Hello,

Here is some more coronavirus-related news - with a slightly different angle.
A story of two companies who might not usually have worked together, pairing up to help save businesses from closure by offering them a unique service.
A website with raedy-made logistics, so they can compete with the larger firms post-coronavirus. 

It's already saved a large South East farming company from closure - all background is included below for you.

It may provide you with a good news story, an idea for something around thought-leadership, opinion, or case study - just let me know if you need anything else from us to be able to run something.

I can provide it to you quickly and easily.
 
Speak soon,

Sarah 
 

Sarah Hawes

07748 631100 | izzypr.co.uk 

Logistics added to digital agency's offering in response to corona problems

Logistics isn't usually found on the service list of a digital agency but a forward-thinking firm has teamed up with a distribution firm to add it to theirs.

The idea was hatched after Kent-based Kayo helped save a farming business from closure by creating them an e-commerce website with logistics automation via their website.
Now, they have added the package to their offering to help businesses get back on their feet by removing the headache of automated logistics through their partnership with distribution experts Alan Firmin.

Managing Director Richard Pilton, said: "Currently, the large companies are monopolising online sales because they have the ability to sell online and deliver. We wanted to give smaller businesses the opportunity to do just that and open again."

BACKGROUND
Coronavirus lockdown meant that Watts Farms was left with warehouses full of food and drink at its 10 sites across Kent, Essex and Bedfordshire due to the food service industry grinding to a halt.
Restaurants, hotels and schools were cancelling their orders.
A £400,000 stockpile of food was going to waste and 150 jobs would be at risk with such a huge loss.

They needed to find a way to sell the stock, by finding both a new sales channel and customers too. A website was needed to sell, customers needed to be found and their fleet was repurposed to take on domestic deliveries rather than their commercial ones.

They turned to digital experts Kayo and asked for the usually impossible - a website in a week to ensure as much food as possible could be sold before it started to spoil.

A new route to market
A month after thinking their 68-year-old family business might be facing collapse, 14,000 orders have been taken via the website. The initial £400,00 stockpile was saved, plus more has been ordered in and sold on top, with the online sales their sole route to market now.

Customers include supermarkets with higher demands and local people unable to get to the supermarkets, find what they need or those who are staying in completely.

The business, jobs and stock were saved and with the sudden diversification opening up a whole new market for the company, Kayo thought of the idea of offering a website and logistics package, suitably named The Garden of England to other companies who wanted to get back to business, using deliveries to move their stock and service their customers.

Managing Director Richard Pilton, said: "After working with Watts Farms, we realised that some businesses needed not only a website, but logistics too. We're in unprecedented times where some businesses are being forced to be storage companies due to them being unable to sell or deliver their goods. This needed to change.
"When we emerge from isolation they'll have taken a big leap in going digital - something they may not have thought of before or were hesitant in doing; they've now been pushed.
"We spoke with logistics experts Alan Firmin to see if it was possible and we are now able to offer websites with a click and delivery system in place, online store, payment gateway and fully accessible on mobile, tablet or desktop.
"We can also provide an app alongside it too."

Reductions on logistics costs are offered alongside the package, made possible by smaller businesses sharing deliveries with others - instead of setting up their own logistics.
It's better for the environment too - less journeys will be made with less of an impact.

A spokesman for Alan Firmin, said: "Kayo's approach to helping get businesses back up and running is inspired and by partnering with us, not only will they have the online sales platform they need, but also the distribution network too.
It's not something we've done before but when Kayo asked us, we thought it would be good to be involved.
We can now work with clients we may not have had the opportunity to meet before, offering them a great deal on logistics; growing their business and ours too."

ENDS

Kayo, Watts Farms and Alan Firmin are each available for further comment or information - please request via Sarah Hawes at Izzy PR:
sarah@izzypr.co.uk
07748 631100

An image of Kayo's MD Richard Pilton is included for use, along with their logo too.