Pilot Air Freight, a transportation and logistics company specializing in the business-to-business delivery market, yesterday started Pilot Home Delivery, a nationwide home delivery business.
Lima, PA-based Pilot Home Delivery provides time-definite transit through its 65 U.S. locations and nationwide transportation network to retailers and manufacturers who frequently ship large consumer items — such as electronics, home furnishings and exercise equipment — direct to customers' homes.
As part of the service, Pilot will make pickups from anywhere in the country, with a guarantee of three to five days in transit to most points. Online and catalog retailers will be able to pinpoint when their customers can expect a home delivery, improving customer satisfaction and encouraging repeat business.
Pilot Home Delivery offers several levels of service, from Deluxe, which includes nationwide coverage, time-definite transit, scheduled delivery appointments, special handling requirements and returns/repacking; to Premier, affording all of the above plus delivery to the homeowner's room of choice, unpacking, set-up, minor assembly and debris removal. Retailers can schedule their shipments by registering online through Co-Pilot(TM), Pilot's complete online shipping solution that streamlines the shipping process. Co-Pilot is available at www.pilotair.com.
Pilot's current Home Delivery customers include electronics manufacturer Panasonic and retailer Neiman Marcus.
The idea for Pilot Home Delivery emerged from a service Pilot was performing for QVC Network, a leader in the home shopping industry. Pilot has delivered more than 15,000 shipments of fitness equipment and home furnishings to QVC customers' homes.
“Our experience with QVC convinced us that there is a real need for time-definite transit from retailers direct to customers,” said John Kelemen, Pilot's director, home delivery services. “Large freight shippers, including trucking companies, often perform home delivery service somewhat reluctantly, as an add-on responsibility to what they consider the more lucrative inbound shipping business from manufacturers to distribution centers. In contrast, Pilot is actively pursuing the home shipping business by offering a level of service not often enjoyed by retailers and their customers.”
