ArrowXL cuts mileage 13% with Descartes route software

ArrowXL by JP Home has cut fleet mileage by about 13% using route planning and execution software from Descartes, while also improving delivery performance across its home delivery operation.

ArrowXL handles two-person deliveries of large household goods across the UK, including washing machines, fridge freezers and cookers. The software now plans 95% of delivery routes overnight, reducing reliance on manual planning as the business manages more complex distribution demands.

The changes have reduced early route terminations from 5% to 1%, and deliveries arriving outside customers' preferred time windows have fallen by 4%.

Those measures matter in a business where failed or delayed deliveries can quickly raise transport costs and disrupt schedules. Large-item home delivery often requires more precise route planning than parcel distribution because it involves heavier goods, tighter delivery windows and specialist crews.

Rachel Hopkins, Chief Information Officer at ArrowXL, said the company had reached the limits of its previous planning tools as it expanded.

"Our customer-centric team of experts has over 40 years of experience and has completed millions of deliveries for some of the UK's leading retailers, e-tailers and manufacturers," said Rachel Hopkins, Chief Information Officer at ArrowXL. "Our big and bulky deliveries to businesses and shoppers, such as white goods, fridge freezers, washing machines and cookers, create complex distribution requirements. We outgrew our previous planning technology because it no longer provided logical, valuable delivery insights to support growth. Descartes changed this. The solution now plans 95% of our team's delivery routes overnight and, by reducing our dependence on manual processes, we've cut mileage by 13%. More effective planning has also reduced early route terminations from 5% to 1%, improving first-attempt deliveries. We've also achieved a 4% decrease in deliveries outside customers' preferred time windows."

ArrowXL describes itself as the UK's largest long-established two-person home delivery and warehousing specialist. It says it reaches the entire UK mainland population and delivers six days a week to 98% of postcodes, serving more than 7,000 customers each day awaiting large purchases.

Planning shift

The new system has improved productivity in both route planning and delivery execution. The wider project is also improving proof of delivery and appointment tracking for planners and delivery teams.

Route optimisation software has become more common in logistics as operators try to lower fuel use, cut missed delivery slots and make better use of drivers and vehicles. In large-item delivery, where a failed stop can have a bigger operational impact than a missed parcel drop, even small gains in route quality can affect profitability.

Descartes says its fleet performance management software is designed for distribution-heavy operators and can support changing delivery requirements, including same-day services. The system uses optimisation technology to reduce distance driven per delivery and improve route productivity.

ArrowXL's planners and delivery teams have also benefited from a simpler user interface. That matters because route planning tools often fail to deliver expected gains if depot staff and drivers do not adopt them consistently.

Operational impact

The reduction in early route terminations suggests ArrowXL has been able to complete more rounds as planned rather than cutting routes short before all scheduled deliveries are made. That can reduce the need for redelivery, improve first-time completion and help preserve delivery capacity during busy periods.

A 4% reduction in deliveries outside preferred time windows points to tighter adherence to customer booking slots. For home delivery businesses, particularly those handling large domestic appliances, that can influence customer satisfaction and reduce service-related costs.

James Wee, General Manager of Fleet Performance Management at Descartes, said the gains reflected a wider need among delivery operators to replace manual planning and disconnected systems.

"ArrowXL is providing customers with a higher standard of delivery, lowering delivery costs, and enhancing productivity and sustainability while continuing to grow. We're pleased our technology is part of this success story," said James Wee, General Manager of Fleet Performance Management at Descartes. "As delivery operations expand, manual planning processes and disconnected tools quickly become limitations. We have a long history of helping customers manage greater delivery volumes with the same resources while improving service levels and operational consistency across their distribution network."