Award-winning wholesaler JW Filshill is moving to a Click & Collect ordering model for its cash and carry customers as it strives to increase efficiencies and provide a more convenient and accessible services for customers.
Customers who place their orders online before 2.30pm can collect them from the depot the same day, Monday to Friday including bank holidays.
Craig Brown, retail sales director at Glasgow-based Filshill, explained: “We’ve transformed our business for the digital age – we have to meet the needs of our customers and allow them to conduct their business the way they want to.
“Increasingly, our customers are embracing technology and our research tells us that they want the convenience of ordering online without having to leave their stores then coming to collect their orders at a time to suit them.
“It also means that customers don’t have to spend precious time away from their stores loading trolleys and looking for products – we can do that for you, freeing up your time.”
Filshill is in the process of creating a Click & Collect lounge so customers can wait for their orders in a pleasant environment with seating areas and coffee facilities. This will be up and running soon.
Currently, orders made after 2.30pm are available for next-day collection apart from Thursday when the cut-off time is 4.30pm for same-day collection as the depot is open until 7pm. Customers ordering on Saturdays and Sundays have a cut-off time of 10.30am for same-day collection – the depot is open until 12 noon both days.
“We will always respond to the needs of our customers so the 2.30pm cut-off time could be extended should customers require further time slots,” said Brown. “That is something we are reviewing and we will consider changes after this initial trial.”
Recognising that some retailers have a requirement to place orders at weekends, he added: “We are aware that a weekend service is important to some customers so if you place your order out of hours, in most cases we will have it ready for collection at 9am.”
All customers ordering online for Click & Collect will receive a confirmation order acknowledgement email with a second email stating when the order is ready for collection.
“With new technology comes rising customer expectations,” said Brown. “It’s about covering all the options and while we will continue to offer the option of ordering via our telesales team, EPOS, sales representatives and email, we are seeing growing numbers of customers choosing to order online or via the Filshill app.
“We also want to hear customers’ views on this new service so please tell us what works for you so we can adapt it accordingly.”
Filshill has recently announced plans to relocate to a brand new, purpose-built distribution centre at Westway Park, near Glasgow Airport.
Subject to planning consent, the wholesaler will move to a 120,400 sq ft distribution centre less than three miles from the current premises at Hillington. The development process is likely to take 18 months to complete.
Filshill, one of Scotland’s oldest independent food and drink wholesalers, supplies 185 KeyStore convenience stores across Scotland and the north of England.
Orders can be made 24 hours a day at www.filshill.co.uk
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