Simplify Parcel Shipping: How Chef Works Overcame eCommerce Challenges

The rapid rise of eCommerce has redefined what customers expect from online retailers and the delivery experience. Speed, precision, and cost-efficiency aren’t negotiable—they’re essential to staying competitive. But for many businesses, managing the growing complexity of parcel shipping is a persistent struggle.

Take Chef Works, a global leader in culinary and hospitality apparel, as an example. Despite advanced automation in their distribution centers, they struggled with inflexible carrier rules, inefficient billing adjustments, and escalating costs. These are challenges many businesses face. The real question is: how do you regain control without adding more complexity?

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The Problem: Legacy Systems Falling Behind

When Chef Works evaluated their shipping processes, a few critical pain points stood out:

  • Inflexible Carrier Rules: Adapting to customer demands for diversified delivery options required constant custom coding, delaying their ability to implement changes quickly.
  • Complicated Billing Processes: Legacy systems struggled to manage varied shipping account rules, increasing manual effort and the risk of errors.
  • Oversize and Large Package Surcharge: An increased surcharge of up to $500 per package for shipments that exceed size or weight limits during peak season.
  • Expensive Maintenance: Outdated systems came with high ownership costs and limited vendor support, resulting in slow resolutions for issues that disrupted operations.

These challenges disrupted operations and made it harder to deliver the seamless experience their customers expect.

The Solution: Streamlined Parcel Management with Sendflex

To solve these issues, Chef Works partnered with Sendflex and their trusted partner, Ascent Warehouse Logistics (AWL). The Sendflex Parcel TMS replaced legacy systems in Chef Works’ U.S. and Canada distribution centers, delivering much-needed flexibility and control.

Sendflex simplifies parcel shipping by:

  • Automating Carrier Selection: With barcode scanning and predefined business rules, the platform chooses the optimal carrier based on cost, destination, and service levels.
  • Customizable Billing Rules: Logistics managers can adjust shipping account settings without relying on custom programming, reducing errors and improving efficiency.
  • Seamless Integration: Sendflex integrates directly with AWL, ensuring real-time updates on shipping charges, tracking, and customs documentation for international shipments.

This combination of automation, flexibility, and integration allowed Chef Works to adapt quickly, reduce costs, and meet rising customer expectations—all without adding unnecessary complexity.

As John Perez, Distribution Manager at Chef Works, put it: “The Sendflex team made it easy. They communicated well, listened to our needs, and brought years of expertise to the table. We’re excited for a long-term partnership.”

Discover the Full Story

For retailers like Chef Works, the results are undeniable: reduced costs, streamlined operations, and a shipping strategy built for eCommerce success. Could your business achieve the same?

Learn how Chef Works partnered with Sendflex to transform their shipping processes and take control of growing complexities. Download the full case study to uncover actionable insights, and connect with the Sendflex team for a consultation to explore customized solutions for your business.

LEARN

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The Five Parcel TMS
Value Pillars

EBOOK

Learn why controlling costs, capacity, carbon, and customer experiences matters in the B2C delivery economy

Shippers who are used to relying on a primary parcel carrier with unlimited capacity must now manage a broader portfolio of carriers, all with different capabilities, performance records, constraints, and rate structures.

DELIVERY CONSULTATION

See What Sendflex Can Do for You

Are you struggling to keep up with the consumer demand for faster, cheaper delivery service options? Is it time for a smart multi-carrier parcel solution?

Whether deployed on premise or accessed from the cloud, our shipping platform apps and APIs support your entire extended enterprise: carrier selection, rating and routing, cartonization, shipping and drop shipping, tracking, and returns.

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