Shuttle Service for Employees to the All-Important Distribution Centers

We've all heard of the mighty Walmart and the work they do, so we can well understand that they need to employ thousands of hard-working staff. The sheer size of their distribution centers means they need to work smarter, not harder, regarding traffic flow and parking for their teams.

Until they called us for help, their parking lots were filling up fast – this is a significant pain point for Walmart’s distribution centers around the world and they needed one, consistent company to manage this issue end to end.

Swoop was happy to help with this overflow of vehicles to alleviate the volume of cars, take parking stress away from the team, and fulfill their wish to be in the Business of Better through the adoption of reliable employee shuttles.

Here is the story of how Walmart partnered with Swoop to transform its corporate transportation.

A Little About Everyone’s Favorite Grocery Store

Founded by brothers Sam and James Walton in Arkansas in 1962, Walmart is an American retail corporation that heads up hypermarkets as well as department stores and grocery stores with franchises all over the world from India to South Africa.

A fact that staggers us here at Swoop is that Walmart is the world’s largest company when it comes to the size of its revenue and it employs 2.2 million people internationally.

As a result, it is the go-to store for millions of American households, so products need to be moved quickly and efficiently out of the various distribution centers and into the stores.

The Full Story

Because of the nature of Walmart’s challenge -- to alleviate their parking lots by providing a corporate shuttle service for employees based in diverse locations -- Swoop needed to strategize drivers’ journeys and make the whole process super efficient for everyone involved. Walmart has a gigantic workforce and every team member should experience convenience, comfort, and punctuality on every trip.

Swoop became Walmart’s preferred transportation partner to provide shuttle drivers to and from distribution centers in 5 markets. We helped them to achieve a 80% majority uptake on shuttle utilization, with 89% of employees using the service at least once.

What was the action plan?

A Fresh Pair of Eyes and Bespoke Coordination

Challenge

A customized process was necessary for each city – some of them international – and Walmart needed someone to oversee the movement of each private shuttle service. Walmart couldn't be expected to enroll any of their already busy team in this task, so they needed someone whose sole job was to coordinate the shuttle services for them.

Solution

After in-depth discussions with the client, Swoop now provides between three and ten 56-passenger charter buses at each Walmart location, and there is an onsite coordinator for each of the centers.

We scouted each location one week before the launch to ensure seamless logistics and used our 'heat map' technology to understand the location of every employee, which allowed us to create routes that made logical sense to everyone involved.

This meant that we could provide a comfortable and enjoyable employee experience where the team could book a seat of their choice and, importantly, they could send us updates in real time to adjust their journey where necessary.

Passenger Verification for Every Shuttle Service

Challenge

As we've already outlined above, Walmart's workforce is... BIG. The sheer size of their distribution center teams meant that a system was necessary to verify that passengers on these specially tailored corporate shuttle services were indeed employees!

Solution

By liaising with Walmart's HR teams, Swoop created a system to verify that all passengers are employees, through a series of steps linked to our unique central system. The drivers who work with us are all trained and confident in not only their own abilities but in the crucial technology we all use. No room for error here.

Not only that, but we also check that the teams are following necessary CDC guidelines, meaning we must stay up to date with local legislation and follow through on these guidelines robustly.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Challenge

Walmart has strong values and they believe in "fostering a culture where all associates are engaged to achieve their potential and deliver on our customer mission". This means no one should be at a disadvantage when it comes to working for this company, no matter what their socioeconomic status, geographic location, or abilities as a human being.

But how could Walmart fulfill its vision through an employee shuttle service? Here's how…

Solution

Companies that provide their workforce with an employee shuttle, rather than asking them to rely on public transportation, show a deep commitment to employee well-being. Purpose, autonomy, excellence, and collaboration can only happen when the team feels taken care of by their employer.

Swoop’s employee shuttle services carry a happy Walmart team from home to work with care and consideration. This leaves them fresh and ready to be productive, not to mention providing them the chance to make fulfilling personal connections with fellow passengers during the journeys.

Don't Forget Other Swoop Benefits!

Challenge

With so many distribution center employees based in different locations, Walmart needed to know they could trust their transportation provider implicitly. While some employee shuttle services might offer some of the solutions, it can be hard to find a company that relishes the responsibility of getting everyone to work on time, every time.

The client needed experienced drivers, who know their local area, including residential areas and the transport hubs, drivers who are tech-savvy enough to provide updates and cope with real-time adjustments regularly, and a company that can provide them with cost-effective answers to all their questions.

Solution

Let's break it down into the delicious morsels that make up a great shuttle service:

Shared Values

Challenge

Walmart needed nothing less than to partner with a company that could check all boxes – comfort, well-being, flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability – with a team that would be there to help at any time.

Solution

The partnership between Walmart and Swoop is a special one and more than just about business. We share positive economic, cultural, and environmental values that are at the heart of both of our companies, creating a partnership for the future.

A Long-Lasting Partnership

Challenge

Swoop recognized that Walmart, as a prime example of a modern, large-scale company, needed a transportation company with one eye firmly on tomorrow. Not just a company that provides a basic service, but that strives to improve its service in a future-facing way – even when things are performing well.

Solution

Swoop works hard every day to envision the future and provide for it now. We hope that with these strong foundations and our new partnership, our journey with Walmart will continue for a long time to come.

Why Choose Swoop for Your Business?

Whether you have a handful of team members or a thousand employees, an employee shuttle program can make all the difference to your and your company's working day. Swoop will work out all your logistics according to your unique needs. We have a whole range of vehicles available, from executive SUVs and transit vans to sprinter vans, mini-coaches, and motor coaches.

With Swoop, your team will have a comfortable and productive journey thanks to conveniences like secure WiFi and USB charging ports. For a little extra luxury, we can also offer vehicles with reclining seats, air conditioning, and PA systems to rock out to or relax with.

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