As the leading, award-winning, trade-only distributor for many of the world's biggest brands in audio-visual, print, barcode, digital imaging and consumer electronics, Midwich has high standards.
With 6,000 customers in the UK and Ireland alone, and a host of awards under its belt, including Specialist Distributor of the Year for six years running, Midwich puts a high premium on customer service.
"We win much of our business on the service that we provide to our customers, and they view our carriers as an extension of Midwich," said Bev Barnes, Customer Services Manager, Midwich.
"We want to promote our brand so when selecting partners we look for honest people who will help us to achieve that aim; who will proactively advise us of any problems."
The open and honest communication offered by Geodis Calberson is one of the reasons why Midwich has chosen them to deliver palletised goods all over the UK and some European countries.
"We know we are told the truth by Geodis Calberson and that is important to us," she said. "To be able to speak openly and freely, and to get that in return, is good for business and good for our customers."
Geodis Calberson provides a range of services to Midwich from its new distribution centre at Birmingham for a "significant" value that has recently been extended to include European runs.
The Birmingham hub is pioneering a new way of operating for Geodis Calberson: it is a member of the Fortec Distribution Network, which in turn is a wholly owned subsidiary of Geodis Calberson. As a Fortec licensee, the Birmingham hub shifts up to 40 pallets of goods for Midwich a night to destinations across the UK.
Geodis Calberson also carries out direct runs from Midwich's warehouses in Dudley and Erdington to their end customers in the UK, which do not go through the Fortec network.
Moreover, Geodis provides runs to France, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium with its market leading EUROFIRST and EUROTOP guaranteed door-to-door deliveries in up to 72 hours to a range of European countries.
Frank communication is not the only quality that Midwich expects: security, flexibility and reliable timed deliveries are all important.
As it ships many high value, high technology items, security is top priority for Midwich, as is a robust attitude towards breakages and damage.
"We get very few instances of damage with Geodis Calberson and the loss rate is very good," she said. "In the rare case when it does happen Geodis Calberson takes it very seriously and investigates to make sure it doesn't happen again. That is important to us.
"We do not want to be spending time filling in insurance claims "
The IT business, by its very nature, is fast-moving and Midwich requires a carrier that can respond to last-minute requests and fluctuating demands. Midwich's customers are all dealers who spend the day ringing around for the best price and availability before placing orders, often late in the afternoon.
"We receive many orders after 4pm so flexibility is a big consideration for us. We can always ring Geodis Calberson up and 99.9% of the time they will be able to fulfil our requests. It makes a big difference to us."
Geodis' ability to deliver goods at times which are specified by Midwich's customers also gives it a competitive advantage. Rather than force customers to hang around for pre-10.30am or pre-noon deliveries, Geodis Calberson can deliver to within half an hour of a customer's specification.
"Geodis' timed deliveries help to keep our customers happy. At the end of the day we are trying to meet all their needs, that is important to us."