Belgian postal operator bpost, currently handling record parcel volumes, and major online retailer Zalando have started testing new “smart home” technology which enables parcel recipients to open their entrance door remotely for parcel deliveries and pickups when they are away from home.
Bpost said it is expecting to deliver more than 420,000 parcels a day from today onwards through to Christmas, which is about 25% more than last year. Volumes on peak days could reach 450,000 items. The company has taken on 900 temporary workers to help sorting and delivery and expects to deliver 95% of parcels within 24 hours thanks to its network of five sorting centres and 13,000 delivery workers.
In the innovative tests with Zalando, the two partners launched a project this autumn to examine the potential for in-home delivery and pickup for the e-retailer’s customers in Belgium. The test focused on how customers respond to this new service. The objective was to find out to which extent they were comfortable with the idea of a delivery person accessing their home during their absence. It was also important to determine what is needed to get customers to sign up.
During the first phase, 750 online shoppers were asked if they would be willing to try the service. They were also asked what they thought about the idea of receiving or having a package picked up when they were not at home. The study showed that 50% of Zalando's customers are willing to try bpost delivery within a home. Another important finding is that people who frequently receive deliveries at their doorstep, such as online purchases or food deliveries, are more open for delivery and pickup inside their homes.
In the second phase, the participating houses were equipped with a so-called "intelligent" lock and bell. Thanks to this technology, customers can open their doors remotely and thus provide access to their homes. Customers were invited to order articles from Zalando and arrange delivery with bpost. They also scheduled pickups for the items they wanted to return.
The technology can be operated in a simple way. When the bpost courier arrives, he/she presses the "smart bell", which is directly connected to the smartphone of the customer who identifies the bpost courier and remotely unlocks the door to his home via his/her phone. The bpost courier then drops off the package and closes the door. The delivery is filmed continuously, allowing customers to monitor the entire process remotely and even interact with the delivery person. At any time, they can also choose not to open the front door for any reason. The objective is the greatest possible transparency and to offer customers full control throughout the process.
One of the main conclusions of the second phase of the test is that customers are really convinced by this technology. The vast majority (93%) of participants said they would continue to use the "smart bell" even after the test. Another point to remember is that once the equipment is installed and people experience the service, convenience outweighs concerns, bpost stressed.
"Each customer has his or her own delivery needs and preferences," said Patrick Leysen, Vice President Future Lab at bpost. "To adapt our products and services to these needs, the Future Lab develops and tests innovative solutions with long-standing partners such as Zalando. Our two companies share the same objective: to make life as easy as possible for our customers. Today, thanks to the bpost preference tool, our customers can already choose between different delivery solutions when they are not at home: delivery to a safe place, to a neighbour's place or to a Cubee terminal, for example. In the future, services such as in-home delivery and pick-up will bring the customer experience to an even higher level for Belgian customers.”
Jan Bartels, VP Logistics Development and Customer Fulfilment at Zalando, commented: “Testing is deeply embedded in Zalando’s DNA. We continuously innovate and rethink our services to offer our customers more flexibility and variety. In-home delivery could be an interesting new option for our service portfolio. Technology opens an array of possibilities but we also see that customers demand transparency and detailed information on the service. Together with bpost, we look forward at engaging in close dialogue with our customers.”
Kenneth Melchior, Director Northern Europe at Zalando, added: "Zalando is used to testing services in Belgium. We tested Sunday deliveries, launched a pilot project for returns on demand and tested delivery based on geolocation. The in-home delivery test is another example of the great partnerships we have in Belgium. From the beginning, we were intrigued by bpost's idea to explore the possibilities of intelligent technology and how it could be used to rethink and facilitate the customer experience."
