Delivery-Tracking App Enhances Howard Tenens Customer Experience

The Customer

Howard Tenens is one of the largest privately managed storage and logistics companies within the UK. It offers bespoke logistics solutions and a range of freight and parcel distribution services across the UK, Europe, and the rest of the world.

Its clients include the likes of Abel & Cole, Asahi, Costa Express, Honda, and Tool Station.

The Challenge

Initially, Howard Tenens approached Crimson’s Microsoft Cloud Services Practice to build a mobile app that would give its clients the ability to monitor their shipments, see where they were on a map, and access estimated delivery dates and times.

In the past, Howard Tenens had to individually access its clients’ warehouse management systems (WMS), transport management systems, and customer relationship management software (CRM), to get a true view of its distribution channels. Howard Tenens wanted an app that would amalgamate all the data from these back-office systems, streamline processing, increase data insights, and present a single view of the data for clients.

This project also had some very tight deadlines to adhere to.

The Solution

To solve this issue, Crimson’s specialist Microsoft consultants amalgamated the data into one online database using Microsoft Dynamics 365.

This was an eight-month innovative process, which involved a lot of software integration work and encompassed several cutting-edge technologies, including; Azure’s SQL, Power Automate and Functions along with Dynamics365, SharePoint and Ionic mobile app framework. These were selected to suit the customers’ wants and needs.

As a by-product of the process, a web-based customer services portal was created where Howard Tenens could access all its data. This data all feeds into the mobile app, which works on both iOS and android, so customers can monitor all their shipments. SMS notification capabilities were also configured, and a customisable notifications feature was added.

The Return On Investment

Crimson’s consultants worked with Howard Tenens’s team to ensure that the solution would achieve the organisation’s business objectives. The project was delivered within Howard Tenens’s deadline.

The web-based portal eliminated several time-consuming processes and enables Howard Tenens to present added-value to its customers.

The Customer’s Words

Stewart Parker, Customer IT Solutions Lead at Howard Tenens, said:

“The quality of the work was excellent and of a high standard. The strong relationship between HT and Crimson meant frank and honest discussions could happen, which led to the quality of the product and service received.

“Crimson demonstrated a very dynamic approach to fit with our timeline. Our requirements had to be worked through which Crimson supported us with by developing an excellent rapport and understanding of our business and enabling us to choose the right technology and design for our product.”