Case Study: Miller’s Professional Imaging

The largest professional lab organization in the U.S., Miller’s Professional Imaging is a family-owned business that provides print services to professional photographers through its Miller’s Professional Imaging and MpixProTM brands. The MpixTM brand services home photography enthusiasts.

ChallengeIn a review of their shipping process, Miller’s determined that certain operational and marketing improvements could enhance their customer experience, far beyond simply moving packages from Point A to Point B.

SolutionUPS® proposed a wide range of solutions including cost-efficient, reliable shipping, enhanced packaging techniques, flexible delivery options and a new, robust email marketing service that drove new revenue and improved the overall customer experience.

ResultsWithin the first year, Miller’s identified $2 million in cost savings. Plus, improved delivery options and proactive notifications dramatically reduced the number of WISMO (Where is my order?) calls. This freed up customer service to help consult and build deeper customer relationships. Finally, the steady adoption of UPS My Choice® service by customers added flexible delivery choices that boosted overall satisfaction levels.

The portrait of an ideal e-commerce collaboration

From all angles, UPS takes a fresh look at e-commerce.A customized wedding album. A unique, aluminum-backed landscape print. A one-of-a-kind Christmas ornament. From professionals to hobbyists, every shot matters. And every shot tells a personal story. Miller’s understands. They ship more than 2.5 million orders annually — each with sentimental value well beyond the cost.

“It’s our mission to make the highest-quality products, faster than anyone, with the highest level of service,” says Paul Rotter, Miller’s Marketing Coordinator. “So if goods arrive in a damaged box, or delivery is unreliable, those promises fall on deaf ears.”

As Miller’s grew, shipping became more complex and critical. So they reevaluated their transportation relationships. “We’re a profit-sharing company,” Rotter continues. “Employees knew shipping costs were rising. We had to manage logistics better, and improve service to a very demanding audience.”

Added Shipping Coordinator Russell Taylor: “Service is our number one priority. We won’t jeopardize that for price.”

UPS not only brought competitive rates and the power of one highly integrated air, ground and international network, they raised the bar with operational consultation and innovative — and unexpected — marketing insights and third-party providers.

Looking at the bigger picture.

Before, Miller’s split its shipping with two carriers. Luke Wilson, UPS Major Account Manager and Brandon Johnson, UPS Marketing Manager, helped Miller’s see that consolidating shipments with one carrier just made good business sense.

“We talked to them about creating efficiencies, acquiring new customers and improving business processes,” Wilson recalls. “They weren’t expecting that from UPS.”

UPS helped Miller’s optimize small package and express envelope handling

at its loading dock. “We were getting a lot of WISMO calls,” Taylor says. Now, dedicated employees carefully load trucks to minimize handling and improve how packages are sorted and routed through UPS’s network. This helps packages that aren’t rigidly packed maintain their integrity throughout delivery.

But it was the “final mile” of delivery where UPS really helped Miller’s keep its promises. Consulting with UPS experts, Miller’s switched its less-urgent shipments to UPS Mail Innovations® high-volume service to improve efficiency and cut costs. “Delivery times with Mail Innovations are far superior,” Taylor adds.

UPS was just getting started. “Using industry insights and our own proprietary research,” says Johnson, “we showed Miller’s what today’s mobile-centric customers expect. Flexible shipping, predictable time windows and alternate delivery locations outside the home.”

With the UPS My Choice® network of more than 25 million members, Miller’s customers get alerts the day before a package is to be delivered. They can plan their schedule or change when or where the package arrives*. A photographer who’s on location can reroute a package to another address. Or a customer in an apartment complex will know their customized holiday cards won’t be left at the door. Plus, customers can ship or send packages to a UPS Access PointTM location — a convenient network of more than 24,000 global neighborhood businesses like coffee shops, delis or dry cleaners — then securely pick them up on their schedule.

Miller’s also wanted to enhance its email communication. “It’s a big revenue driver,” Rotter says, “We wanted more personalized customer emails. UPS knew we were researching providers, recommended Listrak and even introduced us to the Listrak team. UPS’s recommendation meant a lot.”

Listrak, a digital marketing automation platform for online and omnichannel

retailers, is one of many UPS Ready® Program providers. It’s a group of third-party services that help companies expand, improve efficiency and deliver great service. This includes shipping and order management, accounting/financial help and marketing services like email, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and website optimization.

Savings and benefits come into focus.

With UPS integrated into their shipping, web and email operations, Miller’s can save money and provide a better customer experience. They estimated savings of $2 million in the first year. And the new order-processing system reduced losses and damages, especially during the critical holiday season, which decreased reprinting and shipping costs.

In just six months, 15% of Miller’s volume was going to UPS My Choice members. Since those customers now had more control over deliveries, Miller’s customer service reps spent a lot less time on WISMO calls.

“I’ve really enjoyed working with UPS,” said Rotter. “We still meet monthly with different UPS experts to discuss ways to enhance both shipping and marketing. We feel like we’re always getting better.”

*Additional costs may apply

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