SKAPS Industries uses Waitwhile to coordinate shipments and deliveries

The Challenge

As a major global manufacturer with 14 facilities in the US and India, SKAPS Industries coordinates hundreds of shipments and deliveries on a daily basis. Until 2021, the company was using physical forms. Truck drivers who arrived at a plant to either pick up a load or execute a delivery were asked to fill out required information with a pen and paper.

Seeing an opportunity to increase efficiency and streamline communication with drivers, SKAPS Industries sought out to digitize this process.

The Solution

After discovering Waitwhile’s virtual waitlist and 2-way communication capabilities, SKAPS Industries signed up for the free version to take it for a test drive. Quickly, it became evident that the platform aligned nearly perfectly with their needs – and that its flexibility meant that Waitwhile was easy to adapt to existing workflows at SKAPS plants

Soon after, SKAPS upgraded its plan to access Waitwhile’s full feature set and to roll out the platform across locations in the US & India. With Waitwhile, SKAPS has been able to transform a tedious, manual process into an electronic and efficient one.

Here’s how SKAPS coordinates deliveries using Waitwhile:

1. When a truck driver arrives at a plant to either pick up a load or drop off a delivery, they are presented with two options to check-in: either at a kiosk that is running Waitwhile or via a QR code, which they can access with a personal device.

2. To check-in, the driver fills out an online form in Waitwhile that SKAPS has customized to collect all of the information required to complete the service, such as trailer number, PO details, and carrier information.

3. Once checked-in, the driver is delivered an estimated wait time via SMS text message and is free to wait in their vehicle.

4. SKAPS plant managers then confirm the details provided. If there are any discrepancies, they can chat with drivers via Waitwhile’s 2-way messaging system, which allows both SKAPS and the driver to send texts back and forth.

5. With details confirmed, SKAPS staff can prepare as needed to complete the hand-off. For pick ups, they can locate the products at the plant and transport them to the right location.

6. The SKAPS staff then message the driver through Waitwhile to let them know which door to back up into to complete the pick up or delivery.

After arriving at a plant, each driver checks in via QR code or at a kiosk. The check-in form is fully customizable so businesses can capture the information they need

The Result

Waitwhile has provided SKAPS with a digital solution for delivery and shipment management, replacing cumbersome and inefficient physical forms. With an electronic platform, SKAPS is able to centralize this process within a single platform and provide much-appreciated flexibility to drivers.

The operational analytics within Waitwhile also allow SKAPS to easily keep track of the volume of activity at each of its locations. With at-a-glance dashboards, SKAPS can spot trends and see how many inbound and outbound deliveries they executed on a weekly, monthly, or annual basis.

After the successful implementation of the virtual waitlist for delivery functions, SKAPS expanded its use of Waitwhile to visitors. When someone comes to a SKAPS plant to meet with an employee, they check-in using Waitwhile and are able to wait from anywhere and receive updates via SMS or email. Because Waitwhile has been such a boon to efficiency across multiple functions, SKAPS is now looking to also use Waitwhile’s booking system to manage calendars and allow visitors to schedule appointments.

Nayan Vyas,

Shipping & ERP Manager, SKAPS Industries