Bentley

In 2013, Bentley Motors, the luxury British automotive manufacturer with a legacy spanning more than a century, faced a significant challenge in their aftermarket spare parts logistics operations.

With a reputation for excellence, Bentley required a system that could enhance operational efficiency while maintaining their high standards.

This was no isolated concern.

Keenly aware that maintaining their reputation was a key element of their business strategy, the Bentley executive team issued a tender to secure a provider who could guarantee two outcomes; namely, meet Bentley’s current needs and scale operations within five to 10 years.

This was the beginning of their partnership with Timewise.

Bentley has long been considered a byword for meticulous attention to detail and precision.

This is the DNA embedded into how the car manufacturer builds their vehicles. Furthermore, the aftermarket spare parts logistics operations operate in the same way. The entire company’s culture is built on these values.

However, in 2013 it was becoming apparent that the system in situ at the time was falling short of the visibility and control needed to sustain Bentley’s high level of customer service. There was also a concern that operational efficiency could be compromised if the system was not replaced.

Bentley needed a solution that would upgrade their operations, align with their own standards of customer service and provide an adaptable foundation for continuous improvement over the coming decade.

Upon receiving Bentley’s tender and reviewing it, Timewise recognised the opportunity to propose an innovative solution in Bentley’s warehouse operations.

But this was not innovation for innovation’s sake.

Steve Watson, Timewise UK Managing Director, saw how approaching Bentley with a unique proposition – to implement a voice-directed workflow system tailored to Bentley’s needs – would meet Bentley’s immediate requirements and the ones anticipated further down the road.

Watson’s approach was unconventional.

Instead of simply responding to the tender, he requested a meeting with Bentley’s Head of Logistics, Steve Rhodes, to discuss the potential of voice technology in their warehouse operations. He presented a vision where warehouse operators would receive spoken instructions via headsets, streamlining their workflow and significantly enhancing productivity and accuracy, all to ultimately serve the customer better.

Despite initial scepticism from Rhodes, who found the concept unfamiliar, Watson convinced him to see the technology working already to great effect in a real-world setting.

Watson then arranged for Rhodes to visit a similar operation at Primark, a high-street retailer, to witness the technology in action. Although operating in two separate industries; one retail and one vehicle manufacturing, the level of complexity warehousing operations involved for both Bentley and Primark made the site visit a worthwhile one to see Timewise’s technology in action.

The demonstration proved to be time well spent.

Bentley awarded the tender to Timewise, and a thorough development and testing phase followed. Bentley had found their match when it came to meticulous attention to detail in Timewise, and after 15 months of preparation the system went live in April 2014.

The deployment proved to be a significant milestone, with the voice-directed technology system immediately transforming Bentley’s operations.

Bentley had initially put their tender out due to concerns around visibility and control of their warehouse operations. The voice technology system rectified these requirements with unprecedented improvements to both.

But the upgrades did not stop there.

Warehouse operators were quickly able to complete their tasks with greater efficiency and accuracy. And the system’s inbuilt flexibility enabled continuous improvement. Tweaks and updates were made and have continued to be made based on Bentley’s evolving needs.

As a result, Bentley’s prime goal of maintaining their brand’s reputation for excellence has been guaranteed.

In the last 10 years, the system has continued to adapt organically, both to new regulations and to the expansion of Bentley’s global operations.

If further proof of the success of the collaboration was required, Bentley recent signing off on an upgrade looking to secure their warehouse operations with Timewise for the next decade provides it.

Timewise’s technology has delivered three key impacts for Bentley:

1. Enhanced Visibility and Control: The reason for issuing the tender in the first place related to issues around visibility and control. The voice-directed system provided Bentley with a level of operational oversight that was previously not available to their team. The immediate benefit of the new technology was the team managing their logistics with increased precision and efficiency.
2. Improved Customer Service: Exceptional customer service is central to Bentley’s culture. By integrating voice technology, Bentley was able to meet their customers’ needs more effectively, especially when it comes to the timely delivery of parts. This had a direct impact on the brand’s business strategy as Bentley’s customer care is crucial for maintaining the brand’s luxury image.
3. Long-term Partnership and Continuous Improvement: The relationship between Bentley and Timewise has never been one of a transactional vendor-client dynamic. Timewise has stepped into the role of a trusted advisor, continually refining the system to meet Bentley’s needs and helping the brand navigate new challenges.

Far from the Bentley/Timewise collaboration being a story of a technology solution, it’s actually one of using innovation to align operational philosophies. And, how in turn, taking the care to do so can lead to significant improvements in efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Working together, Timewise’s voice technology has not only modernised Bentley’s aftermarket operations, but also set a foundation for ongoing success in a rapidly changing market.