UDS (CE) (USOTC:UDSG)
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UDS Group, Inc. (Pink Sheets:UDSG),
a leader in Delivery Management Solutions and Management Services today
released the following write up from the South Florida Business Journal.
DELIVERING THE GOODS...Firm helps businesses outsource sales
process by Leslie Kraft Burke
(as printed in The South Florida Business Journal) http://southflorida.bizjournals.com/southflorida/
(P14 August 3-9, 2007 REPRINTED BY: SOUTH FLORIDA BUSINESS JOURNAL.
FURTHER REPRODUCTION BY ANY OTHER PARTY STRICTLY PROHIBITED. COPYRIGHT©
2007 SOUTH FLORIDA BUSINESS JOURNAL, 1000 E. HILLSBORO BLVD., #103,
DEERFIELD BEACH, FL 33441 / 954.949.7600)
Most of us are happy with a delivery service if we receive what we've
ordered in a reasonable amount of time and with minimal hassle. But
executives at Universal Delivery Solutions (UDS) say they can do much
better than that - for businesses and consumers.
The Boca Raton-based company, created in 2004 by Lewis G. Plaut and his
sons, Ryan Coblin and Adam Coblin, is trying to radically change the way
businesses sell and deliver products. It lets businesses outsource the
process: Customers call UDS, which takes the order, tries to upsell and
then passes the order back to the business, which actually prepares the
product and delivers it.
The business also gets marketing consultation, a delivery service
operations manual and order-tracking software from UDS (Pink
Sheets:UDSG), which is paid a percentage of delivery sales.
"Right now, we're working with food service companies, but the system
can work for companies not traditionally involved in offering delivery
services, like pharmacies, electronics and DIY home projects
businesses," Plaut said. "We've all seen companies trying to make the
consumers' experiences with them as comfortable as possible. Delivery is
the next frontier. The way to grow sales is to offer immediacy."
From test periods with some franchisers of Salad Creations and Subway,
UDS was able to deliver increased sales of more than 10 percent, nearly
tripled order ticket averages and show more than 75 percent customer
retention, Adam Coblin said. "Employees dealing with walk-in traffic get
busy and may not think or take the time to offer customers the
opportunity to buy something more," he explained. "Our staff will learn
the company's culture and process and take the time with customers to
treat them personally and offer them more options. That leads to more
repeat business and higher tickets."
UDS currently has about 20 staff, of whom about seven are call center
representatives. While management owns about 60 percent of the company's
stock, Coblin, who has an investment brokerage background, said he hopes
to eventually offer staff stock options, along with their current
benefits package.
Working with UDS' staff has increased sales by 5 percent to 9 percent
and average order tickets by two and a half times for longtime Subway
franchisee Tony Esposito. Esposito, who tested the services at his Fort
Lauderdale location at Cypress Creek Road and Federal Highway, charges
customers a $2.50 fee for the service, which he splits with his drivers,
who also work as "sandwich artists" for about $8 an hour at his store.
The drivers keep their tips, which average about $4 an order.
"It's been really well received by customers and employees," said
Esposito, who added that the UDS system also was being tested in some
Subway stores in Naples and Fort Myers. "We had tried delivery in the
past, but found it difficult because people would always call at our
busiest times. UDS staff is not rushed, so they can take the time to
upsell the customer."
He said he's hopeful that Subway's corporate office will take UDS'
service as system wide test.
"It provides unbelievable convenience for customers, especially for
those of stores in places that have inclement weather, he said.”We
haven't been getting a lot of sales because our stores don't deliver.
This could change that and make a huge difference to a lot of
franchisees."
THE CHALLENGES:
Getting the word out about a new business and concept.
Not being able to tap private money because the concept was new.
Finding good employees.
Helping potential clients understand how the concept could add value
to their business.
Creating the software specific to the business.
LESSONS LEARNED:
Keep a tight rein on proprietary information.
You get what you pay for with employees, so pay for good talent.
See mistakes as learning opportunities.
Don't micro-manage.
UNIVERSAL DELIVERY SOLUTIONS
President: Lewis G. Plaut
Web site: www.universaldelivery.com
Corporate Address: 751 Park of Commerce Drive, Suite 112, Boca Raton
33487
Phone: 561-674-9500
About Universal Delivery Group, Inc.
Universal Delivery Solutions, Inc. (Pink Sheets:UDSG) www.UniversalDelivery.com
is the first Company to provide a 100%, turnkey delivery platform to the
service industry throughout North America (restaurant, retail, other).
The system is designed on both a customer relation management (CRM)
system and a service integrated technology backbone between customers,
call center and the personal industry provider of choice.
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Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The statements in the press release that relate to the company's
expectations with regard to the future impact on the company's results
from acquisitions or actions in development are forward-looking
statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. The statements in this document may also contain
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934. Since this information may contain statements that involve risk
and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time, the company's
actual results may differ materially from expected results.