When the Client approached Reach Partners, they had a clear goal: to help sunset their existing out-of-the-box Transportation Management System (TMS) and consolidate their brokers to their acquired TMS which allowed for a more centralized support model as well as comprehensive optimizations that improved the operations and collections for the brokers all while giving them full transparency.

Over several years, the Transport & Logistics Client had acquired various businesses that enabled them to expand their offerings to their clients. The one key issue was that many of these brokers operated in individual, disconnected systems, causing a lag in daily operations and visibility. To provide a cohesive experience to their brokers and their customers, they first needed to create a centralized system internally.

We helped them achieve that goal by:

• Centralizing data and services to create a single source of truth
• Improving operational efficiency as well as collections
• Increasing transparency and visibility for the brokers throughout the shipment
• Meeting compliance and audit standards
• Enhancing security measures
• Successfully integrating teams and cultures across all acquired brands
• Creating a center of excellence for all back office and customer support needs

What’s more, they needed each of their companies, teams, leaders, and individual contributors to adopt and use the new system. The Clientl knew where they wanted to be; they just needed the right partner to help them get there. That’s where Reach Partners came in.

The organization’s needs were beyond a software implementation plan. They needed an enterprise-wide Digital Transformation strategy and the support of a knowledgeable, experienced team dedicated to their success. They needed Reach.

Paving the Path

As their Transformation Partners, our team at Reach Partners quickly integrated with theirs and began our due diligence. We worked closely with their executive leadership and key members in AR, AP, Finance, Operations, Technology, and HR to deeply understand the needs and challenges of each company within their enterprise. We met directly with some of the brokers to ensure their requirements were captured and held meetings with various stakeholders to gather information, design a solution that worked for everyone, and ensure alignment. 

From there, we built a detailed roadmap showing everything needed to reach the desired outcome and broke that down into clear, actionable steps that the teams could execute on. This in-depth roadmap outlined each step required to transition to the new system—from project timelines to a change management plan that would integrate cultures and improve technology adoption. 

Rolling Up Our Sleeves

To ensure success, we established specialized and cross-functional pods made up of key members from Reach Partners, Client staff, and the technical teams. Each pod was responsible for specific tasks related to the transition, working as autonomous units to drive progress efficiently. These pods adhered to an agile methodology, meaning we could iterate quickly and resolve issues in real time. By integrating ourselves into the Client’s internal teams, we were able to uncover and respond to small nuisances within the company's culture and mindset that could impact the Digital Transformation.

Implementing in Phases

Recognizing the complexity of the project, we adopted a phased integration approach. Rather than transitioning all systems and teams at once, we started with their smallest broker offices and worked our way up. 

We also took a people-first approach, focusing heavily on cultural integration. Our change management plan included engagements with 1,290+ end users, regular check-ins with teams, tailored training sessions, and an open feedback loop to ensure every employee felt supported and prepared for the transition. 

Handing Over the Keys

At the end of the project, our goal wasn’t just to leave the Client with a new system but to empower them to use it effectively. We ensured that their internal teams were fully prepared to handle the day-to-day operations of their newly optimized TMS, giving them complete control over their transformation.

To prepare the company for transition, we delivered 45 days of Hypercare support post-migration to address issues and ensure stability and 480 hours of POD coaching, job aids, and training modules.

"Reach Partners not only delivered a solution; they transformed the way we work,” said CIO. “Their transparent, hands-on approach ensured that every team felt heard, and their agile methodology allowed us to see progress in real-time."

By the end of the project, we helped the Client successfully transform their enterprise and achieve significant results, leading to:

• 5% Cost Reduction by centralizing data and eliminating redundancies
• 1,000+ Hours/Month Saved through process automation and self-service tools.
• 100% Financial Compliance & Enhanced Security with 7,000+ test scripts, regular audits, and enhanced data security measures
• 214 Features Delivered that support comprehensive system functionality.
• 1,290+ Stakeholders Engaged to ensure alignment and user adoption across the organization
• 480 hours of POD coaching to enable ongoing efficiency and independent problem-solving
• Project completion ahead of schedule and under budget 

"Reach Partners didn’t just impose a system on us,” said CIO. “They built a solution tailored to our needs. The level of collaboration was unparalleled, and it showed in the end results."

No progress equated to declining revenue and morale. They were part of the 75% of transformations that fail. The leadership team couldn’t get to the finish line because they couldn’t find the starting line. They had no clear path, so their digital transformation was doomed for failure before it even began. They needed fresh perspective immediately to get back in the game or lose critical market share.

“Roger,” the growth-minded CEO of this enterprise service retail company, recognized the need for change. He hired Reach to get the company back on track--to reboot the problematic digital transformation effort in which they had already invested millions of dollars. We partnered with the Client to turn around their digital program immediately to drive top-line growth. What they couldn’t accomplish in 2+ years, we were able to help them achieve in just 9 months.

A critical element of this transformation was Reach’s ability to immediately infuse our pool of talent into the program to coach the Client with our methodology for sustainable growth and to help them succeed. We mobilized human resources across the board—teams from Reach, from the Client, and from third party consultants hired previously. This effort included 120+ resources onsite, nearshore, and offshore. We also led the creation of a new, collaborative culture to force out the old, siloed behavior and innovation paralysis that plagued the organization.

Together with the Client, we built a new tech stack to support revenue growth (both online and in store), led a website redesign to enhance CX, built sustainable systems to drive a faster go-to-market strategy and optimized organizational effectiveness through technology and change management.

A traditional retailer in the B2C home products space needed an experienced strategic partner to pull them into the digital future. They needed to accelerate revenue growth and improve customer experience. This retailer’s CEO, “Dan”, had a long history in retail and knew the company needed to accelerate growth and uncover cost efficiencies in order to survive. Culturally, they were resistant to change, but the pandemic made it clear they needed to pivot quickly. They fell into the statistic that Forrester reported in their 2021 Predictions that, until 2020, only 15% of companies prioritized digital transformation. In 2021, Forrester predicted that every company will be prioritize technology investment.

This retailer was losing critical share in a market that was actually growing. Their Board of Directors was putting on the pressure to make swift changes that would drive results.

The CEO sought to look at all areas of their business to determine how to improve digital CX and the in-store customer experience. We broke the project into 2 phases to focus on immediate wins, freeing up the product, improving the ecommerce experience, enhancing digital marketing efforts, and building customer trust.

Reach worked with the CEO and his team to create a sustainable strategy for how the company can drive revenue growth. In an effort to determine the strengths and weaknesses of their current state, Reach uncovered the need for our Client to attract and engage with an important customer segment they were ignoring. Digital enablement for mobile-first technology solutions needed to play a prominent role in their customer experience (CX) and transformation efforts.

In order to move the cogs in the wheel, everyone needed to collaborate and work together and celebrate the small, incremental wins. It has been siloed for so long that the teams needed our help building internal relationships and trust in order to succeed at the overall digital transformation.

What’s making this transformation work? The CEO and his leadership team were ready and willing to move swiftly to gain some momentum and drive revenue. They were willing to take an honest look at where they were falling short in the customer experience journey and do something about it, quickly. We are working together to clarify the Client’s competitive differentiation and position in the market, adding customer data analytics to drive the new growth strategy.