Austrian Post has successfully launched a pilot project with new parcel collection boxes inapartment blocks in Vienna to simplify the pick-up of shipments for customers.
Since the beginning of September, 90 boxes have been deployed in the test area with a populationof around 10,000 people within Austria’s capital.
“Around 200 parcels have been stored in the boxes until now, 85% of the recipients picked up theparcel even on the day of delivery, in 96% of cases the parcel was withdrawn after three days,”said Austrian Post CEO Georg Pölzl.
The new parcel collection box allows the postal company to leave the parcel and larger mailshipments that cannot be delivered directly in close proximity to where customers live. Thiseliminates the need for consumers to go the post office and the shipment can be taken out round theclock.
In case a postman cannot deliver a parcel, it is left in the parcel collection box with a codecard for the recipient to open the box. As part of the pilot project, shipments include parcels,small packages and large shipments not fitting into the house mailbox facility.
To ensure safety of the collection, the boxes are equipped with a modern closing system that canbe individually programmed for every new shipment. The code card which the postman needs to code issimilar to the one of a hotel room. If a shipment is not withdrawn within 7 days, the postman takesit out and leaves it at the post office.
A major survey of the residents using the boxes revealed that they are very satisfied with thenew boxes, according to the local housing organisation “Vienna Living”.
