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The Big Bang Competition was thrilled to be part of this year’s IMHX Logistics Event 2019. The event saw three teams of year 12 learners from Crewe Engineering and Design UTC present their own solutions to AO.com’s returns problem.
The Challenge:
“The average returned purchase in the UK passes through seven pairs of hands before it is listed for resale… 56% of people who bought clothes online in the last six months, have sent at least one item back!”
The online electricals store have their own in-house returns function. One of the challenges which they face is getting brand new - but opened - items back to their base in pristine condition and ready for re-sale. Products are returned from all over the UK and often damaged along the way.
The aim for the young people participating was to use S.T.E.A.M (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths) skills to investigate to propose a solution to AO’s damage rate in returned washing machines.
The winners:
The competition was judged by three industry professionals from AO.com. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes were allocated to each of the teams.
The prizes:
The British Industrial Truck Association (BITA) kindly donated cash prizes: £750 for the 1st place prize, £350 for 2nd place and £250 for 3rd place.
Th!nk Logistics has donated 10 copies of ‘Business on the Move” to Crewe UTC, and AO.com intend to use one of the competition entries as their solution to the return’s problem company-wide.
Quotes from the day:
Jade Rowley, Big Bang Regional Competition Co-ordinator, shares her thoughts from the day:
“I had a fantastic day at the IMHX event assisting with the AO.com/Think Logistics competition.
I was blown away by the level of hard work the Crewe UTC students had put into their competition entries, and their confidence in presenting these ideas. I really hope they go on to enter these in the National Big Bang Competition!”
Bethany Fovargue, Operations Manager from The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) shares:
“We had a simply wonderful time on Friday in the Big Bang theatre with students from Crewe UTC – they did the school, the event and the profession proud… I am very proud to have been a part of an excellent event!”
We look forward to supporting more potential competitions in upcoming years, and wish the students from Crewe UTC the best of luck in entering the National Big Bang Competition.