Strategies Spring 2026_No Crops

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Delivery Basics 5 Steps for Smooth, Fast Deliveries B lish-Mize deliveries follow a steady system, and stores that prepare ahead of time avoid delays, confusion and missing product. Brady Clark, Blish-Mize vice president of operations, says a few basic steps make a big difference. These best practices help stores stay ready, before, during and after each delivery. 1. Place Orders on Deadline Most stores must submit orders the night before delivery. Western stores have a later cutoff because of the time difference. Meeting the deadline gives the warehouse time to restock, pick locations and build pallets accurately. “When the order hits the system at the right time, our team can restock the pick slots, pull product and build pallets without rushing,” Clark says. “That keeps everything cleaner, safer and more accurate.” Clark says stores that submit orders after hours should always alert customer service if something goes wrong.

“If a customer tries to send an order and it doesn’t go through, even a quick email to customer service helps,” he says. “When our team is aware of an issue in advance, they can address it before routing begins, preventing delays for the customer’s entire delivery.” 2. Set Up and Use Tracking Tools Stores using Schneider Dedicated Service should confirm they are signed up for tracking alerts. Updates can come through via email, text message or the customer homepage. “Once the tracking link is live, customers can see updates about every fifteen minutes,” Clark says. “If the truck is ahead of schedule, behind schedule or dealing with weather, the customer will see that right away. It gives them a 45-minute window for arrival, which makes it much easier to plan staff around receiving.” Clark says the tool becomes especially important during storms or periods of heavy volume. “We deliver across areas that get high winds, snow, storms, even tornado concerns,” he says. “Sometimes trucks have to shut down because the wind is too strong, or they’re going on a different route because they have more stops that week. Checking the link helps the store prepare for those situations instead of being surprised.”

2 Spring 2026 • Hardlines Strategies