Panasonic have signed an agreement with PostNL in Benelux, for almost 5,000 rugged Panasonic Toughpad FZ-N1 handhelds. Using the new handhelds, PostNL plans to offer customers better and more real-time tracking of their deliveries, from the sorting centers to the delivery address.
“Every day PostNL deals with more than 575,000 packages and this number is increasing. With this new mobile platform, we will continue to cater effectively for this growing e-commerce market and its impact on e-logistics. Both e-commerce companies and end-users rely on us to deliver orders in a timely and efficient manner. This new hardware enables us to further improve our service.”
– Gerrie de Jonge, Director of IT Packages & Logistics at PostNL
Why real-time tracking matters
With the odd exception, deliveries are a battlefield that’s largely be cracked for ecommerce. Acknowledging service promises between carriers, consumers can buy today and nine times out of ten their parcel can be with them tomorrow, sometimes even earlier with same day deliveries in larger cities.
Consumers don’t generally worry about getting their parcels delivered in 2017, but what they do want is convenience and not to have to wait in all day in case they miss the courier. That’s why real-time tracking is becoming the new norm as if you know you’re parcel 100 and the courier is currently delivering parcel number 75 then your probably still have time to nip to the shop for bread and milk and be back in time to sign for your parcel.
If you’re choosing a new courier partner consider not just the price but what the delivery experience will be for your customers. Do you want them to know pretty much to a 15 minute time slot when their item will arrive or will your customers be happy to merely know which day their purchase will turn up?
