Clarendon Fine Art: Cutting delivery planning time by 50% with Maxoptra

As Clarendon Fine Art scaled rapidly, its logistics model, once manageable, became increasingly time-consuming and inefficient. The team was relying on Google Maps and manual input to plan delivery routes across the country, often requiring a dedicated full-time resource just to keep things on track.

Each week, Clarendon delivers to 80 of their own galleries weekly, alongside approximately 70 residential properties, as well as collecting artwork from artists and auction houses. The need to strategically move artwork between locations based on client interest and exhibition scheduling added an extra layer of complexity.

Kath Topliss, who has been with the business for over 15 years, knew the model needed to evolve. Not only was route planning too manual, but proof of delivery was managed via paperwork, tracking was limited, and reporting was almost entirely done by hand. Any staff absence meant additional pressure on others to pick up the process, with no formal system in place.

Challenges included:

• Heavy reliance on manual route planning with Google Maps
• Time-consuming paperwork and limited proof-of-delivery oversight
• No real-time tracking or automated reporting
• Inefficient use of internal resources and lack of system resilience
• Inability to scale planning in line with growing gallery footprint

In anticipation of continued expansion, Clarendon Fine Art began researching route planning and delivery management solutions. After comparing several options, the team selected MaxOptra for its flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and strong customer support.

The implementation of MaxOptra transformed Clarendon’s delivery planning process. What previously took hours of manual input can now be completed far more efficiently, freeing up team members to focus on other tasks such as route checks, cost reviews, and quality control.

MaxOptra is now used to plan routes for Clarendon’s mixed fleet, 10 in-house vehicles and a network of trusted third-party couriers. With up to 14 vans on the road each day, the team is able to plan complex multi-stop deliveries, coordinate gallery-to-gallery rotations, and ensure timely residential drop-offs. The introduction of real-time tracking provides added assurance, especially when transporting valuable, often irreplaceable, artwork.

Moreover, the reporting functionality allows for greater transparency, both internally and with drivers. The team particularly appreciates MaxOptra’s ability to show planned vs actual performance, enabling data-led decision making and stronger service delivery.

• Selected MaxOptra for its flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and strong support
• Automated route planning for both in-house and third-party vehicles
• Introduced real-time tracking for greater visibility over valuable deliveries
• Replaced manual processes with ePOD and streamlined scheduling
• Improved operational efficiency and freed up internal resource capacity

“MaxOptra has not only saved us time, it’s given us the insight and tools to grow with confidence. The support and development team are brilliant; they listen and adapt to what we need.”

– Kath Topliss, Clarendon Fine Art