PODS, Podzillas and a Partnership
Even if you have not used the PODS moving and storage service, most of us have seen a PODS container temporarily situated outside of a neighbor’s home. And if you ever get the chance to witness the process that PODS uses to deliver, place and retrieve their containers, it is worth stopping and watching. The PODS delivery vehicles are highly specialized medium duty trucks with custom flatbeds and a hydraulic mechanism designed and manufactured by PODS and aptly named Podzillas.
When the opportunity arose to provide PODS with fleet services, Donlen’s lead truck specialist, Tyler Scott, knew he needed a truck equipment partner to design a new flatbed to support the Podzilla. So, he reached out to Pat Hanlon, national accounts manager at Curry Supply Company, knowing they have the complementary expertise to really make a difference in developing solutions for PODS’ complex fleet.
Headquartered in Bannockburn, Illinois, Donlen develops innovative fleet management technology solutions for customers in various industries across the U.S. and Canada. Strategically located in Pennsylvania, Texas and Arizona, Curry Supply is a global market leader in the manufacturing of commercial service vehicles. Both companies share a common business ethos – using an authentic and personalized consultative approach to understanding customers’ businesses intimately. This shared mindset was a perfect foundation for a strong partnership moving forward.
Tyler and Pat set out on a mission to fully understand PODS’ core business structure, its service model and the driver experience. They made site visits to two PODS locations in Chicago and St. Louis, and fully immersed themselves in a ‘day in the life’ scenario. In addition to touring the warehouses, they spent time with the location leaders, territory managers, local customer service representatives, technicians and most importantly—the drivers.
At PODS, the drivers are not just drivers – they are the face of the company. They not only drive the PODS trucks, but they are also the main in-person interface with customers. And delivering, placing and retrieving the PODS containers requires both skill with machinery and with customer communication. In describing his ride along experience, Pat said that homeowners come out and watch and the drivers always get an audience. The drivers are instrumental in creating the PODS experience. One customer review is revealing: “I was impressed with the driver’s ability to maneuver the equipment with a high level of precision; he was clearly enjoying the challenge using his skill with the delivery machine to get the job done.” The drivers are valuable assets, and PODS wants them to be as safe and as comfortable as possible.
After the site visits and ride alongs, both Tyler and Pat were armed with the insight and appreciation to develop solutions and recommendations for PODS. The recommendations include additional safety related features for the body and cab, suggestions for streamlining the upfitting process and new cycling parameters. The solutions include a complete fleet health check, a plan for under-utilized vehicles and an overall replacement plan. Together, these recommendations and solutions will save PODS money and time as well as improve the driver experience.
By unbundling their services compared to their current lease model and utilizing Donlen’s managed fleet services, PODS reduces TCO (total cost of ownership) while continuing to meet customer service goals. Additionally, Curry Supply has engineered and designed a completely custom flat-bed to support the inimitable Podzilla – one with a stretch goal of extending life cycle. Curry Supply is set to showcase its flatbed prototype on a road trip later this year. With PODS’ initial order through Donlen and Curry Supply, the new trucks and beds will begin making the PODS rounds just in time for its peak season in April.
The future is bright for not only PODS, but for the partnership between Donlen and Curry Supply. According to Tyler, “Body capabilities are an integral part of the PODS solution and Curry Supply can handle virtually anything PODS needs. Their capabilities are really impressive.” Ralph Dodge, vice president of Business Development at Curry Supply said, “We truly value the relationship with Donlen – we’ve partnered to make things happen that not many others could.” And Pat sums up his experience with Donlen by saying, “With total transparency and constant communication, Donlen has set the bar for how a fleet management company should interact with a body company”.
Meanwhile, there is a PODS container in a driveway somewhere near you. And if you are lucky, you might just catch a Podzilla in action and see the perfect alignment of engineering, expert skill and customer service.