Jewson Partnership Solutions (JPS) has launched its first smart collection point, designed to give customers and operatives round-the-clock access to the materials or tools they’ve ordered.
Predominantly working with housing providers, JPS partners with public sector organisations “to create bespoke supply chain solutions which allow organisations to efficiently maintain and develop their property network”. With its new smart collection point service, operatives working for its partner organisations will be able to gain instant access to the secure containers, which house 38 individual lockers, via a mobile app.
They will be situated at either Jewson sites, customer offices or agreed third party locations. Customers will be able to arrange specific collection times and can notify project managers about whether items have been picked up, as well as give details on who they were collected by. All of the goods being held are secured by state-of-the-art encryption technology which will only allow access once the person collecting the goods enters a four-digit, one-time passcode sent to their mobile.
The new lockers have also been designed with sustainability in mind. They are equipped with their own dedicated solar PV power and a self-contained back-up power supply. Not only will operatives no longer have to wait for their Jewson branch to open, these lockers can be situated on some project sites and stocked on-demand.
With plans to roll out the scheme nationwide, the first collection point has been installed in Chippenham as part of a new three-year contract with GreenSquareAccord – which provides 25,000 homes and a range of services, including health and social care, to people across the Midlands.
Ken Neale, Director of Repairs and Maintenance at GreenSquareAccord, said: “We’re delighted to be the first customer in the UK to work with JPS to use the new smart lockers. This modern approach will make a real difference to how we work – our operatives will have the necessary parts and equipment to complete a job first time for our customers, without the need to spend time checking stock in local stores or having to travel to branches.
“We’re expecting to see real benefits across the whole business, with a reduction in multiple visits to customers and less calls into our contact centre. Very importantly, by improving our efficiency, we drive better outcomes for customers, including faster repairs and greater appointment availability.”
Scott Cooper, Business Director at JPS, added: “These lockers will make a real difference to our larger customers. Items can be ready for collection within 90 minutes during operating hours and picked up with no waiting, helping to improve efficiency for JPS customers.
“Essentially, this technology has the power to transform the way the building supply chain operates, saving our customers time and money every time it’s used. We’re proud to be helping our customers operate as efficiently as possible through investments in innovative systems like this.”
Pictured: Andy Wallace, Partnership Account Manager for Jewson Partnership Solutions (JPS); Helen Walker, Head of Strategic Partnerships; Ben Lewis, Contract and Performance Manager at GreenSquareAccord; Ken Neale, Director of Repairs and Maintenance for GreenSquareAccord and Vince Thurlby, Solutions Development Director, JPS.
