Enabling Customer Visibility and Growth at Reed Boardall

Reed Boardall aims to provide their customers with the right product at the right time, and with the right documentation in the shortest lead time to retain an edge in a competitive market.

About the Client

Reed Boardall is one of the UK's largest temperature controlled food distribution businesses. In this very fast moving environment, timely information is vital, with different customers requiring individually tailored solutions.

Arena has worked with Reed Boardall since 2007, digitising paper-led processes to transform the way the business works. By taking the time to understand Reed Boardall’s requirements and how the business ticked, Arena’s software development team designed new processes around existing systems using mstore electronic document management software. This has covered everything, from the automation of delivery notes and the scanning, electronic storage and monitoring of documents, to efficient management of paperwork for the life-cycle of every pallet or case to enable full traceability, compliance, and visibility of critical information.

Ian Edwards, IT Manager, explains: “We wanted to make our processes more transparent and efficient whilst reducing our reliance on paper. Electronic document management was the only sensible solution.”

Now, 99% of cold storage and transport documentation is held in mstore, ensuring the right information is at the finger-tips of those who need it, including customers who can now access live, online stocks, proof of deliveries, and movements via the Internet. Mundane paperwork, time consuming filing, and manual retrieval of documents across diverse departments is being eliminated to improve productivity: a team of 4 compliance officers has been retained to manage documentation and process more effectively whilst the business doubled in size.

System adoption issues across 100 internal and 150 external customers were minimised as the impact of mstore has been more about speed and efficiency than change to workflows. Implementation did not require a major change to existing core processes of warehousing and transport, and new ways of working were universally embraced.

Arena’s mstore software for electronic document management is also integrated with a new fleet of multi-functional devices (MFDs). “The way we print, copy, process, and search for documents has completely changed for the better. Arena’s holistic approach addressed all of our needs and gave us a complete end-to-end solution.”

In addition, Reed Boardall has been committed to a ‘green strategy’ from the early 1990s, and the new system was targeted to reduce paper costs by at least 30%. Currently, 9 tons of paper per year have been saved.

Managing Director Andrew Baldwin commented: "From the start of our relationship Arena successfully demonstrated their ability to really understand our business and offer solutions that not only complemented our existing procedures but also improved our document control. They now continue to support our everyday operation and also actively assist in improving our processes. I can confirm that Arena have become a valued and essential partner to the Reed Boardall Group, helping us provide a first-class service to our customers.”