UK Transport Awards 2021

6 | Transport Awards 2021 Feb21149 in an industry where it can be hard to stand out, and its partners, including the renowned World Options shipping group, recognise this. They also recognise its dedication to helping small to medium enterprises in their distribution requirements, knowing all too well how often these businesses are overlooked. In the industry in which EDS Couriers works, too often its competitors focus primarily on the titans of industry who can instantly give them access to large revenue streams. EDS Couriers wants to be different – instead, it works with these smaller start-up businesses to develop a plan that is sustainable for them. This forges solid relationships with these smaller businesses and provides them a springboard by use of its dependable services. Its client’s success is its success, and through open, supportive dialogue it cements partnerships that last years. Communication is a critical part of business for EDS Couriers; whether it’s a business partner, a client, or a client’s end user, this company will always strive to maintain transparent, honest, and friendly conversations. Things going wrong is just another fact of life for an industry that handles thousands upon thousands of small elements each headed in different directions, what is not a fact of life is handling it poorly. Having been privy to too many horror stories of complacency making for unnecessarily poor service in its sector, EDS Couriers has solidified a determination to be different. It will always be truthful with a client when something has gone amiss, pulling out all the stops to fix it. This feeds into its core values of problem solving and consistency. By taking every issue not as an insurmountable problem, but as a task that requires solving, it approaches each hurdle with diligence, resolving it quickly and efficiently. It also loves to challenge the norm and be proactive about doing so. Whenever an element of its process isn’t working or could be better, it will not stop until that aspect has been changed into something better, using technological acumen and technical knowhow. This has made it a cut above many of the more traditional businesses it competes against, thinking of change as an opportunity for beneficial growth. In this way, its also holds a core tenant of positivity, and keeps itself competitive in the same stroke. EDS Couriers is always pushing for continued betterment internally and in how it can best serve its clients, and thus is grateful for feedback from them; it will always do its best to act on any critique given. Its founder, Leonard Evans, began his foray into business in owning petrol stations, expanding into the courier industry in the 80s. These humble beginnings mean that at the heart of EDS Couriers is an intrinsic understanding of what it means to be a small business trying to break into a highly competitive field. It also is aware that the market looks vastly different today than it did back then, and so another factor of its constant push for growth and change is in effort to respond to this. To help the small businesses of today, it must have a finger on the pulse of the markets they are trying to break into, with a working knowledge of the how and why behind these changes. By keeping track of the trajectory that the industry is on, it can also ensure that its processes are some of the most up to date they can possibly be. The business is now owned by the 3rd generation of the family, namely by Leonard’s grandson Matthew Evans, employing over 150 people across EDS Couriers’ two depots, with the younger members of the family also heavily involved in the business. EDS Couriers is a labour of love for the family who have poured so much love and experience into making it exemplary, and other members of the family oversee both customers support and fleet mechanics respectively. This company is also proud to say that many families who have worked with it for generations are also still a big part of the company in the modern day. In this way, it is a shining example of how a company with a storied history and roots in a traditional industry can evolve to become a truly modern enterprise. The loyalty of its staff is repaid with loyalty from the company in a mutually supportive relationship that extends the familial atmosphere to the entire team. Its customers are predominantly therefore local SME businesses based across several postcodes in its region, such as WS, WV, ST, and CW. EDS Couriers also has funnelled significant investment into its workforce, and the team are all incredibly skilled and efficient. This team is a pivotal part of the EDS Couriers success story, as it is their hard work that has made the business’s customer service such a cornerstone of its operation. They Its large range of flexible and adaptive solutions can all be tailored to suit a client’s needs, working with them to iron out their demands, and recommend the service it thinks they will best benefit from. offer a friendly, personable, and charismatic approach, that is committed to responding to any client queries, concerns, or comments with knowledge and empathy. Therefore, it monitors its own performance strictly when it comes to this. The senior management team are constantly looking for ways to improve, listening to feedback given through online or telephone formats that they then feed back to the wider company. EDS Couriers believes it is of vital importance that the customer is listened to at every step of the process, even, and perhaps especially, after a job is done. With the benefit of hindsight is when the best steps for improvement can be taken, and its clients appreciate being able to actively see their critiques and concerns being considered and implemented when they next go to use the service. It also believes that it is an extension of its customers business, knowing that for the small to medium enterprises it serves, every delivery is vitally important, and so it will never accept second best. For EDS Couriers, it is never just about making ‘a new sale’, but rather about making a new connection that will carry both companies into the future for years, and better both as a result. It wishes first and foremost to contribute positively to its local business infrastructure with all its manoeuvres, doing the hard work so that its customers can concentrate on their own expansion. Therefore, internally, it holds its staff up as the driving force behind its success. When it comes to new hires, it looks for people who will fit in to the already outstanding attitude of its existing team. It’s easy enough to train a person to have the right skills, but it’s hard to train an attitude, and so it looks only for those who are honest and hard working. EDS Couriers then gives back to them, in return for the work, by ensuring that their wellbeing is well taken care of. It has implemented many mental health safeguarding methods over the course of the past few years, including having a local counselling service available to them to support them through times of stress. As it moves forward into the future of its business, EDS Couriers will be continuing to improve and involve. From its fleet to its depot, internally and externally, it promises that the only way from here is up; and that it will keep ‘doing [its] very best by [its] staff and customers.’ Company: EDS Couriers Ltd Contact: Holly Robinson Website: https://edscouriers.co.uk/