British parcel terminal operator ByBox has successfully helped global pharmaceutical companyGlaxoSmithKline (GSK) speed up its logistics activities over the past nine years by enabling the
firm’s representatives to collect items from its lockers.ByBox, which operates drop-off and collection lockers for field service staff, engineers andother clients, has been working with UK-based GSK since 2003. In Britain, 700 of theirrepresentatives collect and return material through the ByBox locker network at sites across thecountry.
The locker firm said it has “by far the largest and most sophisticated drop box network inthe UK” with 18,000 lockers at 1,400 locations such as supermarkets, petrol stations and trainstations. The firm, which specialises in delivering items pre 8am into the lockers for collection,also has networks in the Republic of Ireland, France and the Benelux.
ByBox makes around 20 million deliveries a year and over 20,000 mobile engineers use the ByBoxplatform daily. In addition, it has recently developed a consumer solution enabling home shoppersto collect their internet orders at a locker if they are unable to receive deliveries at home or atwork.
Under the GSK contract, ByBox collects material from the GSK warehouse to deliver torepresentatives, transports and delivers this through the night to its electronic lockers (iBoxes)before 08:00. The GSK representative receives a text message or e-mail to inform them of thedelivery and can then collect the item at a convenient time instead of having to stay home waitingfor a delivery. Returns can also be made through the system using pre-printed labels.
Hannah Marsh, GSK UK Operations Manager, commented: “Supporting our customer-facing colleagueswith rapid access to the materials they need is essential. Offering the ByBox service as analternative to the traditional delivery methods has given us greater flexibility so our teams donot need to wait at home for deliveries.”
Mark Garritt, Managing Director of ByBox said: “Innovation is at our core and we invest £3.5million annually in software, technology and Research and Development, to ensure our customersreceive the very best service. A philosophy of continuous improvement has led us to becoming themarket leaders in our field and it is what will continue to drive us forward.”
“Our lockers have traditionally been used for engineers and their spare parts, but reps alsoneed materials and the ability to track them from delivery to return,” he added. “With legislationmeaning all samples and materials need to be up to date this is essential. Reps used to have go tooffices to collect goods or they used to have to wait at home, meaning they had a day when theywere not on the road selling. Our solution eliminates this problem and ensures material is receivedand returned quickly and conveniently.”
