RTS achieves 99% stock accuracy across Europe with cloud WMS

Road Truck Services (RTS) has evolved significantly since its foundation as a family-run enterprise in 2006. Initially starting with a singular, focused operation, the company has steadily scaled its operational footprint far beyond its original scope. Today, RTS manages a highly complex, high-volume logistics and warehouse network that spans across Ireland, the United Kingdom, and mainland Europe.

However, scaling a third-party logistics (3PL) business across international borders brings compounding operational complexities. As their customer base expanded and order volumes intensified, the practical realities of managing their warehouse operations exposed critical limitations within their legacy processes. For RTS, continuing their impressive growth trajectory required more than just additional warehouse space or extra hands on the floor; it required a fundamental technological shift to secure their fulfilment processes.

The challenge before change

For modern logistics providers, the true test of operational resilience occurs during peak periods. As RTS expanded its reach across Europe, they encountered a significant and growing operational bottleneck: maintaining peak picking accuracy.

In the high-stakes environment of 3PL fulfilment, relying on outdated or manual methods meant there was no definitive, digital paper trail to track warehouse movements, verify order fulfilment, or audit staff performance. Without a dedicated warehouse management system (WMS) capturing real-time data on the floor, identifying, isolating, and correcting errors was an incredibly labor-intensive and frustrating process.

As the operations team noted regarding their previous setup, “There was no system for if the pickers pick something correctly or to go back and investigate.”

When an error occurred, the lack of traceability meant the root cause remained hidden. Management could not determine if an issue stemmed from a misplaced product, a misread label, or a simple human error during a busy shift. As the business scaled and daily order volumes surged, these manual checks and blind spots became entirely unsustainable. The lack of operational visibility directly threatened the high standard of service and reliability that their diverse European customer base had come to expect. RTS knew that to protect their reputation and their margins, they had to eliminate the guesswork from their warehouse floor.

Why a new WMS was needed

Upgrading core technological infrastructure is never a decision taken lightly in the logistics sector. Implementing a new software ecosystem requires careful planning, change management, and financial commitment. As RTS evaluated their options, they were acutely aware of the stakes. “When we looked at a warehouse management system, it was obviously an additional cost to the business,” the team acknowledged.

However, the cost of doing nothing was far higher. RTS recognised that to continue their upward trajectory and onboard larger, more demanding clients, investing in an advanced WMS was non-negotiable. They required a platform that not only solved their immediate accuracy and visibility issues but also possessed the technical flexibility and robust architecture to adapt to diverse, bespoke client needs.

A modern 3PL cannot operate efficiently with a rigid, one-size-fits-all software solution. RTS needed a technology partner capable of providing total visibility, absolute accountability, and the seamless digital infrastructure required to embed RTS deeper into their customers’ supply chains. They needed a system that could turn their warehouse from a potential bottleneck into a strategic growth driver.

Rollout and implementation reality

The deployment of a new warehouse management system is often the most critical phase of technological adoption, testing the adaptability of both the software and the workforce. For RTS, the implementation phase with Claro was defined by the need for seamless, customer-specific integration and intuitive usability.

A critical requirement for the new system was the ability to connect directly with the disparate technological environments of their top-tier clients. By partnering with Clarus, RTS successfully implemented deeply tailored solutions rather than settling for generic connections. “We have two separate integrations for two separate customers,” the RTS team explained, highlighting the bespoke nature of their service offering.

Using the Clarus API, RTS established a remarkably quick, streamlined onboarding and communication process for one major client. Simultaneously, they recognised that another key customer required a different approach, prompting them to work with Clarus to develop a custom EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) format specifically designed for that client’s distinct reporting and processing requirements. This agility allowed RTS to adapt perfectly to the specific technological maturity and preferred workflows of their clients.

Beyond high-level system integraciones, the rollout had to succeed on the warehouse floor among the actual users. The logistics industry frequently relies on a transient workforce to manage fluctuating volumes. RTS regularly utilizes agency staff to handle surges in demand, and even brings in younger individuals for work experience programs. Jurica Knezevic highlighted this dynamic, noting that they often bring in additional staff or work experience participants who might stay for just a week.

When dealing with a high rotation of temporary staff, complex and unintuitive warehouse technology is a massive liability. The new WMS needed to be straightforward enough that agency workers and inexperienced staff could be onboarded rapidly, guided through their picking tasks digitally, and prevented from making errors. By deploying a system that digitises and directs the workflow, RTS ensured that even their newest team members could contribute to their goal of peak accuracy from day one.

Results achieved

The shift to a modernized WMS fundamentally transformed RTS’s operational reality, leading to a much faster return on investment than anticipated. The true value of the system was realized not just in cost savings, but in the ability to drive greater revenue. As Jurica Knezevic pointed out, the return on investment was highly apparent because “the more things we can process, the more work they’re [giving us].” By dramatically increasing their processing speed and eliminating fulfillment bottlenecks, RTS proved their capacity to their clients, directly resulting in increased order volumes and stronger commercial partnerships.

Most importantly, the system provided the rock-solid technological foundation required for uncapped, aggressive growth. RTS is no longer constrained by the administrative burden of scaling. “With our business that’s constantly growing, having a warehouse system that has the scalability to grow with us means we don’t have to worry about how big the warehouse gets, how busy the warehouse gets, or how many products that we have on the system,” shared the RTS team confidently. “We know Clarus can handle it.”

This relentless commitment to operational excellence, accuracy, and scalability recently culminated in major industry recognition. RTS was honoured with the prestigious Triple Achievement award at the Irish Logistics and Transport Awards. Reflecting on this monumental milestone, Conor Sheridan made it clear that their technological infrastructure was the catalyst for their success: “A huge achievement for road truck services this year is that we won the triple achievement award… and this wouldn’t have been possible without a reliable WMS.”

Reflections and lessons learned

Looking back on their journey from a small family business to an award-winning European logistics network, RTS’s primary lesson is the critical importance of scalable infrastructure. Many growing 3PLs make the mistake of waiting until their operations are actively breaking down before they invest in enterprise-grade technology.

By proactively implementing a system capable of managing bespoke API and EDI integrations, RTS future-proofed their business. They learned that a WMS is not simply a tool for managing inventory; it is a vital customer service asset. Total visibility into picker accuracy, combined with the ability to rapidly onboard agency staff without sacrificing quality, has allowed RTS to confidently pitch for and secure contracts that would have overwhelmed their legacy processes.

Practical closing takeaway

For fast-growing 3PLs, outgrowing your legacy processes is inevitable, but compromised fulfillment accuracy does not have to be. As RTS has proven, sustainable growth requires eliminating operational blind spots and investing in technology that adapts to your clients’ needs, rather than forcing your clients to adapt to your limitations.

By securing your warehouse floor with a scalable WMS, you remove the operational ceiling on your business, empowering your team to process higher volumes, build stronger integrations, and ultimately, deliver the award-winning service that modern supply chains demand.