Shorages

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and managing partner of GivGads UAE, the second branch of our main company. We mostly operate in Dubai’s home décor industry where we’ve established a branch for kids’ rooms, but our main branch also has a physical and online showroom in Lebanon. We also provide gadgets, photoshoot props, and customized video stickers for babies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shorages?

We started the new branch in June 2020 and we needed to enter the new market. We hired Shorages to do fulfillment for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Shorages provides BPO services for us. We usually send them a list of the items and their barcodes, and they receive and store the products. We no longer need to rent a warehouse, as they are providing the space we need. Instead of having a team for the operations, Shorages stands in to do the fulfillment as well. 

We pay them to prepare the orders that will be sent out to customers. They send us pictures of the items that have been ordered, which we approve before they ship it out to the customers. We requested this process to ensure that every order is complete.

What is the team composition?

There’s a manager who oversees the entire operations, and there’s also a person in charge of the daily orders. The latter sends us pictures of the items for approval before they ship them out to customers.

How did you come to work with Shorages?

We found them through a Google search. We contacted many companies but found Shorages’s owner to be very trustworthy, professional, and dedicated. We also liked the size of their company because we knew that a multinational company wouldn’t give us the level of attention we wanted.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve paid $7,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2020, and our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The percentage of orders that weren’t delivered is zero, and the percentage of orders delivered broken was only sizeable in the beginning due to the handling of the courier and not because of Shorages. Once they figured out a specific way to wrap our items, only three out of 1,500 orders were received broken. 

Shorages’ services are very good. Everything is being handled perfectly. We get the attention we deserve because they’re a small company, and we are saving a lot on the overhead. 

How did Shorages perform from a project management standpoint?

Shorages is very responsive, helpful, and cooperative. They have their own platform that we can log into to view the orders and the status of their delivery. If we have an inquiry, we can chat with operations. The team uses WhatsApp to send us photos of the items prior to shipping, but we use email for accounting purposes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Shorages is very trustworthy. They treat us like we’re partners and they act like they’re a part of our own team. They inform us if there are any defective items so that we don’t get negative feedback from customers. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We encountered some difficulties during the receipt of the first batch of items, but this was due to the variety of our items. We have more than 100 products, all varying in color and dimension. Shorages was able to pick up quickly the second time around. We haven’t encountered any problems since. Perhaps ff they could find an alternative courier, that would be great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Know what to expect from Shorages. Get an idea of the courier business and how much effort you have to put in.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder and financial controller of notanybox. We are a carefully curated online gift store that aims to serve the niches.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Shorages, and what were your goals?

Our challenge in getting started was the issue of storage and fulfillment. Taking a warehouse and hiring staff was an extremely high overhead for us. Our business would not likely survive without the services offered by Shorages at the competitive price they are doing so.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We were introduced by a referral. I met Rayan and visited his warehouse, liked what I saw, and decided to jump on board! Zero regrets. Clean operation that is professionally run.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Storing of my goods. Providing inventory management software. Picking and packing goods as per the order. Writing notes and names to be put in our boxes. Shipping and managing the last mile. We have great flexibility to ensure the products reach exactly as we wish. Their staff are very competent and happy to help.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

4-5 people. From warehouse packers to managers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Every deliverable has received a five-star feedback from our customer. All the goods are delivered exactly as we intend.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Timeliness is always on point. And if you ever need to resolve an issue, a member of the team will always be ready to help.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They have excellent attention to detail and customer service.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Can not think of any, at the moment.