Case Study: Gain a Competitive Advantage with DHL Global Mail

Ingram Book Group partnered with DHL Global Mail to achieve substantial postage savings while receiving enhanced services and fast delivery worldwide.

A single mailing partner for every shipment
As the world’s largest wholesaler of books and other printed materials, Ingram Book Group ships tremendous volumes of merchandise daily. Some shipments are sent to retailers, while others go straight to end customers, since Ingram provides consumer direct fulfillment (CDF) for many clients. In the e-commerce age, that means mailing books, CDs, DVDs, calendars and other products to about 220 countries.

But no matter what or where Ingram ships, the company depends on one partner for all its delivery solutions: DHL Global Mail.

“Wherever a consumer can access the Internet to place an order to one of our clients that we fulfill for, DHL Global Mail is our provider and we have services set up accordingly,” says Ross Womack, Ingram’s Vice President of Global Transportation.

Before DHL Global Mail: Higher costs and other challenges
Several years ago, Ingram worked with different mail providers depending on the type of destination—residential or commercial, domestic or international. However, this arrangement wasn’t cost-effective and created operational challenges. Ingram decided it needed a mailing partner who could help the company cut postage costs to gain a competitive advantage for itself and its clients.

Ingram also wanted a partner who could meet all its shipping and mailing needs. Working with multiple providers, Ingram faced a variety of different requirements for mail preparation and meeting them all was burdensome.

“I wanted the ability to one-stop shop for global mailing solutions,” Womack explains.

Additionally, Ingram sought a more flexible mailing partner. Some unusually early pickup times that Ingram couldn’t control were making it difficult for the company to meet its goal of shipping CDF orders the day they’re received.

Simple setup and customized solutions
In 2004, Ingram partnered with Global Mail to provide all its shipping and mailing solutions. The setup process was “remarkably easy,” Womack recalls, and Global Mail’s flexibility enabled Ingram to schedule evening pickups. Global Mail tailored different solutions to meet the specific needs of each of Ingram’s distribution centers.

“DHL Global Mail is very adaptable from the standpoint of being able to provide solutions for pickup at our door, in spite of where we might be located,” Womack says.

This ability to customize services also helped Ingram achieve the enhanced tracking visibility it needed for international shipments. Businesses traditionally have been forced to settle for less transparency when shipping overseas, but this area was a priority for Ingram, so Global Mail created custom reports to keep the company informed.

Saving on postage and soft costs without sacrificing speed
With Global Mail, Ingram enjoys fast, reliable delivery at cost-effective rates—whether the destination is within the U.S. or halfway around the world. As an example, Womack cites Global Mail’s “affordable premium service” to Australia, where Ingram’s shipments now arrive faster than ever. Similarly, Womack describes Global Mail’s direct entry solution to the U.K. as “both a cost-effective and a very speedy product.”

Global Mail’s competitive rates have enabled Ingram to achieve its primary goal of substantially cutting postage costs. Additionally, because Global Mail’s requirements are simpler than those of Ingram’s previous providers, the company has reduced operational expenses associated with mail preparation.

“With Global Mail,” Womack says, “we’ve realized a significant cost reduction that we have been able to pass to our clients in order for them to gain an advantage in the marketplace.”