Nothing makes us happier than to help our customers identify solutions that solve their immediate and long-term problems related to inventory management, packaging materials, shipping issues, logistics, or even warehouse space.  To give you an idea how our amazing staff at SSCo solves customer challenges every day we invite you to review a few brief examples of our Customer Success Stories. Click here to see the latest additions to our list of Customer Success Stories. :

Case 1: Customer Employee Safety & Cost Savings

Problem: One of our valued customers called us to assist with a problem. A noticeable spike in laceration-related Workers’ Comp Claims was occurring in the shipping department.  After looking into the occurrences, they identified steel strapping as the primary source of the injuries.

Solution: One of SSCo’s team member for the customer traveled to the warehouse to investigate the problem and quickly determined that switching from steel straps to plastic straps would not only be a safer solution but it would also be a less-expensive strap and just as effective as the steel strap.

Result:  Workers Comp Claims significantly decreased and the company didn’t lose any load containment.

Case 2: Supply Shortage Problem

Problem: SSCo was contacted by a long-time customer with a very common problem.  They were constantly running out of the packaging supplies they needed to keep their production lines up and running.

Solution: SSCo’s Barry Epstein met with the customer and after touring the facility determined that the customer was a great fit for our Easy Supply Program (ESP) which is designed to allow SSCo to manage all packaging supply stocking and inventory. Barry set up the customer on a program that includes counting and replenishing the customer’s packaging inventory 3 times a week with the guarantee that customer would never run out of inventory.

Result: The customer’s productivity increased considerably and the stress of worrying about packaging supply outages or downtime was eliminated.

Case 3: Discovering an Unrealized Opportunity 

Problem: Sometimes our customers don’t immediately realize a problem (or opportunity) exists in their operation.  Such was the case with a customer that simply wasn’t interested in SSCo’s initial product presentation but was willing to continue a conversation once they realized that SSCo offered other options to address packaging issues.

Solution: Upon further discussion SSCo and the customer collectively discovered an unrealized problem relating to the packaging tape that was being used.  Our SSCo rep recommended switching to a tape product much more suited for the packaging process and the problem was solved.

Result:  This initial success story helped build a trusting relationship between SSCo and the customer which has grown into the customer becoming a member of SSCo’s Easy Supply Program (ESP).

Case 4: Manpower Problem Solved

Problem: A bourbon distillery contacted SSCo’s Jeff Jordan with a labor issue.  The root of the problem pointed to spending too much time and money writing the custom information on the bourbon bottle labels by hand. 

Solution: Jeff visited the distillery equipped with an Auto-print HP/Labelmate label feeder and printer that he set up and demonstrated for the attendees. 

Result: After running a successful test of the printer and label feeder the customer purchased the unit and can now print an entire roll of labels at one time – that’s 1000 labels produced at the same time it took to manually print 25 – 30 labels.   

Case 5: Faulty Strapping Machine

Problem: During an onsite equipment service call, Troy Barnickle, SSCo’s Service Manager, was asked by the customer to take a look at ongoing strapping issue which was occurring with a Signode machine purchased from another provider. 

Solution: After taking a closer look at the machine Troy identified and pointed out performance flaws in the Signode machine and recommended switching to a new and more reliable Strapack unit.  The customer was very appreciative of the advice and proceeded to contact Jeff Jordan, SSCo’s Equipment Specialist, and asked him for a quote.

Result: The new Strapack unit that was purchased from SSCo not only solved the strapping issues but has provided significant cost savings.  In a span of 4 years the customer has purchased a total of 21 new Strapack units and has shifted all the strapping business from the previous provider to SSCo.

Case 6: Single Source for Packaging Supplies

Problem: Several years ago, one of SSCo’s larger customers with multiple locations was facing a common issue. How to manage doing business with 10+ packaging supply vendors.

Solution: SSCo’s Stuart Allen, recognized the problem and approached the regional manager to propose a plan for SSCo to become the single distributor for all of the company’s packaging supply needs.  The plan included offering a s set price structure for all locations and clearly identified the valuable time the customer could save by shifting all packaging supply business to one trusted vendor.  

Result: The plan immediately eliminated the loss of time that had been dedicated to dealing with multiple supplier reps.  The plan also simplified corporate purchasing’s time by reducing the number of vendors they had to manage. Stuart continues to be the exclusive rep and primary contact for all of the customer’s packaging supply needs.

Case 7: Improper Pallet Load: Lantech to the Rescue

Problem: SSCo was contacted by a customer to see if we could solve an ongoing shipping problem.  The customer pointed out that some of the pallet loads were shifting and not staying together during the shipment.

Solution: SSCo contacted its vendor/partner, Lantech, and asked them to assist in identifying the problem. After sending a shipment to Lantech, pictures were taken of the load to illustrate how loose the pallets were when the truck arrived. After reworking the loads, SSCo invited the customer’s engineers to Lantech’s facility to see the proposed new configuration for loading the pallets on the truck. The customer still implements this solution today.

Case 8:  Trust and Patience Lead to Long-Term Relationships 

Problem: SSCo often has loyal customers with very basic packaging supply needs.  But, sometimes during phone conversations our Customer Service Team identifies potential problems that can be solved.  Here’s an example: during a conversation with a customer, the purchasing manager mentions that he was constantly running out of packaging supplies such as strapping, labels, and ribbon.

Solution:  SSCo’s Customer Service expert who had already established a trusted relationship with the purchasing manager suggested that he consider SSCo’s Easy Supply Program (ESP) which not only addressed the inventory problem but also guaranteed that customer would never run out of supplies.

Result:  The purchasing manager enrolled in ESP and very quickly started seeing multiple benefits of the program.  4+ years later, the ESP solution has not only corrected the problem of running out of supplies, but it has also saved his company valuable time and money.  

Case 9: Logistics Problem

Problem:  SSCo received a call from a valued customer with a logistics issue. Several of their trucks were experiencing road load failures due to the pallets being stacked in columns.

Solution:  SSCo’s Barry Epstein investigated the problem and recommended conducting a Shaker Table Test to identify potential load shifting issues caused by vibration during the truck’s long-haul travel.  The video from the test showed that the side-by-side stacking of the columns was the cause of the problem. SSCo corrected the issue by slightly offsetting the center stacks   and reconfiguring the loading method so the product columns did not overlap the pallet.

Result:  The load failure problem was resolved and the customer’s logistic efficiency noticeable improved.

Result: The new load profile dramatically reduced the shifting issue which resulted in reducing shipping damage and saving costs.  To date, this customer has purchased numerous Lantech units, continues to be a great customer for SSCo, and never hesitates to call us anytime they have a packaging issue.  

Case 10:  Last Minute Problem

Problem: SSCo’s Customer Service Team often addresses customer problems that are “last minute” situations. An example is a trucking company that contacted SSCo with a need for a series of strap-related items including the tools, dispenser cart, strapping material, seals, tensioner, and sealer.

Solution: Since the need was immediate, SSCo’s Laura Browning, asked the customer a few more questions about the shipment and suggested going with a simpler and cheaper solution: using buckles and straps which avoided the need for all the other strap-related items the customer originally requested.

Result: The customer went with the proposed alternate solution and the shipment was not only made on time but at a cost saving of over 10 times the price of the initial requested strapping items.

Case 11:  We’ve Got Your Back 

Problem: A valued customer contacted SSCo with a serious tool problem that needed to solved very quickly.  After gathering all the details on the phone the customer alluded that all his tools were either broken or misplaced. But, he was in dire need of the tools.

Solution:  The solution was an easy one: SSCo simply loaned the customer all the tools he needed while the equipment service team made the repairs to the customer’s tools.

Result: Rapidly responding to this problem and others as well has helped to develop a strong relationship with this customer.  It’s a relationship built on earned trust and mutual respect for each other. 

Case 12: Better, Faster, & Cheaper

Problem: SSCo’s Laura Browning was contacted by a company that produces lawn, garden, and farm equipment with an immediate request.  They were in need of a special shipping product (VCI bag) used to inhibit rust during a shipment.

Solution: Laura jumped into action to investigate the problem and after a brief discussion with other members of the team they realized that they had in stock a surplus of VCI Paper which they determined would not only solve the problem but it was a far cheaper item than the VCI Bag. The surplus supply of VCI Paper was immediately delivered to the customer.

Result:  The VCI paper alternative not only saved the customer valuable time in delivery but the item was much less expensive than the original VCI bag that the customer initially requested.

Case 13:  One Good Deed Leads to Another

Problem: During a visit with a customer we collectively discovered an issue that was rapidly developing into a problem. Properly stocking one of their specialty packaging items, a molded fiber tray, was causing a major headache in the limited space they had in their warehouse.

Solution: The SSCo team quickly offered a solution to the problem by offering to store and manage the inventory of the item at our warehouse facility.  And then to deliver pallets of the molded fiber tray as needed.

Result:  The solution was very well received and lead to the customer becoming a member of SSCo’s Easy Supply Program (ESP).  Today SSCo manages over 25 items for the customer.

Case 14:  Immediate Need on a Bi-Weekly Basis 

Problem: SSCo’s Customer Service Team is often contacted by a customer who is facing a sudden need to replenish their inventory of a particular packaging supply product. In one case, the customer calls in with an Expedited Shipment request 2 to 3 times a month.  It seems that there are systematic supply inventory problems within the company which causes machine linemen assembling one product to remove stock items from another group of machine linemen without letting them know.

Solution: After several conversations with the customer, SSCo’s Morgan Allen has developed a trusted relationship with the material manager and has always been prepared to address the immediate need for inventory when she receives the call for the Expedited Shipment request.

Result: This customer now considers SSCo as a trusted, reliable, and valuable vendor/partner. We take great pride in saying that “we’ll never let them run out” for each and every one of our valued customers.

Case 15: Simple Problem Solving Earns Trust

Problem: SSCo’s Jeff Jordan received a call from a frustrated customer about an issue he was having with a tape machine.  The customer was seeking a tape machine that had an extended conveyor, so he could mount an ink jet printhead on the conveyor after the case is sealed.  He said he had previously contacted another manufacturer (3M), but never received a response.

Solution: Jeff tapped into his extensive knowledge of tape equipment and identified the perfect solution: a Bestpack MSL 22-2 tape machine, that featured an extended conveyor section that was ideal for his specific application. SSCo then coordinated the next step that included sending small customer cases to Bestpack to be tested.

Result: Once the test results were verified, the grateful customer purchased the machine and the problem was solved.

Case 16: Bending Over Backwards for Backorders

Problem: A common problem is receiving an urgent request from a customer who simply can’t wait for a backordered item. Such was the case with a valued customer who originally requested 24 boxes of an item and found themselves totally out of stock before the backorder could be delivered.

Solution: SSCo made an immediate partial order delivery – prior to the absolute deadline – in order to address the customer’s urgent need. A 2nd delivery was made the following day.

Result: The appreciative customer sent this very nice message: “Thank you for the quick response on the materials needed. We received 12 rolls on Monday and another 16 rolls today (Tuesday). We should be good for this week. THANK YOU VERY MUCH and please pass it on.”

Case 17: A Honey of a Good Story

Opportunity: This is more of a community outreach story than a typical customer success story. SSCo Replenishment Specialist, Susan Spatz and her fiancé were touched by a news article about a 13-year-old entrepreneur who took the initiative to start a honey business with his uncle. Not only did the young man learn how to become a beekeeper but he was using the money from the sale of honey to help pay for his education at Trinity High School in Louisville. After purchasing and receiving an order of the honey Susan was curious to find out if SSCo could save the honey business some money on the packaging material used in the delivery.

Solution: Susan contacted the young business owner and learned that the small biz was paying much more for their packaging material than they needed to. Susan worked with SSCo’s Laura Browning to offer the same packaging material at a significantly lower price.

Result: The result was a triple victory. The cost savings helped the honey business become more profitable, our young hero was able to earn more money for his education, and Susan and Laura felt pretty darn good about supporting a very worthy cause.

Case 18: SSCo Solves Mysterious Film Break Problem

Problem: A frustrated customer was experiencing film breaks on their equipment for several weeks which prompted a number of calls to SSCo’s customer service center complaining that the film was causing the problem. After making multiple deliveries of the film which resulted in the same issue, SSCo offered to visit the client to determine the cause of the problem.

Opportunity: Troy Barnickle (SSCo’s Service Manager) scheduled an appointment to inspect the client’s machinery. During the visit he identified a roller in the equipment as the potential issue for causing the film to break. The customer’s maintenance manager was initially skeptical that the roller was in fact the issue, but Troy offered to replace the roller to see if it would in fact resolve the problem.

Solution: Troy scheduled another complimentary visit to the plant to replace the existing roller with an alternate model. To the customer’s surprise the new roller corrected the problem. Upon closer inspection it was determined that the original roller had a coating which caused it to rub and break the film. The maintenance manager was very grateful for solving the problem. Troy not only solved the problem, but he made the maintenance manager a hero at his company.

Case 19: Customer Benefits from SSCo’s Knowledgeable Staff

Problem: A valued customer contacted SSCo’s Laura Browning with a problem they were having with strapping their plastic piping after it had been wound onto a large spool. The customer had initially attempted to correct the issue with a Fromm P357 Pnuematic tool but it proved to be too heavy for the operators to use over a 10-hour time frame.

Solution: So, Laura suggested that they take a look at the BXT3-16 Battery Combo Tool – a considerably lighter tool than the Fromm P357 Pnuematic. SSCo’s Sed Parker took a BXT3-16 to the customer and showed them how to make the adjustments for tension and weld time. After making a few adjustments to the tool Sed and the operators found the correct setting and then proceeded to test the new piece of equipment. The operators took turns to try it out and everyone were pleasantly surprised how light the tool was and how easy it was to operate.

Result: The BXT3-16 Battery Combo Tool proved to be an excellent solution which led to the customer ordering two additional units. Soon after, the customer shared another problem they were having with their Ink Jet Printers which lead to SSCo providing a new quote for an alternate and better performing Ink Jet System.

Case 20: When Shipments Go Missing in the Night

Problem: One of SSCo’s major appliance customers experienced a series of critical delivery problems during a harsh winter season. As many as 4 scheduled orders that were picked up from Shippers by the customer’s logistics carrier either never made it to its out-of-state
destination, or was significantly delayed. SSCo’s account manager, Stuart Allen, was made aware of the situation when the customer requested an urgent Expedite. It was time to drop everything and jump into action.

Solution: Stuart contacted SSCo’s Inventory Specialist, Sergio Quinonez-Montalvo, and Special Projects Manager, Pam Grazer, to immediately address the problem. The objective of the solution was obvious: to identify an alternate plan for refilling the orders and delivering the inventory as quickly as possible. Despite the need to take some additional steps including identifying a reliable Expedite carrier and working into the night hours, the orders were refilled and made ready to ship thanks to SSCo warehouse and inventory experts Mike Phillips and Ryan Mimms. The backup carrier picked up the new order and successfully arrived at the destinations with the needed inventory with just hours to spare.

Result: Quickly responding to a critical issue and delivering the needed inventory avoided the customer having to shut down their operations. It’s just another example of SSCo delivering on its promise to do whatever it takes to meet the needs of our customers. Every day our goal is to solve problems that make our customers the hero.

Final Note: We hope you found value in reading some of these summarized Customer Success Stories. Feel free to return to this page to view more as we add new stories to the collection.  If you have a current problem relating to inventory management, packaging supplies, 3PL or any other shipping-related need please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.  Our passion is solving problems and making you the hero in the process.