Speech & Language UK: Streamlined Distribution of Printed Resources

Speech and Language UK supplies around 150 product lines including printed materials and resources, sourced through multiple suppliers, all requiring fulfilment to hundreds of individual customers and other end users across a wide geographic area.

Its products include the components of a branded learning ‘tool bag’ which contains musical instruments, soft balls, bean bags and feathers that are used as stimulus materials within its teaching programmes. Printed materials include pull-up banners, ring binders, teaching manuals, and resource cards.

Orders are made by individual parents and tutors as well as schools and local authorities. Increasingly, international shipping is required to fulfil orders from the growing overseas market.

Speech and Language UK tasked PDS with managing its stock storage and the fulfilment of orders to its online shop, so that it could provide easier access to its materials and offer a more streamlined ordering process. As a charity, it was important to keep tight control of costs.

From its experience of handling the print management for Speech and Language UK, PDS was able to suggest ways to improve the control and distribution of teaching resource materials, print items and merchandise using its bespoke online ordering system, PDS+.

Speech and Language UK’s central office team simply downloads the order data from its online shop and supplies it to PDS.

The data is uploaded to the PDS+ system enabling orders to be fulfilled within a standard 72 hours, or more quickly if a consignment is urgent.

PDS now manages the purchase of an extensive range of merchandise for Speech and Language UK from a rationalised list of product lines.

Branded especially for Speech and Language UK, PDS+ enables the charity to fulfil its online orders seamlessly, monitor stock levels and produce reports helping to ensure that it never runs short of materials. Automation within the system creates an alert when stocks fall to agreed minimum levels to enable replenishment.

Speech and Language UK benefits from more efficient time management with no need to chase multiple suppliers for orders. Materials can be developed, distributed and implemented within short timescales if required.

PDS also manages the simultaneous roll-out of additional items on an ad hoc basis.

Its bespoke charging structure means that PDS can keep costs competitive, a vital consideration within the charity sector.

With its own dedicated design studio, PDS is increasingly becoming more involved with the creative element of the Speech and Language UK materials, moving from providing artwork solutions to implementing large-scale design projects.