With a heritage stretching back nearly 200 years, Harper Collins is one of the world’s foremost English-language publishers, offering the best quality content right across the spectrum, from cutting-edge contemporary fiction to digital hymnbooks and pretty much everything in between.

The Requirement

The customer's requirements were very concise. They needed a...

• logistics partner who is a market leader in progressive technology and provision of management information
  
• consolidated returns processing and stock disposal operation
  
• full visibility of stock movements throughout the returns process
  
• secure, auditable and transparent processes
  
• variable cost model allowing for minimal fixed costs and overheads
  
• simplified process to enable 'Green Laning' of stock back into their supply chain
  

All of which will support a simplified credit authorisation process for customers.

The Solution & Approach

Key aspects of the implementation project included...

• understanding the mix of products, the range of disposition rules and the mix ratio of those ‘exit routes’
  
• designing specific operational processes, and a bespoke returns processing system
  
• a returns process that scans the barcode of each individual unit, resulting in high data accuracy
  
• full digital CCTV coverage of the entire operation
  
• developing a barcoded returns label application with easy online access for all Harper Collins’ 23,000 UK customers
  
• a seamless transition during implementation, whilst also managing a historic backlog of returns
  
• building in the operational capacity to manage the peak period
  
• the complete visibility of all daily returns activity using a streamlined data exchange
  

In summary the solution provided to Harper Collins...

• has processed over 40 million units to date
  
• produces daily ‘snapshot’ management reporting, detailing the ‘work in progress’ position
  
• gives full visibility of all processing data down to individual unit level
  
• includes the ability to set disposition rules at an ISBN level with the facility to make a distinction between loose copy and binders pack and set rules accordingly
  
• operates within their existing ISO 14001 accreditation framework
  
• allows for a high degree of flexibility around resources, processing volumes and storage capacity
  
• is fully scalable and as such the annual peak processing period presents no issues