion for using natural materials to create furniture that lasts a lifetime.  With a commitment to providing superior customer service with every interaction, Room & Board ensures that the highest possible standards are met from the time a purchase is made to when the customer receives the delivery.

Room & Board approached the project of looking for routing software as a team effort and put a lot of thought behind the decision. The company researched several different routing software companies before deciding on Roadnet Technologies, Inc. “With the routing software company we were previously using, we felt we were pushing them to get new technology, versus new technology being provided to us. We needed a software solution that was going to lead the way in terms of technology,” explained Deanna Edeh, business analyst for Room & Board.

After narrowing the list down to three companies, Room & Board requested a route test. “We immediately could see the potential value and savings we would receive by implementing Roadnet Technologies’ software. ROI was a huge decision factor in our purchasing process,” explained Craig Sullivan, Chicago delivery market manager for Room & Board.

One of the challenges Room & Board initially faced was determining how much product could fit in a vehicle.  Previously, they filled a truck based on dollar value, not the actual capacity. “Since furniture is in no way, shape or form a perfect rectangle, capacity can be difficult to measure,” explained Bob Henry, customer support associate in the Chicago Room & Board Distribution Center. “We were looking to be as accurate as possible with volume and travel time.” With Roadnet, Room & Board has increased the capacity of their trucks without damaging product. 

Using the Roadnet Info Center has greatly enhanced Room & Board’s ability to service their customers quickly and efficiently when they call regarding their deliveries. It has enabled the company to make minor organizational changes that have had a big impact.  “One of our distribution centers used to have a whiteboard with all of their trucks listed. Throughout the day, someone would have to call the trucks and place checkboxes on the white board with their locations. Within 2 weeks of implementing the Roadnet Transportation Suite, we were able to get rid of that board.  Now a customer can call in, and we can give them an estimated arrival time. Previously, we had to call the drivers while the customer waited for the information,” explained Edeh. 

Room & Board is committed to excellent service and customer satisfaction; their Delivery Associates treat their customers’ homes and time with respect.  Located in several different markets throughout the United States, each area has its own needs to consider when routing vehicles and servicing customers. They needed a software solution that could take into account these differences in regional markets.  Sullivan explains, “Flexibility is key in our industry. In different markets, there can be different service time information- we have to customize it to a very detailed level. We can now adjust to weather conditions in our markets, and block off roads for upcoming construction, at a local level.”

Delivering within a two-hour or less time window is also an important goal for  Room & Board. “Previously, we did not have a good way to measure how long it would take us to a make a delivery, we had to rely on the routers to determine that,” stated Edeh. Now, Room & Board has improved its fixed service times by assigning an accurate value of how long it takes to service each customer. 

Additionally, the Roadnet Transportation Suite has helped Room & Board estimate resources for budgeting. “The software allows for a higher degree of confidence when predicting our need for additional trucks and resources,” stated Sullivan. 

Sullivan concluded, “I would challenge other companies to compare the Roadnet Transportation Suite to what they currently use, if anything, from a routing solution standpoint. It has shown us where we can improve our business and customer experience. The positive feedback from our customers is what’s important to our company - it allows us to feel good about the value and service we are able to offer them.”