A New Chapter
JODA Freight was brought together in the late 1980s by two founders, John and Dave, and grew into a trusted logistics operation built on consistency and long-term customer relationships.
Last year, John and Dave decided it was time to hang up the keys, and the business entered a new chapter under new ownership with a clear intent to modernise and scale.
Growth has accelerated through new partnerships. In the last year, JODA Freight brought on two additional commercial refrigeration manufacturers supplying supermarkets, meaning JODA increasingly handles the stockholding and distribution of refrigeration units going into retail environments.
Under new ownership, the mission was straightforward: bring in cutting-edge technology that supports day-to-day operations and offers customers clearer, faster access to the information they need.
Technology mandate
The goal was not simply to digitise for the sake of it. It was to build operational control that could keep pace with expansion, improve accuracy, and deliver a better customer experience through transparency and speed.
In a stockholding and distribution model, customers want confidence in what is held, where it is, and what is moving, without delays caused by manual reconciliation.
That expectation shaped JODA Freight’s direction: replace slow, fragile processes with a WMS foundation designed for growth, live visibility, and stronger customer relationships.
Overcoming WMS Challenges Holding The Business Back
Excel could not scale
Before Clarus WMS, JODA Freight had no dedicated WMS. Inventory was managed using an Excel database, which created operational friction as volumes and customer requirements grew.
The limitations were practical and immediate. Stock could not be managed efficiently, and routine activities took longer than they should, including the ability to provide reliable numbers for customers and internal planning.
That gap, between operational demand and spreadsheet capability, is where accuracy and confidence begin to erode. When information is slow to compile, decisions slow down too.
Stock takes took weeks
Stock takes were the clearest pressure point. Under Excel, stock takes became extended, disruptive exercises that consumed time and focus.
Weeks to one day
– Luke, IT & Warehouse Manager
“Stock takes off an Excel spreadsheet used to take weeks whereas now we can get one done in a day.”
When a stock take takes weeks, it stops being a control mechanism and becomes a drain. The operation continues moving while the count tries to catch up, and confidence in the numbers can be compromised during the process.
For a business aiming to scale under new ownership, that level of disruption was no longer sustainable. JODA Freight needed inventory control that could be completed quickly, repeatably, and with confidence.
Customer visibility needed lift
Beyond internal speed, JODA Freight wanted to deliver a better system experience to customers. That meant clearer reporting, more consistent information, and the ability for customers to engage with stock data without always relying on manual updates.
This is a common turning point for growing 3PL and distribution operations: customers increasingly expect visibility as part of the service, not as an exception.
Guiding JODA Freight Toward Cloud WMS Transformation
Why Clarus WMS
JODA Freight chose Clarus WMS because it aligned with what the business needed in the next stage of growth.
A cloud solution was a priority, as was a platform the business could grow with. JODA also wanted a system that customers could use easily, and one that could integrate with other software in the future as requirements evolved.
This selection criteria reflects a strategic shift. JODA Freight was not looking for a short-term fix for stock checks. It was building an operating foundation designed to scale.
Confidence over time
JODA Freight has now been with Clarus for nearly five years, and the language used by the team reflects long-term confidence rather than early-stage optimism.
First choice recommendation
– Luke, IT & Warehouse Manager
“I would definitely recommend Clarus. Anybody asks me, and a lot of people ask me, have you got any recommendations for a WMS, it’s always Clarus first time for me.”
That confidence is anchored in two outcomes that matter most in stockholding operations: accuracy and speed, delivered in a way that customers can feel through better reporting and visibility.
Implementing The Solution: Planning To Execution
Accuracy through discipline
After implementing Clarus WMS, JODA Freight increased the frequency of stock takes and PI checks. That shift matters because accuracy improves when checks become a routine discipline, not an occasional clean-up exercise.
Within the first year, JODA Freight reported stock accuracy improving into the 90% to 97% range, and by year two reaching 99%.
This timeline reflects how WMS value compounds. The system provides structure, but the ongoing cadence of checks and consistent execution drives sustained performance.
Fast stock takes
The most practical operational change described by JODA Freight was the compression of stock takes. Moving from weeks to one day changes how the warehouse can operate, because control activities stop disrupting flow.
It also improves governance, because year-end stock checks can be completed in a realistic timeframe, rather than dragging on and risking data staleness.
Weeks to one day
– Luke, IT & Warehouse Manager
“Stock takes off an Excel spreadsheet used to take weeks whereas now we can get one done in a day.”
3D space visibility
One of JODA Freight’s standout capabilities in Clarus is the 3D warehouse map, which provides live visibility of warehouse space and rack capacity.
Space is a hidden constraint in many warehouse operations. When leaders cannot see capacity clearly, inbound decisions become reactive and space is used less efficiently. Live visibility enables earlier, better decisions.
3D map visibility
– Luke, IT & Warehouse Manager
“My favourite feature of Clarus, and I will shout about this a lot, is the 3D warehouse map. Such a cool feature. Visibility for us directors, I can look on a morning and see what space we’ve got in what warehouses, in the racks, live, real time.”
For leadership, this is a daily planning advantage. It supports better allocation of inbound stock, reduces last-minute reshuffles, and helps the business stay in control as volumes grow.
Customer reporting workflows
Clarus also enabled scheduled reporting and real-time visibility for customers. JODA Freight can configure reports at the cadence a customer needs, from daily to hourly, and support a more transparent service experience.
Reporting on any cadence
“Live real time reporting for the customer is really good. Schedule reports, we can go in, set reports up that the customer can receive daily, hourly, weekly, monthly, yearly, and whatever they want really.”
– Luke, IT & Warehouse Manager
JODA Freight also described a customer adopting a live view of their stock, with feedback that this visibility supports KPI creation and strengthens the working relationship.
Customers see live stock
“We have one customer that have got on board and have a live view of their stocks and the feedback from them is, it’s great, I can see my stocks live at all times, I can build KPI on the back of it.”
– Luke, IT & Warehouse Manager
This is a meaningful shift in how customer relationships work. When customers can see stock status live, the conversation becomes less about chasing updates and more about improving performance together.
Results Achieved: WMS Success In Action
Stock accuracy to 99%
JODA Freight reported a clear improvement trajectory in stock accuracy after adopting Clarus WMS and embedding regular PI checks and stock takes.
Within year one, accuracy rose into the 90% to 97% range. By year two, JODA Freight reached 99% stock accuracy.
This improvement supports faster customer responses, better planning, and reduced disruption caused by mismatches between expected and actual inventory.
Stock takes compressed
Stock takes that previously took weeks using Excel can now be completed in a day, with year-end stock takes completed in two to three days.
That change is both operational and cultural. The warehouse can maintain control without pausing normal service, and leadership can focus on growth and improvement rather than lengthy reconciliation exercises.
Weeks to one day
“Stock takes off an Excel spreadsheet used to take weeks whereas now we can get one done in a day.”
– Luke, IT & Warehouse Manager
Live capacity planning
The 3D warehouse map gives leadership live visibility into space across warehouses and racking. This supports better daily planning and reduces the risk of capacity surprises as JODA Freight expands.
3D map visibility
“My favourite feature of Clarus, and I will shout about this a lot, is the 3D warehouse map. Such a cool feature. Visibility for us directors, I can look on a morning and see what space we’ve got in what warehouses, in the racks, live, real time.”
– Luke, IT & Warehouse Manager
Stronger customer relationships
Customer reporting improved through scheduled reports and, in at least one case, a live stock view that enabled KPI building. This strengthened the customer relationship through transparency and continuous visibility.
Customers see live stock
“We have one customer that have got on board and have a live view of their stocks and the feedback from them is, it’s great, I can see my stocks live at all times, I can build KPI on the back of it.”
– Luke, IT & Warehouse Manager
Client Reflections And Lessons Learned
Visibility becomes service
JODA Freight’s experience shows how quickly transparency becomes part of the product in modern warehousing and distribution. Live reporting and scheduled reports reduce dependency on manual updates and help customers feel in control of their inventory position.
Accuracy compounds
The move from no system and Excel-based control to 99% accuracy illustrates that operational performance improves in stages. The WMS provides the foundation, then process discipline sustains and strengthens it over time.
Leadership gets leverage
The 3D warehouse map is a reminder that not all WMS value is “back office.” Live capacity visibility helps leaders make better decisions earlier, which becomes more important as warehouse utilisation rises and throughput grows.
Your Path To WMS Success
JODA Freight’s journey, from Excel-based stock control to a cloud WMS with 99% stock accuracy, shows what happens when a growing stockholding and distribution operation invests in control, speed, and customer transparency.
The most practical outcomes are clear: stock takes reduced from weeks to one day, year-end counts completed in two to three days, and customers supported with real-time reporting, scheduled reports, and live visibility in at least one case.
If your operation is still relying on spreadsheets, or if stock takes are consuming weeks and disrupting normal service, a cloud WMS can turn inventory control into a repeatable capability that scales with your growth.
Discover how Clarus WMS can help your warehouse improve accuracy, speed up stock control, and deliver the transparency customers increasingly expect.