Enhancing customer service
through simplified deliveries
This research-focused biotech company is a global
leader in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. With
locations around the world, the organization focuses
on medicines and diagnostic tools that improve the
health, quality of life and survival of its patients.
Optimizing cold-chain transportation
The company was using a combination of transportation modes to
deliver orders to customers, including express and ground package
carriers for cold-chain shipments that were overpacked with gel
bricks and less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers for products classified
as hazardous materials.
To optimize the process, the company began to utilize the FedEx®
Healthcare Shared Network to deliver all products to select
customers throughout the continental U.S. from its distribution
center in Indianapolis. With a tightly integrated network of
temperature-validated vehicles and crossdocks, and proactive
shipment monitoring and notification, the solution provides
time-definite, temperature-controlled delivery for both LTL and
package shipments.
Now, in addition to relying on the solution for “keep cold”
products in a continuously monitored 2–8°C environment, the
company also utilizes this healthcare-focused service for controlled
room temperature (CRT) and ambient products — all packaged on
the same pallet. Additionally, hazmat-classified products are
shipped as part of the master order.
“The FedEx Healthcare Shared Network
gives our customers more control and
predictability over their receiving
process. This high-value service adds to
the image of our products.”
Transportation official for
global biotech company
pRegional Crossdock — Shipment consolidation by customer delivery location
l Relay Point — Linehaul consolidation by regional crossdock
¾ Customer Delivery Location
The FedEx Healthcare Shared Network includes five crossdocks and one relay point in the U.S.
Giving customers
more control
From an operations perspective, tendering a
customer’s entire order to the FedEx Healthcare
Shared Network has translated into a substantial
reduction in labor for the company since orders are
processed all at once and consolidated. Additionally,
the organization has also benefited from eliminating
the need to add cold-chain overpack materials to
these shipments.
Heightening the brand
The company believes that its customers have become
so dependent on the FedEx Healthcare Shared
Network that the solution is now viewed as the “norm.”
“[The FedEx Healthcare Shared Network] gives our
customers more control and predictability over their
receiving process,” added one of the company’s
transportation officials. “We also believe this highvalue service adds to the image of our products with
our customers.”
However, perhaps the most significant dividend from
the FedEx Healthcare Shared Network has been
heightened customer satisfaction.
“Instead of getting numerous individual shipments
over the span of several days to complete an order,
the customer now receives a single shipment,”
explained one of the company’s customer service
leaders. “This is a cleaner, more efficient way for
them to receive deliveries, and it limits the disruptions
to their business.”
For lab customers that have limited personnel
available to receive freight, receiving a single delivery
is especially advantageous. Additionally, the FedEx
Healthcare Shared Network team has the ability to
contact the company’s customers to set up agreedupon delivery times or, in some cases, even establish
a regular delivery time for more convenience.
Safeguard the health of your
healthcare products
If you need door-to-door reliability, safety and security
for your temperature-sensitive shipments, you can
count on the FedEx Healthcare Shared Network to
protect your products through an integrated network
dedicated exclusively to the healthcare industry. For
more information, please contact your FedEx account
executive, go to fedex.com/us/supply-chain or send
your request to [email protected].
FedEx. Solutions That Matter.
SM
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4/2013