Transforming Last-Mile Delivery Operations
Article.com
Overview
Article.com is a modern furniture company that delivers directly to customers across North America. As the company scaled, the logistics team faced increasing challenges managing their third-party delivery network, which was performing 30 basis points below the in-house delivery team.
I led the development of a centralized logistics platform that automated issue detection, streamlined communication with delivery partners, and provided real-time visibility into delivery performance.
The Challenge
The logistics team was drowning in manual processes:
- Reactive issue management: Problems were only discovered when customers complained - Fragmented communication: Delivery partners used different systems with no central visibility - No accountability: Performance issues were difficult to track and address systematically - Time drain: Team spent 400+ hours monthly on manual coordination
The business impact was significant: the 3rd-party delivery network consistently underperformed, affecting customer satisfaction and operational costs.
The Solution
I designed and led development of an integrated logistics management platform with three core capabilities:
1. Automated Issue Detection: Real-time monitoring of delivery events to flag potential problems before they escalate 2. Centralized Communication Hub: Single interface for coordinating with all delivery partners 3. Performance Scorecards: Transparent metrics enabling data-driven conversations with partners
Iterations
Iteration 1: Issue Detection Engine
Objective: Proactively identify delivery issues before customer impact
Built rule-based detection system monitoring delivery milestones, flagging delays, damages, and missed appointments automatically. Integrated with customer service to reduce response time.
Iteration 2: Partner Scorecards
Objective: Create accountability through transparent performance metrics
Developed comprehensive scorecards tracking OTD rates, damage rates, customer satisfaction, and issue resolution time. Enabled quarterly business reviews with data-driven discussions.
Iteration 3: Centralized Platform
Objective: Unify all logistics operations in one interface
Launched integrated platform combining issue management, partner communication, and performance tracking. Reduced context-switching and enabled proactive management.
Impact
Key Results
- 20% improvement in on-time delivery rates
- 400+ hours saved monthly for logistics team
- 1,500+ orders proactively managed per month
- 30 basis point gap closed with in-house delivery
- Reduced customer escalations by 35%
Key Learnings
- Proactive monitoring beats reactive firefighting—always invest in early warning systems
- Transparent metrics change behavior—partners improved once they could see their scores
- Automation frees humans for high-value work—the team shifted from data entry to strategic partner management
- Cross-functional alignment is critical—success required buy-in from ops, engineering, and partner teams