Parcel delivery with handhelds

Parcelnet was formed with the merger of two of the UK's best known home shopping companies, Freemans and Grattan, and their two home delivery networks, Speedlink and Direct Line. As well as providing home delivery and return collection services to in-house brands, Parcelnet supports a number of third party clients including Next Directory, Cotton Traders, Boden and Lakeland.

Performing 70 million handlings each year, across its 13 depots, Parcelnet manages home delivery fulfilment from client warehouse to customer, via its own courier network and complementary carriers. The delivery process is backed up by dedicated Account Managers and customer support staff. Parcelnet’s 4,100 strong courier network covers 92% of the UK population, allowing delivery the day after parcels are despatched from the warehouse.

As part of it’s commitment to home delivery, Parcelnet developed an unrivalled menu of add-on premium services to meet customer and business needs, including;

• On site access to proof of delivery and parcel tracking
• Secure delivery, signature guaranteed service
• A six day week delivery service
• Guaranteed next day delivery service
• Nominated day delivery
• Time banded delivery

In addition to it’s core home delivery offer, Parcelnet performs the following national services:

• Customer return collections
• Warehouse stock collections
• Catalogue and brochure delivery

Parcelnet formulated plans for the extension of barcode technologies throughout its fixed depot and hub locations and its ‘radial’ van drivers.

The utilisation of hand held terminals provides Parcelnet and its clients with data on all parcel movements at predefined tracking points offering unquestionable evidence of delivery. This data enables Parcelnet to achieve the following:

• create accurate consignment information
• clearly define transfer of ownership
• produce exception reporting between tracking points
• record handling times across the operation
• provide an audit trail for Claims & Enquiries

A fundamental requirement was fast, reliable and accurate capture of data at key tracking points for all items handled. This involved the introduction of mobile computing technology to replace the existing ‘drivers schedule’ documentation - the terminals scan barcodes and digitally record signatures at point of delivery.

Suppliers: Belgravium
Product: Atlanta 8000