HomeDirect USA adds order fulfillment system
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, May 26, 2003
Chicago — HomeDirectUSA, a four-year-old national home delivery service of the Bekins Co., is expanding.
It is adding a proprietary communications and order fulfillment system called Directware. This will enable new services, including an online inventory management system, delivery tracking, daily reports, customer e-mail notification at any significant event, interactive shipment alerts identifying potential delays before the delays occur, and online delivery scheduling.
"Within the first half of 2003 we expect to introduce additional new service offerings and geographically expand our operations," said Brian Gallagher, HomeDirectUSA general manager.
The company's clients include Bush Inds., QVC, Restoration Hardware, Staples, BestBuy.com, Costco, Walmart.com, Serta, Simmons and Z Gallerie.
Bekins launched HomeDirect-USA in 1999 to specialize in consumer-direct delivery of large items like furniture from manufacturers, Internet-based retailers, direct marketers, and traditional retailers wanting to expand their market reach.
"In a remarkably short time, HomeDirectUSA has helped to forge an entirely new segment of our industry, based on the growing trend of disintermediation, or the removal of certain links from the supply chain," said Larry Marzullo, chief executive officer of Bekins.
Marzullo said HomeDirect- USA has grown rapidly — by more than 30% in each of the past three years and more than 50% so far this year — through internal growth and recent acquisitions. It makes more than 300,000 deliveries annually and serves every ZIP code in the United States.
