Customer Story:
RDO Kitchens

RDO Kitchens is one of the UK’s largest and most trusted independent appliance retailers, with over 70 years of experience. Founded in 1952, the company has remained a family business throughout its growth and evolution.

With a bespoke kitchen design studio in Reigate, RDO also offers high-end, tailor-made kitchen solutions, offering a comprehensive service from design to installation, backed by exceptional customer support.

They have served over 250,000 customers, catering to both individual and trade markets, and their fleet of four daily vehicles, with capacity for six, ensures smooth delivery operations across the country.

As RDO Kitchens grew, they faced several operational challenges, particularly in their delivery process.

With a divided delivery area and only three vehicles, manual planning and reliance on Google Maps made it difficult to offer next-day delivery and efficiently optimise routes. The team had to spend up to two hours daily planning deliveries, sometimes resulting in human error and customer dissatisfaction.

Delivery zones were handled manually, with limited flexibility to cross into different areas, leading to inefficiencies in resource management and higher reliance on third-party couriers.

In addition, paperwork for delivery notes, proof of delivery (PODs), and vehicle checks created stacks of physical documents, which increased the potential for mistakes and reduced overall productivity.

After conducting extensive research on different routing solutions, RDO chose to work with Access MaxOptra due to the system’s ease of use, the supportive and knowledgeable team, and Access MaxOptra’s positive history and reviews.

Access MaxOptra helped RDO overcome the limitations of manual planning, enabling the team to cross delivery zone borders and offer deliveries across the country every day. The system optimised delivery routes, reduced planning time, and allowed for more effective resource utilisation.

Overall, with Access MaxOptra, RDO Kitchens could now manage both their own fleet and third-party couriers more efficiently.

Real-time vehicle tracking, automated PODs, and digital delivery notes replaced the previously cumbersome paper process. Vehicle checks were integrated into the system, ensuring that drivers completed them correctly, with accountability built in through photo documentation.

Access MaxOptra’s communication features also proved invaluable, providing customers with automated, personalised text and email updates, including accurate two-hour delivery windows.

Access MaxOptra’s ease of use and guided setup, with consistent support from their team, made the transition seamless for RDO. The system’s flexibility allowed RDO to scale operations, reduce their reliance on third-party couriers, and improve service quality across the board.

Since integrating Access MaxOptra, RDO Kitchens has seen significant improvements in their operations:

Time savings

Delivery planning time was reduced from 1-2 hours per day to just 30 minutes. Multidrop and split deliveries to the same customer became more efficient, and RDO could now deliver across greater distances with their own vehicles, reducing reliance on third-party couriers.

Cost savings

The optimised delivery routes and better resource allocation have enabled RDO to reduce costs. Access MaxOptra’s ability to handle large-scale planning ensures RDO can grow their fleet without overwhelming their internal processes.

Customer satisfaction

Automated communication with customers through SMS and email, complete with personalised updates and accurate delivery windows, has significantly enhanced the customer experience.

Their Trustpilot reviews reflect this, with RDO achieving an industry-leading rating of 4.9 stars. Since the implementation of Access MaxOptra, customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with consistent five-star ratings for delivery service.

Sustainability and efficiency

The move from paper-based processes to fully digital operations reduced RDO’s environmental impact while improving accuracy and accountability in delivery notes and vehicle checks.

“Access MaxOptra has transformed the way we manage deliveries. What used to take us up to two hours a day now takes just 30 minutes, and we’ve been able to scale our operations nationally with ease. The system’s efficiency has not only saved us time but has also greatly enhanced our customer service, helping us maintain our 4.9-star Trustpilot rating. It’s a game changer for RDO Kitchens and Appliances as we continue to grow.”

Andy Playford
Head of Operations, RDO Kitchens