January Furniture Show is *the* industry event, where the most important buyers and suppliers from the furniture and interiors industry come together to do business and network at a world-class event.
 We're pleased to be exhibiting once again following the postponement of previous shows, so if you need an extra helping hand with your deliveries - come and see us!
 You can find out all you need to know about BJS Extra right here on the website, or visit our January Furniture Show exhibitor profile to find out more about the show - <a href="https://januaryfurnitureshow.com/exhibitor/bjs-da45762e" target="_blank">click here to visit.</a>

BJS at JFS

BJS Extra are exhibiting at the January Furniture Show!

<div data-block="true" data-editor="bttub" data-offset-key="6qliu-0-0">
<div data-offset-key="6qliu-0-0">We are showing our support for Ukraine and highlighting the hopelessness of war with a thought-provoking truck. A bespoke blue and yellow colourway version of our livery also features the poem 'Global Breeze', below, written by our Press &amp; Communications Manager, and writer Katy Walton:-</div>
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<div data-offset-key="fo6gr-0-0">Global Breeze</div>
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<div data-block="true" data-editor="bttub" data-offset-key="dg42f-0-0">
<div data-offset-key="dg42f-0-0">Tensions lie from East to West</div>
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<div data-offset-key="6lq9o-0-0">But wouldn't it be best,</div>
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<div data-block="true" data-editor="bttub" data-offset-key="2l1cp-0-0">
<div data-offset-key="2l1cp-0-0">To view earth's wind as human breath,</div>
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<div data-block="true" data-editor="bttub" data-offset-key="9v10v-0-0">
<div data-offset-key="9v10v-0-0">And war to all as death.</div>
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<div data-offset-key="9v10v-0-0"><img src="https://cms-strapi-prod.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/Whats_App_Image_2022_03_29_at_10_46_27_AM_7c968098ae.jpeg" alt="" width="770" height="1023" /></div>
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<div data-block="true" data-editor="bttub" data-offset-key="8dit2-0-0">
<div data-offset-key="8dit2-0-0">We also raised money for The Red Cross Ukraine DEC fund. This money will go straight to the refugees to help them buy provisions whilst they seek refuge across the world. We asked staff to come to work wearing blue and yellow, the colours of the Ukrainian flag.</div>
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<div data-block="true" data-editor="bttub" data-offset-key="2qlo2-0-0">
<div data-offset-key="2qlo2-0-0">BJS is a corporate with compassionate values and we have used our truck liveries to highlight important causes and recognise individuals before &ndash; with a rainbow PRIDE truck to help educate out prejudice and make LGBT+ people, in all their rich diversity, visible. We also honoured NHS key workers for their role in keeping the country moving during the pandemic.</div>
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<div data-block="true" data-editor="bttub" data-offset-key="f6sa9-0-0">
<div data-offset-key="f6sa9-0-0">The latest truck is already making headlines, so click <a href="https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/walsall/2022/03/29/ukraine-gets-support-from-haulage-firm-and-poet-lorry-ate-while-peaky-blinders-night-raises-further-funds/">here</a> to read the article in full...</div>
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WhatsApp Image 2022-03-25 at 12.48.50 PM (1)

BJS supports Ukraine with bespoke trailer!

It comes after average fuel prices in the UK hit £1.61, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to affect global oil prices.

Bosses at Wednesbury-based BJS Haulage say if the Government helps shield hauliers by capping or lowering fuel duty, firms will be able to pass this benefit on to consumers.

David McWilliams, sales director at the firm, said:-

"Regarding the rising fuel costs, this is obviously the result of volatile and unpredictable global politics that affect us all, personally and professionally. Prices started to increase due to the energy supply shortage but now continue to rise as conflicts escalate.

As a haulage company our contracted customers have fuel escalators in place that calculate the market variables so the rates go up and down without the need for ongoing negotiations, regardless of market movement.

I think what is needed – for all of us – to limit the negative impact of spiralling costs, is government help".


To find out more about the  way in which the government could help support the transportation industry as a whole, click the link below.


[Full Article Here](https://www.expressandstar.com/news/business/2022/03/08/haulage-company-boss-calls-for-government-support-amid-rising-fuel-prices/)

amarat and david

BJS Haulage call for government support amid rising fuel costs.

MTA 2021 - 113

Motor Transport Awards 2021 Recap - The countdown is on for 2022...

With over 15 years’ experience in the industry, X Rocker is the globally recognised #1 audio gaming chair and furniture brand. Sold worldwide, X Rocker also offers a range of gaming beds and bedroom furniture for the gaming enthusiast. To cap this all off, X Rocker is also an Official Licensed Product partner to both Sony PlayStation™ and Nintendo, having recently launched their extremely successful range of Super Mario™ Video and Audio Rockers.
 
Commercial Director Craig Thirkell explains how BJS was the ‘silver lining’ to their COVID delivery issues ‘cloud’:
 
‘We were already seeing significant growth as we evolved our business model to serve the online consumer. As the pandemic hit and retailers closed the doors on their stores, we knew the way to support our partners was to focus on supporting their on-line sales and drop-shipping directly from our own warehouse . We onboarded with a delivery partner pre-pandemic, who had a great reputation and came with a good ‘pedigree’, but as consumer shopping online exploded, demand for our products soared in the run up to Christmas, and our delivery partner struggled to keep up and meet customer expectations for a quick delivery.
 
Some customers reported missing boxes and we had long delays between complete orders being delivered – for X Rocker this was just unacceptable. Our reputation is everything and we were just not prepared to let customers down. It was upsetting to see and hear the complaints from customers through comments posted online, not about the awesome products we sell, but about the performance of our delivery partner. It was impacting us, not them.
 
That needed to change as a matter of urgency, so we reached out for quotes and ultimately selected BJS. We did so knowing they were not the cheapest but had great industry feedback and enviable customer relationships. They took over from May and we haven’t looked back.
 
From an operations point of view BJS made the transition to a new delivery partner very easy and once over the start line we found accessing the portal simple, integration via API straightforward and managing and resolving queries easy – and the fact they contact our customers directly to arrange a booking slot has had a hugely positive impact on first time delivery success and delighting the customer with a really professional service to the door. We have no doubt this has helped us improve our online credentials and trust ratings.
 
We look forward to our continued growth, confident that our increasing sales are in safe hands - after all we have learnt from experience that our delivery partner is a critical part of the whole customer X Rocker experience and supports our reputation as well as our product.’

X Rocker Img1

Getting comfortable with X Rocker

As a two-man delivery service, our teams spend a lot of time out on the roads – and when we say a lot? We mean a lot. The Coronavirus has put a spanner in the works for most people’s travel plans this year, with the threat of a sudden quarantine proving just too risky to fly to sunnier climes. Because of this, many families the nation over are looking closer to home for their holiday options.
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With the October half term quickly creeping on us, the word ‘staycation' seems to be the order of the day, and why not?! The UK has a stunning variety of landscapes, a great number of tourist attractions and, nowadays, the food isn’t so bad either! A staycation often means a long drive, though, and if you’re not used to them, these can be daunting. That’s why our delivery teams have put together their top tips for keeping positive and energised on the road, and how to actually enjoy those long trips!
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 1. Whip Up A Road Trip Playlist
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Now this may not be the ‘hottest take’ ever, but you really can’t beat a DIY compilation of carefully chosen tracks for your road trip. Our delivery teams take their playlists pretty seriously, and being given command of the AUX cable isn’t something to be taken lightly! What was it that Uncle Ben said in Spiderman? “With great power comes great responsibility"
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You don’t want to be known as the one in the group who messed up their chance as the DJ. Nobody wants that title. So, whether you’re DJ-ing solo or for a full car, here’s a bit of advice to make those painstaking inclusion choices a little easier. Choose upbeat tracks that you know are going to keep you head-banging all the way to your destination. An emotional love ballad from the heart of the ‘80s may tug at your heartstrings, but it’s not going to be much good in keeping you energised on a trip down to Cornwall…
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2. Stay Hydrated
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There’s nothing worse than a stuffy car. Anyone who has been stuck crawling on the motorway for hours at a time knows it’s pretty horrible. Now pair that with the headaches and feelings of nausea that often come with that stuffiness, and you’ve got a lethal combination. Our drivers’ tip? Keep hydrated. We’re not talking about knocking back triple espressos or a pint of Sunny D, here, we’re talking about good ol’ fashioned H2O.
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The last thing you want on a long drive is to start feeling car-sick or headachy – keeping on top of your fluids helps avoid this! When you’re out on the asphalt all day like our two-man delivery service teams are, you get used to covering those long distances. For us other mere mortals, though, it’s better to be overly-prepared! So always have more water than you think you’ll need.
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3. But Not TOO Hydrated…
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We’ve all done it. The boot is packed, the kids strapped in and already asking the immortal question ‘are we there yet?’ and then half an hour into your seven-hour trip, you find that you’re busting for the loo. It’s a rookie error – an understandable one, but a rookie one, nonetheless – so don’t be that person who needs to stop at every junction!
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4. A Snack A Day Keeps The Boredom At Bay
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It’s a well-known fact that you can judge a man entirely by his go-to choice of snack. Don’t bother looking that up, just trust us on this one. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a sherbet lemon kind of guy or partial to a toffee éclair , the only thing that matters is making sure you pack enough of them in! Asides from being an indicator of character, however, sugary snacks can prove genuinely helpful on long drives.
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One of the first things to happen when your blood sugar drops is that you get a dip in energy, as well. You get lethargic, sleepy – and that’s not really something you want happening at the wheel… The occasional pick-me-up in sugar form will help keep your energy levels nice and stable over the course of a longer stretch of driving!
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5. Play The 'BJS’ Game To Pass The Time
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What’s the BJS game, we hear you say? Well, it’s very simple, but can get very competitive very quickly. It plays as follows, whenever you see one of our two-man delivery service’s vans or HGVs you (carefully) tap the roof of your car interior. Whoever taps first scores a point, whoever has the most points at the end of the trip, wins. Simple as that. Sound silly? Try and stop yourself playing next time you’re in the car with other people… Go on, we dare you.
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6. Listen To A Podcast
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Podcasts have really taken off over the past few years, and with good reason. Whether it’s a tell-all autobiography, true crime series or irreverent, zany comedy, these binge-able little packets of audio content are especially good for solo drives where tiredness often begins to factor in. Forcing yourself to actively listen to a story being played out to you is a pretty good way to stave off what we like to call ‘&lt;i&gt;motorway monotony&lt;/i&gt;’! That feeling of drowsiness that comes from driving along similar stints of road for large stretches at a time. Whack a podcast series on and you’ll be at your destination before you know it!
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7. Up Your Service Station Game
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Now, you can’t necessarily help where you live or where you’re headed on your trip, but when it comes to service stations, there are good ones, and then there are… not so good ones… If you’re looking for something fancy, Gloucester services, with its building nestled into the landscape, makes for an organic treat on the M5. If you’re looking for sheer satisfaction, then the Norton Canes Roadchef on the M6 toll is hard to beat (scoring an incredible 99% customer satisfaction rate – something echoed by our drivers!). Honourable mentions must also go to Reading West, on the M4, South Mimms, off the M25 and Wetherby, along the A1!
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8. Check Your Vehicle Before You Set Off
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It may seem like an obvious one, but the number of people (and we’ve all probably been guilty of it at some point) that set off on long drives without doing the key vehicle checks is probably pretty huge. As a two-man delivery service, we’re heavily reliant on our fleet of vehicles. At the same time, though, those same vehicles are subject to some pretty serious mileage, so it’s vital we keep them in tip-top shape. So, before you set off, check the following:
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-Tyre pressure
-Car battery (especially if your car has been sitting around unused for a while)
-Brakes
-Oil levels
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9. Pack A Portable Charger (And Make Sure It’s Fully Charged!)
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If there’s one thing our two-man delivery service’s drivers all agreed on, more than anything else, it was the importance of a portable charger (or two). Battery life drains so quickly on modern equipment. It’s a price we pay for the kind of computing power now at our disposals. For the sake of your kids’ relaxation (and your sanity) make sure you’ve got an ample power back-up to help keep them entertained on even the longest of journeys.
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10. Enjoy It!
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We often end up being so wrapped up in the thought of the destination that we forget to make the most of the journey itself. But often, it’s the journey that provides those truly lasting memories! Some of the biggest belly laughs, the deepest of chats and the most interesting of conversations often end up happening on those long motorway drives, so make the most of them!
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Contact Us
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So, if you’d like to find out any more about our two-man delivery service (or about our drivers’ music choices…) then get in touch! Contact BJS Home Delivery today on 01922 645 650.

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Our Two-Man Delivery Service’s Top Tips For Long Drives!

Three Crucial Ways Our 2-Man Delivery Company Has Been Changed By Technology

When people think of deliveries and logistics, they think of it primarily as a service industry. For instance, you order an item, big or small, and if it’s delivered promptly and with good customer service, then happy days! Job done, right? Well, not quite.

We live in both an increasingly digital, and an increasingly busy age. One in which people are expecting that high level of service, but they’re also expecting it even quicker, with even greater levels of control and visibility, as well.

Customers don’t just want next-day delivery, they want to be able to track their item at every stage of the supply chain. Technology and IT play a bigger part in the industry now than they ever have before, for the customer, the retailer and for the 2-man delivery company, itself. From an IT perspective, there’s so much that goes on behind-the-scenes, work that’s unseen but certainly not unfelt. It’s the glue that stitches together every aspect of the customer’s journey, from the warehouse to the doorstep and much more in between! 

Here at BJS, we wanted to look at that journey, at those integral bits of technology and software, in a little more detail. The mark of strong IT within a business is when you don’t notice it, so we thought it was time to give a little bit of attention to this unsung hero!

On The Hunt For Deliveries

When we order something online, what we want more than anything else is a feeling of control, especially when we’ve parted with our hard-earned cash. That’s why it’s so appealing to us, as consumers, to be able to see the progress on our order and to be regularly updated. Humans are also highly changeable, fickle creatures. Sometimes we want to cancel orders, or simply amend it in some way. Traditionally, this has been difficult to accommodate. Once your item was ordered, it was ordered, however, this is changing. At BJS, we’ve developed an extensive suite of ‘in-flight’ options allowing customers to take actions on their orders ‘on the fly’, as it were. Flexibility, above pretty much everything else, is a customer’s best friend.

'On The Road Again'

Firstly, an apology for having inevitably gotten that song stuck in your head. But in fairness, it is a classic. The delivery stage of the chain, when the van or lorry is actually en-route, often ends up being one of the more anxiety-inducing elements for a 2-man delivery company. You can have the best drivers in the world or the most well-maintained, modern fleet of vehicles, and still have your delivery disrupted by something completely out of your hands – an unexpected road closure, for example. IT systems help us allay those anxieties… 

Route Planning

In total, the UK has over 260,000 miles of paved roads. The number of possible permutations when planning any one route, therefore, is pretty staggering. With the logistics industry now as streamlined as it is, it takes something a little more technical and modern than simply whipping out the AA road planner and a ruler. Distance is only one of the considerations needed when route planning, as well. When you’re driving huge lorries, you need to consider HGV restrictions, congestion and emission zones as well as real-time incidents.

In order to deal with all of this, whilst at the same time still meeting customer demand, we developed a bespoke, fully-integrated route planning system that allows our drivers not only to drive the optimal routes, but to manage route changes as and when they come in.

Goods In Transit

Traditionally, visibility is something that’s always been a bit of an issue for any business when it’s interacting either with other businesses or with customers. Perhaps a more accurate statement would be that a lack of visibility has often been an issue. What do we mean by this? Well, let’s say a delivery team was en-route when they came across an unavoidable delay, or there was an accident on the road. While it’s not the company’s fault, it isn’t the customer or retailer’s desired outcome either. Here at BJS, we’ve implemented in-vehicle CCTV as well as on-the-move goods scans. This way, we’ve been able to mitigate that element of subjectivity, and instead, we can put together a picture of what actually happened, whether that be good or bad.

IT is helping build a more communicative and accurate picture of the delivery chain. The number of ‘blind spots’ within the supply and delivery chains are consistently being reduced through the implementation of these systems. Something which drives company standards ever higher whilst keeping the customer increasingly in the loop. 

 Knock-Knock... Who’s There? 

For any 2-man delivery company, the company’s most important facet is irrefutably the delivery itself. No matter how many other cogs there are constantly whirring and working together, it is the delivery more than anything else that the customer remembers as it’s the link in the chain where the customer comes into direct company with the delivery team. Within that relatively brief window of time, lasting impressions are made.

It’s your delivery team asking where he can take his mug to wash up after he’s finished his brew (milk and two sugars please, if there’s one going). It’s whether it’s shoes off at the door. But most importantly, it’s the smile that meets the customer as soon as their door opens. Surely this can’t be the realm of IT systems, of gadgetry and tech? Surely, this is the stage of the process which can’t help but be about the people?! Well, yes and no (and really, you should’ve seen that coming by now!) 

IT On The Doorstep

The customer’s needs are always changing and adapting, and so the delivery process needs to adapt with it. Take the past few months, for instance, and what’s happened with COVID-19. We facilitated doorstep technology that enabled contact-free delivery, something that customers were (understandably) anxious about in the midst of a viral pandemic. We’ve also developed as near to real-time proof-of-delivery systems as is possible, enabling us to accurately monitor delivery progress across the network, and do so in a holistic way. 

Personality and customer service remains very much at the forefront of point-of-delivery, and it has in no way been replaced by IT or technology – don’t worry, you’re not going to have your sofa delivered by a robot anytime soon. What IT has enabled, however, is a better customer experience, overall, and it’s enabled new challenges to be met that most likely couldn’t have been, otherwise.

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The Technology Of Transport

We are delighted to be supporting the Skipping Sikh, an inspirational 74 year-old who supported the NHS during the pandemic by skipping as a means to keep fit and raise money. Rajinder Singh Harzall has always wanted to take part in the London Marathon and in October this year, days before his 75th birthday, plans to skip the 26mile course to raise money for Mencap. 
 
Mencap wants a world where people with a learning disability gain an equal right to opportunity and respect. They believe that supporting the families and carers of people with a learning disability is vital to achieving their vision. 
 
For those that don’t know, BJS is named after Baba Jaswant Singh Ji who, before his death in 2020, was based in Punjab and had a trust that ran projects for the welfare of humanity; providing health care facilities, higher medical education and to show ‘the path of spiritual righteousness’, to ‘foster human values and welfare with esteemed devotion indeed’. 
 
The attitude and aspirations of the Skipping Sikh are very aligned with the compassionate core values of BJS, and we are delighted to support him. We hope you will join us.
 
<a href="https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/raj-singh8?fbclid=IwAR3o58hZMtH1QcUX-RC4y_wPtUBOUqLP64wWbR2hvCk_Whbbh7jb4U3wNPo">Just Giving Page</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVc37Q220fbMh8tNjiNMUrg">YouTube</a>

<img src="https://cms-strapi-prod.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/107_A7566_14bb6fe83a.jpeg" width="100%">

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BJS is proud to be supporting the Skipping Sikh!

Ever wondered what journey your order has been on before arriving at your door? This behind the scenes video will show you!

It also shows what you can do to prepare for 'room of choice' deliveries, a service BJS Home Delivery look forward to offering once again as lockdown restrictions lift.

If you are a retailer looking for support with your deliveries we would be delighted to hear from you.

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Behind the scenes...

We are delighted to share that BJS Home Delivery has been ranked at No. 22 on the 12th annual Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200.

BJS Managing Director Harinder Singh says:

"We are delighted to have been recognised in this way; it has been a huge boost to our team and a just reflection of all the hard work and dedication that has led the growth that enabled us to be ranked at 22 on this year’s annual Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200."

This year’s special Covid-19 Fast Track highlights the important contribution that private companies have made during the pandemic; BJS hired a man found rough sleeping outside Trafalgar Square during the first lockdown to demonstrate the necessity and viability of employing homeless persons to greatly reduce homelessness in the UK. BJS partnered with not-for-profit organisation Under One Sky and returned to the streets of London to gift care packs to those still on the streets. 

BJS also named some of their Haulage fleet after local NHS keyworkers to acknowledge that they, and the delivery and logistics industries, kept the country moving during COVID.
 
BJS is no stranger to success in challenging times, having launched during the 2009 recession and recently further investing in their infrastructure to respond to new market potential, as a result of 2020s changing landscape. 

Harinder says;

"Roads are the backbone of British retail, with every item in every store having travelled on them at some point in their journey. The way customers shop has changed in the pandemic, but that transition started pre-corona with the rise of online purchases.

Though largely out of sight to consumers ordering from the comfort of their homes (or phones) a huge amount of back-stage investment has been building a sophisticated system of both machine and man-power to enable those items ordered on screen to arrive at your door. We look forward to continued success."

<a href="https://www.fasttrack.co.uk/league-tables/international-track-200">https://www.fasttrack.co.uk/league-tables/international-track-200</a>

Fast-Track-BJS-82fd0051f4

 BJS Home Delivery ranked at No. 22 on Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200

2021 marks the sixteenth year of LGBT+ History Month and will, like everything during the current COVID crisis, look somewhat different to previous year’s celebrations. The logistics industry has kept the country moving during the pandemic and BJS are delighted to be able to take this important message of inclusivity and acceptance on the road.

<img src="https://cms-strapi-prod.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/Colin_7147781121.jpeg" width="100%">

Colin Raine, a class1 HGV driver at BJS, will be behind the wheel of the big rainbow truck and says:

"I have two gay daughters and I couldn’t be more proud to pull the trailer". 

His daughter Chloe says: 

"I am delighted my Dad will be driving the truck, I think it is great his employer is raising awareness of PRIDE and spreading the message that we should be accepted for who we are and who we love".

BJS Haulage Pride Truck_RGB

BJS Haulage are proud to be supporting PRIDE this year.

Watch the BJS team in action, delivering a stylish little 'Margot' sofa from MADE.com to upgrade a home office -  many of us have been spending a little more time in those this year! 

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The BJS Home Delivery Experience

Because the logistics industry kept the country moving during 2020’s unexpected challenges, alongside the NHS, BJS Haulage decided to honour their fellow keyworkers by naming some of our shiny new fleet after some exceptional individuals.

BJS Haulage, part of the BJS family, has dedicated nine of its latest batch of trucks in honour of a group of key healthcare workers who have played important roles during the Covid-19 pandemic. Those featured range from logistics and catering providers to frontline ambulance and intensive care staff throughout its Black Country/West Midlands home area.

Read the amazing stories of our featured key workers at <a href="http://bjshaulage.com/our-heroes">http://bjshaulage.com/our-heroes</a>

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BJS Haulage’s Key Worker Heroes

BJS hired a homeless man in lockdown and returned to the streets of London to gift care packs and highlight the necessity and viability of employing homeless persons to greatly reduce homelessness in the UK. 

Harinder Singh, MD of BJS, has partnered with the ‘Under One Sky’ community organisation to demonstrate the viability and necessity of employing those who are currently without a home, to greatly reduce homelessness in the UK. BJS is named after Baba Jaswant Singh Ji and compassionate, spiritual values are at the heart of the organisation.

Harinder says “During the Covid-19 Spring/Summer lockdown, our employee Mark was found rough sleeping in Trafalgar Square by the non-profit organisation Under One Sky. Their volunteers were out in Central London each day, seeking to help those left behind on the streets whilst the majority of people were asked to stay home. He was given food and warmth and secured a personal sponsor that enabled him to find safe accommodation, and he has now been working at BJS for four months.
He needed someone to believe in him, someone to back him and give him a break. We want to challenge the assumptions around homelessness, recognising and acting on our potential to help. It would be wrong to assume that those failed by society will fail those who help them back on their feet. Empathy and compassion in the corporate world should be the norm, not the exception."
 
Mark O’Reilly has been living on the streets since he was 16 years old. His mum's addictions denied him a nurturing start to life but the street-smart survival instincts he cultivated largely kept him out of trouble. He was 21 years old when Under One Sky found him outside the National Portrait Gallery in Trafalgar Square during the lockdown. Well versed in street living Mark was sceptical of offers of support and initially turned down attempts to find him secure shelter. The determined team won his trust and, thanks to a private sponsor, arranged a hostel where he remained at the height of the pandemic. 
 
An Under One Sky volunteer didn't want the end of pandemic support to mean Mark's only option was to return to the streets. He reached out to Harinder, a personal friend, and enquired as to employment opportunities at BJS that would be a fit for Mark. As an expanding company with vacancies that prioritised hard work and commitment over academic qualifications Mark was offered a role as a driver's mate, a role he has been successfully managing for four months now. 
 
Under One Sky recognise the importance of on-going support as people transition into new opportunities but hope that this inspiring case study shows that it can be done. 
 
On October 24th Harinder and the BJS Haulage team loaded a truck with donations to gift to those still on the streets, distributed with the support of Under One Sky. Mikkel Juel Iversen, founder of the charitable organisation said;
 
“We are incredibly grateful to Harinder and the BJS team for shining a light on the positive contributions our previously homeless friends can make, to businesses and their wider communities, when given the chance. If we are to be successful in our goal of ending homelessness once and for all, then we all have a role to play. We look forward to partnering with other businesses in the future that are inspired by Harinder’s example.”
 
By returning to the streets of London together, BJS and Under One Sky hope to encourage other companies to support these types of schemes, to the mutual benefit of all parties.

Enjoy this video documenting our return to London with Under One Sky...

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BJS Hire Homeless Man In Lockdown 

BJS In Conversation With… Amy Irvine, Customer Care Advisor, at BJS Delivery Distribution

We live in a transactional, fast-paced age and in the world of business, especially, the human aspect often gets lost. For many companies, figures and statistics begin to take over, and if you’re not careful then the whole environment can end up feeling incredibly corporate, sterile even. At the end of the day, though, it’s the people within a company that gives it its lifeblood, the gears that make it tick. Regardless of the advances in technology or the smart savings made in the accounts department, a firm is nothing without its family.

Nowhere is this personality more apparent than within the customer-facing areas of a business - the call centres, for example. I recently spoke to Amy Irvine, Customer Care Advisor here at BJS, about a trip she had to the company’s India-based office a couple of years ago. I wanted to find out more about the visit, as well as the kind of personality that she thinks is necessary within those kinds of roles.

A Formative Experience

Back in October 2017, as part of her then-role as Stock Admin Manager, Amy took a trip over to India to train two new team members at the office situated there. “It wasn’t the kind of work where you could easily train people, remotely,” Amy starts to explain. “It was just much easier for a few of us to go out there and train them, in-person, rather than from opposite ends of the world.”

It became apparent early on, hearing her enthusiasm over the phone, that Amy had found the entire experience memorable, to say the least. “I don’t think I’d ever been on a long-haul flight before then, but now I’ve absolutely caught the travel bug,” She says. 

“When the flight touched down in Delhi we still had an almost five-hour drive to Chandigarh, where the BJS office is situated. The roads were just manic,” She says. “Absolutely crazy. I don’t think I’d ever heard so many horns blaring. And then you had cows on the road at the same time just doing their own thing, there was just so much going on!”

“Our cab driver was smiling and having a joke with me because he said that this was him driving calmly,” Amy laughs. “He said that I was lucky to have a seatbelt that worked because a lot of cabs didn’t, but it wasn’t anywhere near as reassuring as I think he thought it was!”

What Stuck Out Most During The Trip?

“Firstly, the culture. It’s just the most colourful and vibrant country you could possibly wish to travel to. You have these ideas in your head going out there that it’s probably going to be something like that - from what you’ve seen in films and TV and that kind of thing. But nothing compares to when you actually arrive. It’s fantastic.”

Downtime

Was it all work, then? Not quite…

“We had a couple of days where we weren’t working where we could do the typical ‘tourist’ stuff. We got to visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar, celebrate Diwali in the BJS office and, of course, have the mandatory ride in a tuk-tuk.

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“Secondly, it’s the people there. Everyone I met was incredibly warm, welcoming and just so smiley. There’s this positivity that everyone just seems to exude out there. We did see a lot of poverty, though, as well. And there’s this mismatch you can’t quite get your head around, this disconnect between the ‘picture-perfect’ tourism on one hand, and the level of poverty on the other.”

“But people just seemed to manage to stay positive, in spite of this, regardless of their situation. The trip certainly put things in perspective for me, and all I can say is that if you’re a glass-half-empty kind of person heading out to India, then you won’t be when you get back!”

The Thing About Call Centres…

People tend to have preconceived notions surrounding call centre workers. They associate them with being unemotional - some might even say robotic. According to Amy, however, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

“With both my experiences here in the UK, and when I was over on my trip in India, I can say hand-on-heart that the employees manning the phones are by far and away some of the most personable and attentive I’ve ever come across.

“These aren’t people just following a set script - which is what a lot of people seem to think,” Amy says. “They’re not ignoring what’s being said to them, they’re not just ‘going through the motions’. These are people that want to make a difference - that want to listen and actively help.”

Building Relationships Brick By Brick

Amy’s moved around the company a fair bit in her six years with BJS – from Stock Admin to the Returns Warehouse, and to where she is now as Customer Care Advisor (there’s more than a few departments at a delivery distribution company!) I asked her what she liked most about her current role?

“I’ve got a bit more freedom now,” Amy says. “A bit more time and license to build relationships with clients, which is really nice. You quickly get a rapport going and you know that you can help them and likewise they can help you. I think that’s one of the things that’s so impressive about call centre teams, generally. They’re having to essentially build a complete relationship in the space of often only a few minutes. That’s a pretty special kind of personality that’s able to do that, I think.”

“It all comes back to the people,” She goes on. “Whether it’s someone in the customer care team with a headset on - either here or over in India, or whether it’s the teams out on the road, this is a company that’s first and foremost people-driven. You’d hope that’s the same with every company, but who knows!”

Contact Us

So, if you’d like to find out more about our delivery distribution company, then get in touch! Contact BJS Home Delivery today on 01922 645 650.

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The Heart Behind The Headset - Getting To Know Customer Care in a Delivery Distribution Company 

Here in the UK, we currently find ourselves in a period of serious economic uncertainty, there are no two ways about it. This year has been one of the most challenging, anxiety-inducing and surreal in recent history. The word ‘unprecedented’ has never been wheeled out as frequently as it has been over the past six months, but it’s been done so with good reason.



At the moment, it can be all too easy to feel overwhelmed, but there are always grounds for optimism. In fact, our 2-man delivery service actually started out during the economic downturn 12 years ago, and we’re still going strong today. With that in mind, we wanted to look at how a business can not only survive a recession, but use it as a springboard from which to achieve greater success and growth.



Looking Back In Order To Move Forward



The recession of 2008 may now seem like an eternity ago, but the impacts brought about by the financial crisis were felt across the board and though inevitably uncomfortable, such a period of challenge and change create opportunities and the space to do new and different things; Back in 2008 BJS Home Delivery Managing Director Harinder Singh saw potential in the flux and set up the 2-man delivery service which went on to flourish, and is set to expand in the current economic downturn.



Regroup, Regather, Reassess.

 

If you’re a glass-half-full sort of personality, then you’re always on the lookout for ways in which to make the best of a bad situation. Recessions present the perfect opportunity to do exactly this. When hit by one, taking stock of your company’s processes and operations is amongst the best things you can do. In fact, in most instances, a little introspection can go a long way, and by thoroughly evaluating the state of your business as it stands, currently, you can shed light on potentially inefficient processes and costs that, upon reflection, may be deemed surplus to 
requirement.



What you’re doing, in essence, is treating the financial squeeze as a means to streamline your company, making it leaner and more productive. When things are going well at a business, you want to plough on and strike whilst the iron is hot, so to speak. Conversely, when a recession hits, you can treat it almost as having been gifted with a blank canvas, a fresh notepad within which your company’s updated (or even entirely new) direction can be created.



With Uncertainty, Comes A Breeding Ground For Opportunity



Assessing your business not only highlights areas in which you can pare things back, it can also present whole new opportunities, altogether. In our industry, for instance, there had already been the initial rumblings of a shift towards online shopping. Then, when the COVID pandemic and subsequent economic slump came along, the whole process was sped along. Whilst this example is particularly pertinent to the world of 2-men delivery services, there will invariably be new, previously unseen opportunities that spring up, whatever sector you happen to be in.



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Clearly Lay Out Your Priorities



Try To See The Bigger Picture



Amidst periods of economic uncertainty, it can be easy to lose sight of the 'bigger picture', clichéd a phrase though that may be. The thing about recessions, however, as damaging and unpleasant as they are to go through, is that they’re cyclical, and although it may not feel like it just at the minute, the markets will return to health at some point in the future.



It’s vital that you maintain consistency, during these times, to keep levels of customer confidence high and ensure all customer 'touchpoints' are managed with warm professionalism. Such big shifts in a country’s economic foundations trigger anxieties and vulnerabilities on a deeply personal level, and therefore a little friendliness can end up going a long way.



Provided that the service you offered was essential pre-downturn, then there will still be a demand for what you do (in the case of our 2-man delivery service, demand has actually increased) - and perhaps even the room for further development. Retain that agile, entrepreneurial drive that gave you the energy to set up in the first place and see what new dreams can be realised in this new climate.



For businesses, keeping a ‘growth’ mindset at junctures such as these can feel like a huge gamble, and it can be incredibly tempting to revert to short-term thinking; a mindset geared around surviving the recession and not a huge amount beyond that. If you’re not careful, however, this can very quickly snowball into the proverbial burying your head in the sand, and that fight-or-flight survivalist instinct, the very thing you thought would help see you through this period, can actually end up being a company’s downfall. Attempting to maintain a degree of long-sightedness, on the other hand, will keep you level-headed, as a company, and provide you with a more holistic and sustainable plan, moving forward.



Your Business Is Your People’s Business



When those ‘good times’ do return, and it’s really worth remembering that they will, you’re going to want your team still with you. Because as a company, your priority should always be your people who, Harinder believes, are absolutely your business’ “biggest asset”. This doesn’t change whether your business is doing well, badly or somewhere in the middle, by structuring your growth around the people who make your business what it is, you provide your business with a steely core that’s harder to knock off-course. According to Harinder, “the key to getting out of this recession, is your people.”



These past few months have taught us lots. Above all else, however, it’s taught us the strength of community, and the resilience that comes from banding together, and in the benefits brought about by sharing with one another. Standing together was never as important as it was when we became forced to remain apart, during COVID, and that feeling of togetherness must remain paramount during this downturn. In Sikhism, ‘Seva’ refers to a selfless service, or, a dedication to others. It’s something very close to our hearts here at BJS. Whether that’s within our own ranks, or when our delivery teams are engaging with customers, it’s a key tenet of our ethos, and something which we would encourage everyone to adopt within their lives.



Contact Us!



So, if you’d like to find out more about our 2-man delivery service, then get in touch! Contact BJS Home Delivery today on 01922 645 650.