WATERLOO, ONTARIO, April 2, 2002 - The Descartes Systems Group Inc., (Nasdaq:DSGX), (TSE:DSG), a trusted provider of logistics solutions, announced today that Descartes Routing and SchedulingTM solutions are helping companies with direct delivery operations, such as Comet plc, PublixDirect, Quest Diagnostics, and Watsons Water, improve customer service while increasing operational efficiency by up to 15 percent.
In response to customer demand for simultaneous delivery and pick-up services, shorter order-to-delivery cycles, and accurate, on-time service, companies with direct delivery operations are increasingly selecting Descartes Routing and Scheduling solutions to meet customer service objectives. These solutions include Descartes RoadshowTM for optimal routing performance, Descartes FleetwiseTM for enhanced optimization and collaboration between dispatchers, drivers, and customer service personnel, and Descartes MobileLinkTM for real-time communication and status updates about pick-up and delivery services via wireless technologies.
These solutions help to improve three distinct types of direct delivery operations:
1. Home and office delivery services - For companies that offer pick-up and delivery services to add value to their standard product offering, such as bottled water, gas, medical services, and office supplies companies, Descartes Routing and Scheduling can enable rapid customer responsiveness and on-time delivery, ensuring continued customer loyalty. Two companies that recently improved their pick-up and delivery services with the Descartes solution include Quest Diagnostics (www.questdiagnostics.com), the nation's leading provider of diagnostic laboratory testing, information and services, with a network of laboratories, patient service centers and couriers across the United States, and Watsons Water (www.watsons-water.com), the largest water company in Hong Kong and a wholly owned subsidiary of A.S. Watson Group (HK) Limited.
2. Online storefront pick-up and delivery services - For companies that offer pick-up and delivery services as extensions of their online storefronts, such as online grocers, Descartes Routing and Scheduling can enable optimized online scheduling at the point of order, reduced operational costs, rapid customer responsiveness, and on-time service to customers' doorsteps. PublixDirect (www.publixdirect.com), an online grocery shopping and home delivery service and a wholly owned affiliate of Publix Super Markets in the United States, recently selected Descartes to improve its delivery service.
3. Direct store delivery services - For manufacturers that deliver directly to retail stores, such as food processing, beverage, and beer distribution companies, Descartes Routing and Scheduling can reduce out-of-stocks at retail stores and increase inventory turn for perishable products at grocery stores. Comet (www.comet.co.uk), a leading electrical retailer in the U.K. and part of the Kingfisher Group, is one example of a company that is enhancing its customer responsiveness with the Descartes solution.
Last year, leading supermarket chain Publix Super Markets selected Descartes Routing and Scheduling for the launch of its online grocery shopping and home delivery service, PublixDirect. "We recognized from the start that the key to the success of our online shopping and home delivery service is customer satisfaction, which is achieved by delivering on promises," said Tom O'Connor, President of PublixDirect. "We looked at several routing and scheduling solutions to help us meet our delivery service commitments. In the end, we selected Descartes because we found them to be the leader in providing routing and scheduling solutions that optimize the end-to-end online scheduling to delivery process."
"Built on over 20 years of research and development, Descartes Routing and Scheduling has become a preferred solution for companies with direct delivery operations," said Michael Jakab, Senior Vice President, Routing and Scheduling at Descartes. "In use by companies from a range of industries and direct delivery operations, and deployed across geographies, the solution has repeatedly proven to increase operational efficiency by up to 15 percent or more and improve customer satisfaction."
The complete Descartes Routing and Scheduling solution enables highly efficient and responsive sales and territory planning, route planning, and dispatch management. This solution drives competitive advantage when companies need to deliver goods or services and coordinate pick-ups and deliveries (for example, for pallets, product returns, and so on) in a dynamic environment, usually with a variable order size. Descartes is also a market leader in providing wireless routing technologies, enabling real-time status and "in the moment" decision making for customer support.
About Descartes
The Descartes Systems Group Inc. (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSE:DSG) is a trusted provider of logistics management technology. With over 4,500 customers in over 60 countries, Descartes' leading logistics solutions drive operational efficiency, enhance customer responsiveness and improve precision in purchasing for global organizations such as Coca-Cola bottlers worldwide, Comet Group plc, CVS/pharmacy, Danzas, Gist, John Lewis Partnership, Mitsui USA, and Old Dominion. Descartes has provided trusted solutions for real logistics problems since 1981. For more information, visit www.descartes.com.
All registered and unregistered trademarks mentioned in this release are the property of their respective owners.
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This release contains statements that may relate to Descartes' product and service functionality and performance, potential benefits derived therefrom (including operational efficiencies), the suitability of Descartes' products and services for specific customers, Descartes' competitive position and other matters that may constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Descartes' actual results may differ from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements as a result of factors discussed in the section entitled, "Risk Factors" in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission and other securities commissions across Canada.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Kimberley Emmerson
Public Relations
Descartes Systems Group
(519) 746-6114 ext. 2562
kemmerson@descartes.com
Chaya Cooperberg
Investor Relations
Descartes Systems Group
(519) 746-6114 ext. 2757
ccooperberg@descartes.com