Driving Growth and Operational Effectiveness in Fulfilment

Meet Michael Boulton, Commercial Director at Whistl Fulfilment. Having spent over 25 years in the industry, Michael brings a wealth of experience across sales, business development, and international growth, having previously led our Cross-Border division.

In October 2024, he joined the Fulfilment team as Commercial Director, where he now plays a key role in driving ongoing expansion and strategic development. 

We caught up with Michael to hear his insights on the benefits of third-party logistics and what lies ahead. 

Key Takeaways

• Michael outlines his role in connecting the dots between the different commercial and support functions involved in delivering our fulfilment services.

• Learn more about the investments being made to ensure new and existing customers benefit from more space and greater operational efficiency.

• Get insights into how online retailers can alleviate peak pressures and better optimise for times of high demand.

• Michael explains how solutions-based partnerships deliver better outcomes than transactional 3PL relationships.

Michael's Role in our Ecommerce Fulfilment Operations

Q: What’s your role in the Whistl Fulfilment process?

A: Over the past 12 months, my role within the Fulfilment division has grown both in scope and responsibility. I’m responsible for all commercial aspects of the Fulfilment business, including new business development - helping each company achieve its fulfilment goals - and the management of existing accounts.

In addition, I oversee several key support functions, including data analysis, project management, stock control, and the Contact Solutions service. When managing existing accounts, I focus on understanding and fulfilling specific client needs.

These support functions play a crucial role in aligning the business and ensuring smooth day-to-day delivery, acting as a kind of ‘lighthouse team’ to support all areas of the division.

Defining Fulfilment Excellence

Q: What’s your overarching vision for the fulfilment side of the business?

A: With 2026 on the horizon, our vision is clear: focus on operational excellence, build strong partnerships for retention, and confidently capitalise on the strong pipeline of opportunities currently in play.

Over the past year, we’ve solidified our foundation by securing long-term commitments from two major brands, SharkNinja and Tesco F&F Online, demonstrating our ability to attract and retain high-profile clients.

These partnerships are commercially significant and also reinforce our credibility in the market. The advantages of these collaborations include improved order accuracy, greater efficiency, and enhanced value for both our company and our clients.

Investing in Infrastructure and Technology

Q: What strategic investments is Whistl making to enhance its fulfilment capabilities and position in the market?

A: Our key strategic focus is investing in technology to drive efficiency and reduce costs across our fulfilment operations. In 2025, we completed construction of our new mezzanine at our Lutterworth site, a £6 million investment in our warehouse facility that has enabled us to become more efficient and effective in our picking and packing, supporting fulfilment operations through enhanced inventory management and optimised storage solutions.

In addition, we’re currently assessing all sites to identify where automation and smarter processes, as part of our warehousing strategy, can enhance manual systems and deliver meaningful improvements.

Ultimately, we are always looking at ways to improve speed, accuracy, and cost-to-serve, supporting overall operational efficiency.

With 1.5 million square feet of operational space and significant storage capacity across key UK locations, and a growing portfolio of high-profile clients, we’re already operating at scale.

Our nationwide network of strategically located warehouses ensures efficient distribution and supports our robust supply chain operations.

Solving Operational Challenges

Q: What are the biggest operational challenges you’re solving right now?

A: Our biggest operational focus right now is balancing short-term efficiency with long-term scalability, ensuring we can meet today’s fulfilment demands while building the foundations for sustainable growth.

We’re also investing for the long term, taking occupancy of space within a 300,000 sq ft facility in Wellingborough, while harnessing the flexibility of our regional sites in the South West to nurture future growth.

Together, these initiatives enable us to deliver consistently for our customers today, while developing a fulfilment network that’s resilient, adaptable, and ready for tomorrow’s challenges. This network is specifically designed to support our clients as their business grows, helping them manage increased order volumes and expand into new markets.

Resolving Peak Pressures

Q: How does Whistl Fulfilment handle peak times or unexpected spikes in orders?

A: Peaks in fulfilment bring a unique and exciting challenge at Whistl. Unlike mail or parcel delivery management, where we play a role in the middle of the process, fulfilment puts us in charge of the entire journey through comprehensive order fulfilment services. This includes receiving goods, pick and pack, packaging, and dispatching online orders. This level of end-to-end responsibility offers a powerful opportunity to make a direct impact, often working closely with business owners and CEOs. It places our fulfilment teams at the heart of customer satisfaction, where their expertise and performance truly help shape our customers’ success through efficient fulfilment.

Handling spikes requires tight organisation, clear communication, and demand planning. You’re managing operational flow, carrier capacity, and customer expectations, sometimes on an hourly basis. Orders are picked, packed, and shipped with a focus on timely shipping to ensure online orders are delivered efficiently. Shipping and handling returns are also crucial parts of the process, especially during peak times, to maintain supply chain efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Enhancing the Customer Experience

Q: How does seamless order fulfilment impact the customer experience?

A: Order fulfilment plays a critical role in shaping the end-customer experience. Unlike other logistics functions, fulfilment is directly tied to customer emotion and expectation. Whether it’s a pair of shoes, a piece of music, or a gift, what’s being delivered often holds personal value. Seamless fulfilment improves the customer experience by ensuring orders arrive quickly and reliably, leading to higher satisfaction and loyalty.

From the consumer’s perspective, they don’t see Whistl. They see the brand they purchased from. That’s why accuracy, speed, and communication are key in how we operate to meet customer needs.

This is especially true during peak periods or when clients sell through strict marketplace platforms like eBay or Amazon, where delivery performance is monitored closely.

Seamless fulfilment is built on clear, proactive communication. It’s this openness that allows us to be viewed as a true partner, not just a service provider, and to provide clients with access to real-time order information.

The Future of Ecommerce Fulfilment

Q: What trends do you see shaping the future of fulfilment services?

A: Digital evolution has already shaped the history of how we shop, and technology will undoubtedly play a much larger role in the future of fulfilment. Across the industry, not just at Whistl, we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface when it comes to embracing AI and data-driven decision-making for supply chain management and its optimisation. There’s a real opportunity for AI and real-time data to drive greater efficiency, streamline operations, and unlock new ways of working under the roof of a modern fulfilment centre.

From a fulfilment perspective, real-time data has the potential to change how we operate, allowing us to make smarter, more informed decisions across every sales channel. Businesses that harness their data effectively will be in the strongest position moving forward, especially as they scale to serve a larger customer base and expand into eCommerce and other industries with unique requirements.

We’re seeing a clear change in what clients expect from their fulfilment partners. Retailers aren’t just looking for a supplier; they want a solutions provider. Someone who can act as a consultant, a commercial partner, and an operational expert all in one, offering the know-how to address complex challenges. Increasingly, we’re being asked to help solve business problems, not just manage logistics, as more companies choose to outsource fulfilment and supply chain management for greater cost-effectiveness, stability through long-term contracts, and access to specialised expertise. 

Summary

In my opinion, the future of fulfilment will be shaped by three things: technology, data, and deeper customer partnerships. The businesses that embrace these trends won’t just stay relevant - they’ll define the next chapter of fulfilment.