Switcher: Growth thanks to a strong logistics partnership
From a small fish to a big whale
Yes, we know a whale isn't a fish.But the title still fits Switcher perfectly. The brand with the whale logo is increasingly becoming a major player in the Swiss market.
How does Marc Joss, CEO of Switcher, keep growing the brand? Simple: with a plan and the right logistics partner.
Switcher is increasingly becoming a major player, but it’s still a medium-sized company. “Everyone does a bit of everything here”, says Marc. “We’re on the smaller side. When there are problems with logistics, they take up a lot of our time.”
That’s why it’s so important for a company like Switcher to work with a reliable logistics partner.
Although Switcher is an e-commerce company, a lot is still done by hand from picking items in the warehouse to packing orders. Around 3,000 orders leave the warehouse every month. Time and resources are precious, and every logistics-related problem quickly eats into Marc and his team’s valuable time. As Marc says: “If Swiss Post runs into trouble, so do we.”
It means efficient and smooth sending and receiving processes are essential for Switcher. These processes affect internal workflows, but also directly impact customer satisfaction and delivery speed. Customers expect fast delivery, reliable service and returns that are as simple as possible. For Switcher, it means processes need to run smoothly, from receipt of the order to shipping and any returns. This saves resources, keeps costs under control and delivers the level of service behind Switcher’s “Made with Respect” positioning.
Let’s assume someone orders a T-shirt. The order comes in via Shopify and is transferred directly to Switcher’s ERP system. Shipping is directly integrated into Switcher’s e-commerce processes via Swiss Post’s interfaces.
The process covers everything from checkout and consignment preparation through to tracking and returns. Switcher and Swiss Post’s systems can continually share information and ensure a straightforward shopping experience – from customers’ shopping carts through to their private letter boxes. Digitally, the processes fit together seamlessly.
When the T-shirt moves from its digital existence and becomes a genuine product in the warehouse, the order is checked, the shipping label including tracking code is printed out, the T-shirt is packed and the final consignment is prepared for collection.
Swiss Post comes directly to the Switcher warehouse once a day, so the team doesn’t have to bring the prepaid consignments to Swiss Post. The consignments are prepared in batches, collected by Swiss Post and then transferred to the shipping process. For Switcher, this removes another step from its daily business.
“That’s how each day goes”, says Marc.
And in terms of packaging itself, logistics has also become more convenient thanks to the partnership with Swiss Post. Marc has been using Kickbags for over a year and a half. They’re reusable shipping bags that offer Switcher customers a practical alternative to traditional cardboard packaging. Only B2B customers who place large orders still receive their goods in boxes.
Over 80 percent of Kickbags are returned. “I only get positive feedback from everyone. I have Kickbags that must have been sent and returned 60 to 70 times.”
Kickbags make logistics more convenient at his company, too.. “My team doesn’t want to work with anything else anymore.” Not only is packaging the goods more sustainable than using cardboard boxes, but the Kickbag also saves the Switcher team around 15 seconds per order. “With the Kickbag, you simply open the bag, put the goods in, stick the security sticker on it and you’re done.”
If the T-shirt doesn’t fit, it’s easy to send it back. The return shipment can simply be registered so the Switcher team knows in advance that a return is on its way. “The entire return label process is handled by Swiss Post”, says Marc.
Working with Swiss Post makes returning products really convenient, and not just for Switcher. Customers can also register their returns easily via pick@home and have the Kickbag collected directly from their home by the mail carrier. As easy to return as Switcher is to wear.
But there are downsides to the returns business. “No-one wants to pay for postage and shipping.” For returns, the costs for us as small to medium-sized companies are rising sharply”, he says of the trend towards ordering clothes with free home delivery and simply returning them. The extra logistical effort and the processing of returns costs both money and time. “People just don’t even think about these things anymore”, he says, leaving his thought unfinished. He’s referring to the knock-on effects of customers ordering clothes, trying them on and then sending them back if they don’t like them.
Reliability is standard. A personal partnership is the upgrade.
Before working with Swiss Post, situations when no-one was home to accept a delivery were a big problem for Marc. Where’s the parcel? Where can it be collected? Such issues meant extra work for Switcher.
“It was a huge problem for us. Although it only affected around three to four percent of deliveries, it led to an enormous amount of effort for us, as well as many complaints. With Swiss Post, we’re actually below the one percent mark for this. Swiss Post has an extremely good record here.”
Customers also appreciate being informed about the consignment’s status at all times thanks to Swiss Post’s API interfaces and knowing where their order is at any given moment. For Switcher, this means fewer queries and greater transparency for customers. It’s a small detail that can make a big difference in everyday life.
But for Marc, a good logistics partnership is about more than just reliable delivery and seamless processes.
“A good partnership is based on seeing each other as equals”, says Marc. For him, this means Swiss Post understands Switcher’s business and is responsive when its requirements change. This proximity is particularly important for a medium-sized company. If something isn’t working, you need quick solutions and a partner who can provide ideas.
A look into the crystal ball
Switcher’s growing. The brand is now available on Galaxus and Zalando and has opened three stores in a short space of time.
When asked where he sees the brand in three years’ time, he says: “If I had a crystal ball, I could sleep better.” He doesn’t have a crystal ball, but does have a plan. “At the moment, we’re busy planning for Q4.”
The logistics side of things needs to keep pace with this growth. One collection per day by Swiss Post works well for the current volume. But if Switcher grows at the same pace this year, a second collection could follow from September. The scenario has already been simulated with Swiss Post.
For Marc, that’s exactly what makes a good partnership: not just reacting when a problem arises, but planning ahead together. The aim is for logistics not to become a barrier to growth, but to grow with the company.
Look out for this small whale to make some big waves.
