DPD UK has launched the parcel sector’s first live tracking service using online mappingtechnology that provides a 15-minute delivery window.
The ‘Follow My Parcel’ service, unveiled yesterday with launch customer ASOS, will allowcustomers to track the delivery driver via GPS on their way to the delivery address, counting downthe time to delivery to give a 15-minute delivery window.
DPD told CEP-Research that the service would be available to other UK customers from August.
Customers will receive a text or email message on the day of delivery to inform them of theirinitial one-hour delivery timeslot, as they do with DPD’s existing Predict product. Customers willthen be invited to live-track their delivery in real-time using the latest GPS software and onlinemapping technology via web and mobile-friendly interfaces.
As with Predict, customers can, at any stage on the day of delivery, request for the parcel tobe delivered to a neighbour or rescheduled for a different day by using their smartphone.
Dwain McDonald, CEO of DPD UK, commented: “This is a first in the delivery market. Our one-hourtimeslot service Predict remains a market leader but Follow My Parcel is a significant step forwardagain and it shows the level of commitment we are making to reinvent the delivery phase of onlineretailing.”
He said a really good delivery experience could add to a retailer’s reputation and drive moretraffic back to their website, and there was also an environmental benefit in terms of reducedmileage when unsuccessful deliveries are returned to the depot.
Nick Robertson, CEO for clothing retailer ASOS, commented: “We’re very excited about Follow MyParcel. It is a great innovation and one with real benefits for ASOS customers. Knowingexactly when a parcel is being delivered helps our customers plan their day; to be at home whenthey need to be for a delivery, or to let them get on with what they need to do by opting toreschedule or choosing the deliver to neighbour option.”
“Openness and transparency are an important part of our proposition and ASOS customers will nowbe able to see exactly where their parcel is at any time. They will know their driver’s name,where he or she is on route and exactly how long it will take to get to their delivery.”
Separately, DPD UK announced today that it has received planning permission to build its new£100 million (€118 million) parcel hub at Hinckley Commercial Park in the East Midlands. Buildingwork on the 33-acre (13.4 hectare) site is likely to commence in late August and the facilityshould be fully operational by 2015, the company said.
The new hub is part of a £175 million package of investment announced last November, which alsoincluded the refurbishment of two existing hubs and a major expansion of its nationwide network ofdepots, including ten new depots over the next 15 months.
