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Logistics & distribution

Your outsourced decision intelligence partner. Protect margin, cut waste, and act before problems cost you.

Summit works with UK road haulage, distribution, warehousing, 3PL and cold chain operators who run on thin margins and fragmented spreadsheets. We embed fixed-scope decision support that helps leadership see true cost-to-serve, staff and fleet ahead of demand, stay compliance-ready and stop debating numbers so you can protect margin, reduce cost and move faster on the decisions that matter.

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Segments we serve

Each operating model faces different margin and capacity decisions. We tailor programmes accordingly.

Road Haulage

Protect lane and contract profitability; control fuel cost per mile, fleet utilisation, and unplanned downtime.

Distribution Companies

Reduce cost per stop; improve drop density, first-time delivery rates, and customer-level margin visibility.

Warehousing

Lift throughput without adding headcount; cut labour cost per order, dwell time, and SLA penalty risk.

Third-Party Logistics (3PL)

Meet client SLAs before they escalate; defend renewals with evidence-backed performance and margin discipline.

Cold Chain Logistics

Stay audit-ready on temperature compliance; reduce spoilage risk and speed up retailer evidence requests.

Decisions hidden in the day-to-day

Most operators already hold the information. The gap is whether leadership can act on it in time.

Delivery Data

TMS exports, POD records, route sheets, Excel trackers

Vehicle Data

Telematics, MOT/service logs, mileage, capacity utilisation

Customer Data

CRM, contract rates, SLA terms, volume commitments

Fuel Costs

Fuel cards, depot receipts, £/mile by vehicle class

Warehouse Data

WMS exports, inventory snapshots, pick/pack logs

Staffing

Rosters, agency hours, overtime, cost per unit handled

Thin margins mean every percentage point counts. Spreadsheet reporting hides true cost-to-serve by customer, route, and depot, so leadership debates numbers instead of acting, unprofitable contracts run another month, and peak weeks trigger overtime and agency spend you could have planned for.

Core programmes

Fixed scope, fixed timeline. Each programme answers a specific leadership decision.

Decision Clarity

Operations Clarity Pack

Define what your business needs to decide, before you buy another system or spreadsheet.

From

£2,950

3–4 weeks

Delivery, fleet, warehouse, and finance teams each maintain their own Excel models. Nobody agrees which version of margin is correct, and every TMS or WMS conversation starts from scratch.

What you receive

  • Stakeholder workshops with ops, transport, warehouse, and finance
  • Current-state process maps for reporting and decision workflows
  • Spreadsheet inventory, what exists, who owns it, what breaks
  • Future-state data model and integration requirements (TMS, WMS, telematics, fuel cards)
  • Prioritised requirements backlog with business case per initiative
  • Vendor-agnostic RFP-ready requirements specification

Commercial impact

Reduces duplicate reporting effort and lowers the risk of buying systems that cannot answer your margin questions.

Ideal for

Operators planning a TMS, WMS, or reporting investment who need requirements grounded in the decisions the business actually makes.

Decisions made easier

  • • Single agreed view of data sources and decision gaps
  • • Requirements ready for vendor demos or internal build
  • • Lower project risk before capital spend
  • • Stakeholder alignment on what leadership needs to see weekly
Discuss Operations Clarity Pack
Operational Visibility

Profitable Operations Control Centre

See true margin by customer, route, depot, and vehicle class, while the month is still open.

From

£4,950

4–6 weeks

Finance knows revenue. Operations knows volumes. Nobody can answer 'which customers and routes actually make money?' until month-end, and by then the loss-making contract has run another four weeks.

What you receive

  • Integrated data model joining delivery, fuel, labour, and contract data
  • Executive reporting layer: margin %, cost per drop/mile, revenue per vehicle-day
  • Drill-through by customer, route, depot, and time period
  • Fuel cost per mile and labour cost per unit benchmarks
  • KPI framework with owners and target thresholds
  • 2× stakeholder review sessions and handover documentation

Commercial impact

Gives leadership the evidence to renegotiate, reprice, or exit unprofitable contracts before they erode another quarter.

Ideal for

MDs and finance directors who need board-ready margin visibility without waiting for month-end close.

Decisions made easier

  • • One leadership view replacing fragmented spreadsheet packs
  • • Customer and route profitability visible weekly, not monthly
  • • Evidence base for contract renegotiation or exit decisions
  • • Foundation for ongoing self-serve operational reporting
Discuss Profitable Operations Control Centre
Forward Planning

Volume & Staffing Forecast Programme

Forecast delivery volumes by depot, route, and customer, so you staff and fleet ahead of demand.

From

£5,500

5–7 weeks

Peak weeks surprise you every time. Overtime spikes, agency cover, and missed SLAs, because volume forecasts are last year's spreadsheet plus gut feel.

What you receive

  • Historical volume analysis by depot, route, day-of-week, and season
  • Hold-out validated forecasting model with planning ranges (P10/P50/P90)
  • 4-week rolling forecast refreshed from your data
  • Scenario inputs for promotions, new contracts, and weather/events
  • Integration guide for rota and fleet planning workflows
  • Optional: Summit Forecast platform subscription for self-serve updates

Commercial impact

Supports better rota and fleet decisions ahead of peak, reducing reliance on last-minute agency cover and overtime.

Ideal for

Distribution and 3PL operators with seasonal or promotional volume swings affecting staffing and fleet.

Decisions made easier

  • • Validated forecasts leadership can trust for rota and fleet decisions
  • • Reduced last-minute agency and overtime costs
  • • Fewer SLA breaches from under-resourced peak days
  • • Planning ranges, not false-precision single numbers
Discuss Volume & Staffing Forecast Programme
Systems & Scale

90-Day Spreadsheet Exit Programme

90-day plan to move off Excel chaos, without stopping operations or buying the wrong platform.

From

£3,500

3–4 weeks

Everyone knows spreadsheets aren't sustainable. But every transformation attempt stalls because nobody mapped which spreadsheet does what, or how to migrate without breaking operations.

What you receive

  • Spreadsheet and shadow-system audit across ops, finance, and warehouse
  • Target data architecture: source systems, integration points, reporting layer
  • Phased 90-day roadmap with quick wins in weeks 1–4
  • Technology shortlist (build vs buy) with evaluation criteria
  • Change impact assessment and training plan
  • Business case with cost of inaction vs investment

Commercial impact

Quantifies the hidden cost of manual reconciliation and shadow systems, building the case to invest in integrated operations.

Ideal for

Growing logistics operators who have outgrown Excel but aren't ready for a full ERP programme.

Decisions made easier

  • • Clear, phased path off spreadsheets
  • • Quick wins deliverable in the first month
  • • Board-ready business case for technology investment
  • • Reduced risk of buying the wrong platform
Discuss 90-Day Spreadsheet Exit Programme
Performance Improvement

Last-Mile Profit Improvement Sprint

Fix margin leaks at the stop level, drop density, failed deliveries, and cost per stop.

From

£3,950

4–6 weeks

Revenue per van looks fine until you count failed deliveries, re-routes, waiting time, and fuel on empty miles. Margin leaks at the stop level, invisible in monthly P&L.

What you receive

  • Value stream map of order-to-delivery workflow
  • Baseline metrics: cost per stop, drop density, first-time delivery rate, idle time
  • Root-cause analysis on top 3 margin leaks
  • Quick-win implementation plan (2–4 week sprints)
  • Revised standard operating procedures for dispatch and drivers
  • Before/after measurement framework

Commercial impact

Targets the delivery cost line items that spreadsheet P&Ls hide, failed deliveries, empty miles, and poor drop density.

Ideal for

Distribution and last-mile operators where delivery cost is the largest variable cost line.

Decisions made easier

  • • Quantified cost per stop with clear improvement targets
  • • Failed delivery rate reduced with root causes addressed
  • • Dispatch and driver SOPs updated and embedded
  • • Measurement framework to sustain gains
Discuss Last-Mile Profit Improvement Sprint
Growth & Compliance

Major Contract Win Programme

Build a compelling, evidence-backed bid for high-value logistics contracts, with margin-protecting pricing.

From

£4,950

3–5 weeks (aligned to tender deadline)

A major retailer or manufacturer RFP lands. The ops team knows you can deliver, but the bid reads like every other haulier because nobody had time to build a compelling, evidence-based story.

What you receive

  • Bid/no-bid assessment and win strategy
  • Win themes and differentiators mapped to evaluation criteria
  • Methodology and operating model response (tailored to your capabilities)
  • Case study and evidence pack (anonymised operational metrics)
  • Pricing model and commercial structure with sensitivity analysis
  • Full quality review before submission

Commercial impact

Strengthens win probability on major contracts while building pricing discipline that protects margin, not just price.

Ideal for

Logistics operators pursuing contracts worth £500k+ annually with structured evaluation criteria.

Decisions made easier

  • • Compliant, compelling bid that stands out on methodology
  • • Pricing model that protects margin, not just wins on price
  • • Reusable bid content for future opportunities
  • • Higher quality score on technical and commercial sections
Discuss Major Contract Win Programme

Segment-specific programmes

Deeper support for warehousing, cold chain, fleet and framework bids.

Operational Visibility

Warehouse Throughput & SLA Control

Spot SLA risk and throughput bottlenecks before the client calls, not after.

WarehousingDistribution CompaniesThird-Party Logistics (3PL)

From £4,500 · 4–5 weeks

Operational Visibility

Cold Chain Compliance Control

Track temperature excursions and compliance gaps in hours, not at audit time.

Cold Chain LogisticsDistribution Companies

From £4,750 · 4–6 weeks

Forward Planning

Fleet Breakdown Prevention Pilot

Prioritise maintenance by breakdown risk, cut unplanned downtime and emergency hire costs.

Road HaulageDistribution Companies

From £6,500 · 6–8 weeks

Systems & Scale

System Selection That Protects Margin

Choose the right transport or warehouse system, requirements-led, not demo-led.

Distribution CompaniesWarehousingThird-Party Logistics (3PL)

From £8,500 · 6–10 weeks

Performance Improvement

Warehouse Output Improvement Programme

More orders per hour on the same headcount, without defaulting to overtime.

WarehousingThird-Party Logistics (3PL)Cold Chain Logistics

From £4,250 · 4–6 weeks

Growth & Compliance

Public Sector Framework Readiness

Compliant framework applications for NHS, local authority, and government logistics contracts.

Third-Party Logistics (3PL)Distribution CompaniesCold Chain Logistics

From £5,500 · 3–6 weeks (aligned to framework deadline)

Programme brochures

Download by segment

Short PDF overviews for sharing with your board or ops leadership team.

Road Haulage

Protect lane and contract profitability; control fuel cost per mile, fleet utilisation, and unplanned downtime.

Margin Decision Diagnostic

Pinpoint where margin leaks and which decisions to fix first before you commit to systems or hires.

Download brochure

Operations Clarity Pack

Define what leadership needs to decide before another TMS, WMS or spreadsheet rebuild starts.

Download brochure

Logistics Margin Command Centre

See true cost-to-serve by customer, route and depot so unprofitable work stops running another month.

Download brochure

Demand & Volume Forecaster

Staff and fleet ahead of seasonal peaks instead of absorbing overtime and agency cost you could have planned.

Download brochure

Fleet Predictive Maintenance Pilot

Reduce unplanned downtime and protect lane commitments with maintenance decisions based on evidence.

Download brochure

Spreadsheet Exit Roadmap

Replace fragile reporting with a phased plan leadership can fund and operations can adopt.

Download brochure

TMS / WMS Selection Sprint

Choose transport or warehouse systems against requirements tied to margin and SLA decisions.

Download brochure

Major Contract Bid Accelerator

Win larger contracts with commercial models and evidence packs that stand up under client scrutiny.

Download brochure

Distribution Companies

Reduce cost per stop; improve drop density, first-time delivery rates, and customer-level margin visibility.

Margin Decision Diagnostic

Pinpoint where margin leaks and which decisions to fix first before you commit to systems or hires.

Download brochure

Operations Clarity Pack

Define what leadership needs to decide before another TMS, WMS or spreadsheet rebuild starts.

Download brochure

Logistics Margin Command Centre

See true cost-to-serve by customer, route and depot so unprofitable work stops running another month.

Download brochure

Cold Chain Compliance Hub

Stay audit-ready on temperature compliance and reduce spoilage risk before clients escalate.

Download brochure

Demand & Volume Forecaster

Staff and fleet ahead of seasonal peaks instead of absorbing overtime and agency cost you could have planned.

Download brochure

Fleet Predictive Maintenance Pilot

Reduce unplanned downtime and protect lane commitments with maintenance decisions based on evidence.

Download brochure

Spreadsheet Exit Roadmap

Replace fragile reporting with a phased plan leadership can fund and operations can adopt.

Download brochure

TMS / WMS Selection Sprint

Choose transport or warehouse systems against requirements tied to margin and SLA decisions.

Download brochure

Last Mile Margin Sprint

Improve drop density and cost per stop with a focused review of last-mile profitability.

Download brochure

Major Contract Bid Accelerator

Win larger contracts with commercial models and evidence packs that stand up under client scrutiny.

Download brochure

Public Sector Framework Response

Submit compliant framework applications that open multi-year revenue without disqualification on technicalities.

Download brochure

Warehousing

Lift throughput without adding headcount; cut labour cost per order, dwell time, and SLA penalty risk.

Margin Decision Diagnostic

Pinpoint where margin leaks and which decisions to fix first before you commit to systems or hires.

Download brochure

Operations Clarity Pack

Define what leadership needs to decide before another TMS, WMS or spreadsheet rebuild starts.

Download brochure

Warehouse Performance Hub

Lift throughput and labour productivity with operational visibility warehouse managers can act on daily.

Download brochure

Demand & Volume Forecaster

Staff and fleet ahead of seasonal peaks instead of absorbing overtime and agency cost you could have planned.

Download brochure

Spreadsheet Exit Roadmap

Replace fragile reporting with a phased plan leadership can fund and operations can adopt.

Download brochure

TMS / WMS Selection Sprint

Choose transport or warehouse systems against requirements tied to margin and SLA decisions.

Download brochure

Warehouse Throughput Boost

Cut dwell time and labour cost per order without adding headcount through targeted process change.

Download brochure

Third-Party Logistics (3PL)

Meet client SLAs before they escalate; defend renewals with evidence-backed performance and margin discipline.

Margin Decision Diagnostic

Pinpoint where margin leaks and which decisions to fix first before you commit to systems or hires.

Download brochure

Operations Clarity Pack

Define what leadership needs to decide before another TMS, WMS or spreadsheet rebuild starts.

Download brochure

Logistics Margin Command Centre

See true cost-to-serve by customer, route and depot so unprofitable work stops running another month.

Download brochure

Warehouse Performance Hub

Lift throughput and labour productivity with operational visibility warehouse managers can act on daily.

Download brochure

Demand & Volume Forecaster

Staff and fleet ahead of seasonal peaks instead of absorbing overtime and agency cost you could have planned.

Download brochure

Spreadsheet Exit Roadmap

Replace fragile reporting with a phased plan leadership can fund and operations can adopt.

Download brochure

TMS / WMS Selection Sprint

Choose transport or warehouse systems against requirements tied to margin and SLA decisions.

Download brochure

Last Mile Margin Sprint

Improve drop density and cost per stop with a focused review of last-mile profitability.

Download brochure

Warehouse Throughput Boost

Cut dwell time and labour cost per order without adding headcount through targeted process change.

Download brochure

Major Contract Bid Accelerator

Win larger contracts with commercial models and evidence packs that stand up under client scrutiny.

Download brochure

Public Sector Framework Response

Submit compliant framework applications that open multi-year revenue without disqualification on technicalities.

Download brochure

Cold Chain Logistics

Stay audit-ready on temperature compliance; reduce spoilage risk and speed up retailer evidence requests.

Margin Decision Diagnostic

Pinpoint where margin leaks and which decisions to fix first before you commit to systems or hires.

Download brochure

Operations Clarity Pack

Define what leadership needs to decide before another TMS, WMS or spreadsheet rebuild starts.

Download brochure

Cold Chain Compliance Hub

Stay audit-ready on temperature compliance and reduce spoilage risk before clients escalate.

Download brochure

Demand & Volume Forecaster

Staff and fleet ahead of seasonal peaks instead of absorbing overtime and agency cost you could have planned.

Download brochure

Spreadsheet Exit Roadmap

Replace fragile reporting with a phased plan leadership can fund and operations can adopt.

Download brochure
Evidence in progress

Decision outcomes we deliver

Named case studies are being prepared with client permission. These placeholders reflect the decisions and results we target in live engagements.

Case study forthcoming

Regional haulage operator

120-vehicle fleet, multi-depot UK road haulage, thin contract margins.

Leadership could see revenue by customer but not true cost-to-serve once empty running, fuel variance and agency drivers were included.

Decisions made easier

  • • Which contracts to reprice or exit at renewal
  • • Where to redeploy vehicles before peak season
  • • When to absorb overtime versus hiring

Target outcomes

  • • Margin leakage identified on three major accounts within six weeks
  • • Reduced monthly reconciliation time for finance
  • • Management confidence in weekly operating reviews

Case study forthcoming

Third-party logistics provider

Multi-client warehousing and distribution, SLA penalties eroding account profitability.

Client service teams learned about SLA risk from customer emails before operations had a consolidated view by site and client.

Decisions made easier

  • • Which accounts need intervention before renewal
  • • How to staff shifts ahead of volume spikes
  • • Where process waste drives cost per order

Target outcomes

  • • Earlier escalation on at-risk SLAs
  • • Improved forecast accuracy for seasonal labour planning
  • • Evidence-ready performance packs for QBRs

Frequently asked questions

We already have a TMS and telematics. Why would we need Summit?
Systems capture activity. They rarely tell you which customers, routes or depots destroy margin, where to cut waste before peak season, or how to staff ahead of demand. We connect what you already have to decisions your board and ops directors need to make weekly.
How quickly can we see margin impact?
Diagnostic work surfaces priority decisions within days. Command centre and visibility programmes typically deliver leadership-ready views within four to eight weeks. Clients often identify one to three percent margin leakage in the first quarter when cost-to-serve was previously hidden in spreadsheets.
Can you help us win public sector logistics contracts?
Yes. Our framework response and major contract bid accelerators are built for operators who need compliant submissions, defensible pricing and evidence packs that survive technical evaluation.

Start with a decision review

Free 30-minute call. Diagnostic workshop from £950, credited toward any programme.

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