538: Enjoy Ecommerce Delivery at the Speed of Flight, with DeliverDirect
Jeffrey Elder, Head of Products for Delta Cargo, and Derreck Travers, SVP of E-commerce and Business Development at SmartKargo, explain their collaboration on DeliverDirect. Jeffrey details Delta's strategy to enter the small package market by leveraging its core strength in aviation and partnering with SmartKargo for its technology expertise. Derreck highlights how their solution solves major shipper pain points by simplifying pricing and providing robust, integrated customer support. They share a case study where they reduced a client's delivery time from 5-10 days to an average of 3.2 days, enhancing customer satisfaction and retention.
Today I’m joined by DeliverDirect, a solution providing ecommerce delivery at the speed of flight!
DeliverDirect redefines what is possible in small package delivery, combining rapid delivery with an uncomplicated pricing structure. The premier choice for e-commerce and small package shippers to delight customers with fast, reliable shipping, DeliverDirect provide real value from cart to door.
Today Jeffrey Elder, Head of Cargo Products at Delta Air Lines, and Derreck Travers, SVP of E-Commerce Business Development at SmartKargo, join me to talk all about DeliverDirect and what they do; redefining how brands interact with their logistics providers; treating packages like passengers; and combining speed, reliability, technology and simplicity for the ultimate shipping experience.
Guest bios:
Jeffrey Elder, Head of Cargo Products at Delta Air Lines. Jeffrey Elder is the Head of Cargo Products for Delta Air Lines sitting in their Atlanta headquarters. In his 24 years of experience with Delta, he has used his Industrial Engineering degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology to focus on advancements in Revenue Management, Cargo Analytics and Product Development. In his current role, Jeffrey is responsible for all of the Delta Cargo product lines and introduction of new products across the globe. His team recently introduced a new product, DeliverDirect, in partnership with SmartKargo which creates a seamless e-commerce solution from a shipper’s dock to a customer’s door throughout the United States.
Derreck Travers, SVP E-Commerce Business Development. Previously, as Vice President of Transportation and Logistics at Saks OFF 5TH, Derreck successfully implemented strategic initiatives that reduced transit times, optimized vendor transportation processes, and substantially decreased inventory shrinkage, resulting in tens of millions of dollars in savings and dramatically improving the customer experience. His leadership consistently focused on measurable results and enhanced customer satisfaction. At Amazon, Derreck led the team responsible for launching and scaling Amazon’s last-mile delivery operations (AMZL) across Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and the Middle East, significantly improving cost efficiency and expanding delivery capabilities. Additionally, his team was responsible for deploying over 30 Fulfillment Centers, Sort Centers, and Delivery Stations. He also managed global returns operations and was instrumental in establishing Amazon’s Regional Carrier Network, achieving substantial cost savings and operational improvements. Throughout his career at companies such as Davis Wire, Nucor Steel, and A.N. Deringer, Derreck developed extensive experience in logistics management, project leadership, and process optimization across various industries. He is known for his strategic vision, results-driven approach, and ability to manage complex logistical challenges.
An introduction to Derreck and SmartKargo.
An overview of DeliverDirect – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers.
The ideal client for DeliverDirect.
Why speed is a top priority for e-commerce businesses, the challenge of balancing speed and cost, and how DeliverDirect’s network helps tackle that.
How Delta partnered with SmartKargo to create DeliverDirect, specifically to tackle shipper’s key pain points from predictability to pricing.
How Delta recognized its own limitations when wanting to enter the small package delivery business, what they were looking for in a partner, and how and why they chose SmartKargo.
A closer look at how the solution works, from pickup to doorstep.
The technology that powers DeliverDirect, and how businesses can customize their solution with add-on features.
What integration, communication and customer relationships look like with DeliverDirect.
The biggest benefits revealed from DeliverDirect’s recent customer survey.
How DeliverDirect is helping businesses reduce cost and make sustainability progress.
A case study exploring how DeliverDirect helped a small retailer optimize delivery, with cost in mind, to reduce delivery speed by days and enhance customer satisfaction.
Jeffrey and Derreck’s predictions for the year ahead, and what they’ll be focusing on at DeliverDirect. “It’s a great time to be a shipper, but there will be a capacity crunch… There’s a lot of players in this business now. There’s going to be a lot of pressure put on businesses to be viable and profitable. And I worry that customer experience is going to suffer as a result.”
