Queensland Rail stays on track with Corporate Express
When Queensland Rail were tendering for a reliable supplier for their Personal Protection Equipment, Corporate Express were able to keep their 14,000 employees geared up.
Martin Dyrbus, Commodity Facilitator for Queensland Rail, manages fourteen contracts within the commercial contracts division of Queensland Rail.
“We had excellent support from the National Safety Manager at Corporate Express. At the beginning of the contract he suggested taking a week to visit our major sites to find out what our staff really needed and revealed his extensive product knowledge. As a result of the early visits, he was able to suggest an excellent catalogue of goods,” Dyrbus said.
“With the size of Queensland Rail and differences in operating areas which include four major workshops and five major train crewing depots in QLD the needs of Personal Protection Equipment are varied. For example, the safety glasses for our drivers are a totally different specification to those required in workshops. Corporate Express met these requirements with their wide range and in-depth product knowledge.
“The Corporate Express representatives who manage the contract are out in the field on a daily basis making sure that the correct products are in use. They meet with safety officers and give presentations at our safety days and are very proactive in their field. They organise for manufacturers to come on-site and give demonstrations about correct usage of Personal Protection Equipment.
“They alert us to any new products that may be superior to an existing product we have. So whilst we have a defined range, they are constantly ensuring that it is exactly what we need - not more or less.
“One thing that really comes through is the professionalism. Their support staff and their structure make it so easy to do business them. I only have to go to one person if there is an issue. Straight away we’ve got the communication and the problem is fixed.
“Speedy delivery was very important for Queensland Rail and Corporate Express made a commitment to deliver in metro areas within 24 hours and anywhere in Queensland within 72 hours.
“Because it is protective gear, we can’t afford to leave our staff waiting – and Corporate Express reach their delivery commitment targets 98 percent of the time,” Dyrbus said.
“Our 12 month, fixed price contract means we know the price in advance and that makes it more beneficial to buy from Corporate Express. The contract is well managed and run effectively.
“We have subsequently added IT peripherals to our contract with CE which is a first for Queensland Rail.
“Ordering through online purchasing cuts down on administration costs and extra procedures. When our order is delivered in full, Corporate Express sends an electronic invoice and it’s automatically paid. The paperless trail is very important to us for an account this size. It was imperative for the tender and Corporate Express has the sophisticated systems for the interface to work well,” Dyrbus said.
After winning all four categories of procurement in office, furniture, safety and janitorial supplies, Corporate Express shows they have what it takes to keep Queensland Rail on track.
