Logistics as an individual service
Sought and found. That was the case four years ago when MöbelFirst found the right logistics partner to deliver the designer furniture it sells to its customers. The name of the transport company that works for MöbelFirst says it all. This is because Piano Express specialized in transporting upright and grand pianos when the company was founded in 2001. However, since the takeover of P&M Logistics - formerly Kraus und Pabst - in 2014, furniture delivery has also been part of the portfolio, meaning that the proportion of shipments of instruments and furniture is now pretty much 50:50. This makes sense, as high-quality designer furniture requires the same attention during delivery as sensitive instruments. This is why MöbelFirst founders Christoph Ritschel and Dennis Franken turned to Piano Express, as there are only a few logistics companies that specialize in the delivery of valuable consumer goods. "We know that the delivery of branded furniture is a very sensitive point for the purchasing experience. "That's why we are delighted to be working with full professionals for this service," says Christoph Ritschel.
Furniture delivery within a few days
The collaboration has proven its worth, as Piano Express has the necessary expertise and infrastructure to deliver designer furniture safely to customers' homes. The company has five locations: Berlin, Hamburg, Hilden (near Düsseldorf), Munich and the central warehouse in Lichtenfels. This means that all directions are covered, and regular tours to Austria, Switzerland and BENELUX are also organized. This means that no customer has to wait long for their furniture ordered online - no matter where they are in Europe. The Piano Express fleet includes all standard vehicle sizes so that the right vehicle is available for every tour. After all, it makes a difference whether the delivery is going to a densely populated city district or a villa with a wide driveway. With 140 employees, Piano Express delivers a total of 55,000 consignments per year!
Your furniture delivered to your home
When a customer orders a display item, a unique piece or furniture from a factory outlet online from MöbelFirst, this information is transferred via a direct interface to the Piano Express "Tracking Zone" - with lots of important information and also the corresponding images of the item of furniture. The scheduling department then contacts the retailer where the piece of furniture is located. There, it is collected by teams of two or three people and made ready for dispatch by being carefully packed. Each piece of furniture is optimally protected - sofas are usually packed with blankets, stretch film and cardboard for the edges, there are specially designed cardboard boxes for box furniture and furniture with glass fronts is packed in extra boxes. These were developed together with the table manufacturer Draenert from southern Germany. This means that not much can happen during transportation.
Once Piano Express has noted the receipt of goods in the system, the customer is contacted 3 to 6 days in advance about the upcoming delivery. Details are also clarified, as every delivery situation is different. Using a tried and tested checklist, MöbelFirst talks to the customer in advance about the delivery situation on site so that the delivery teams are already well informed about the access and parking situation and have packed the materials needed for protection, security and months. Unfortunately, traffic doesn't always play along, so the delivery is notified again by telephone on the day of delivery with a time window of 2 to 3 hours.
The most sensitive part of the delivery begins with the arrival at the customer. There is often little space available for deliveries in densely populated districts. "In such cases, our drivers have to keep calm. In stressful situations, however, experience helps immensely. And it also helps that we can operate with sprinters in cities," says Thomas Schindhelm from Piano Express. As soon as things get tight, stairwells, walls and floors at the customer's premises are protected accordingly. Sometimes special dexterity or even more strength is required, so that up to four employees can be involved in a delivery. "Our drivers, who are trained in carrying technology and furniture assembly, are strong and powerful, but at the same time very careful when handling the high-quality goods to be transported," says Head of Dispatch Thomas Schindhelm.
Once the transport route has been secured, the goods are unloaded by the drivers and carried to the place of use. If assembly is also necessary, floor mats are laid out beforehand to prevent scratches. When the new furniture is in place, the packaging is collected and disposed of properly, and old furniture is also taken away by arrangement.
Fast delivery of your order guaranteed
Everything depends on the employees. Piano Express only works with its own employees and not with subcontractors. The fleet of vehicles is also fully owned by the company. New employees are trained in every detail, and a certain level of craftsmanship and careful handling of the goods are absolute prerequisites. The team is proud of its challenging work. Fluctuation is therefore not an issue at Piano Express and it is not unusual for employees to stay with the company for up to 40 years. MöbelFirst and Piano Express want to continue to grow together. The last few years have shown that the collaboration works. "We take our work seriously and are satisfied when the customer is satisfied," explains Thomas Schindhelm. The more than 300 retailers who sell their display items via MöbelFirst are also pleased with the constellation because they know that their furniture will reach customers safely, on time and in good condition. "The last mile determines the overall experience. Thanks to our cooperation with Piano Express, we can guarantee our retail partners that nothing will go wrong on this route," explains Dennis Franken.
