WHYY is a non-profit corporation chartered to operate public
broadcasting stations serving southeastern Pennsylvania, Delaware and
South Jersey.
Business Goal: Member Satisfaction via Timely Premium Fulfillment
In an average week, approximately 1.2 million households tune to WHYY's public television station for information, education and entertainment; almost 365,000 weekly listeners enjoy programming on its FM radio station. Members, now numbering more than 105,000, contribute their financial support each year to the company.
When members contribute to WHYY they have the option of choosing a thank you gift/premium item in appreciation of their support. Timely and accurate fulfillment of these premiums, especially during WHYY's on-air membership pledge drives and peak holiday periods is essential.
Solution: Proven Fulfillment Expert with Advanced Technology
WHYY sought a third party fulfillment partner who could help it streamline the efficiency of its premium fulfillment program by decreasing shipment time, lowering costs, and helping monitor inventory on a real time basis.
As a proven outsourced fulfillment partner with over 25 years of experience, EchoData brought the focused expertise, quality orientation and technical savvy to help transition WHYY seamlessly and easily from its former provider. A key criteria in selecting EchoData was the company's eLink Management and Reporting System. eLink helps WHYY track inventory in real time, while providing e-mail confirmation for order monitoring and reporting. WHYY's member service agents, can now easily track the status of orders when inquiries are made by members, resulting in improved customer service. eLink also assists the client’s finance department by providing a solution for customized report generation for inventory and accounting purposes.
Unique Challenges: Quick Scalability During Peak Periods
WHYY often experiences higher volume and peak ordering of premium items during its on air membership campaigns, which occur 7 times during the year. Maintaining timely and accurate fulfillment in these peak periods is essential, particularly during the early December TV-based pledge drive when WHYY guarantees holiday delivery for specific items. EchoData leverages its vast staff resources and technology to efficiently scale its operations in response to increased activity in the client’s fulfillment program. Through eLink, WHYY has a convenient on-line tool for tracking and re-stocking its premium inventory based on member demand.
Results: Reducing Time to Market, Increasing Member Satisfaction
With EchoData as its fulfillment partner, WHYY has decreased the number of weeks in the premium fulfillment process from an average of 8 weeks to 4 weeks currently. This includes the entire order/fulfillment cycle beginning with the ordering of items during membership campaigns, inventory allocation and management, pick and pack fulfillment and final shipping. For WHYY, the true measure of success is the high level of satisfaction it has achieved within its member community. "Precision, timely fulfillment is an essential component of our ongoing membership drives," notes WHYY. "EchoData has helped us raise the bar and achieve measurable results in order quality and accuracy, time to market efficiency, and increased member satisfaction."
