NCSU Study: Specialized Carriers Get the Nod

February 7, 2012  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Delivery on February 8, 2012

An independent study by N.C. State University says three of four home furnishings companies using outside carriers opt for specialized furniture carriers.

The furniture carrier survey was commissioned by the Specialized Furniture Carriers, a division of the American Home Furnishings Alliance that serves niche carriers dedicated to the transportation and delivery of residential furnishings. The group intends to use results of the study to develop programs, services and marketing materials for its members.

Companies using specialized furniture carriers said they value these companies' services for their furniture handling expertise, personalized service and support for the furniture industry, according to the study. The respondents reported using specialized carriers for both business-to-business and business-to-customer deliveries.

The study was conducted by the Furniture Manufacturing and Management Center and the Psychology Department at NCSU and included 234 respondents responsible for logistics at furniture manufacturing and retail companies. Slightly more than half of the group (53 percent) reported using external, third-party freight carriers. Of this group, 76 percent reported using specialized furniture carriers, while 24 percent said they use general commodity carriers.

The majority of survey respondents were from retail companies (76 percent) and reported being highly experienced, with 67 percent having been in the furniture industry more than 20 years. Only 6 percent of respondents said they had been in the furniture industry less than five years. Most (59 percent) work for small- to medium-size companies with fewer than 25 employees. However, nearly one out of four (23 percent) work for companies employing more than 100.

Those using specialized carriers were asked to judge the quality of 19 services provided by specialized carriers compared to general commodity carriers. Respondents reported satisfaction with the services they receive, specifically citing better furniture handling and more personalized service as top advantages to using a specialized furniture carrier. Many also said they consider specialized furniture carriers €œessential€ to the furniture industry.

Among those respondents who said they do not use specialized furniture carriers, most reported that they perceive little difference between the service qualities of general and specialized carriers, or they lacked information about specialized carriers.