German delivery service DHL, the parcel delivery division of Deutsche Post, wants to “significantly improve” how it delivers packages in future by giving customers more accurate information on the when their item will arrive.
The postal giant will send customers in Germany an approximate arrival time by email in advance – and then about 15 minutes before delivery, they will send another alert with the exact time that the parcel van will get to the destination.
That’s according to Deutsche Post DHL CEO Frank Appel who gave details on how the company is improving its services in an interview with regional newspaper RP Online.
He said this service was already being tested out in some areas of Germany – and would be rolled out nationwide in installments next year.
When asked what the company was planning, Appel said: “We will significantly improve the forecasting accuracy for parcels.
“Our customers should first receive an approximate time by email for when the person delivering the package is to arrive.
“And, for example, 15 minutes before arrival, there will be another e-mail with the exact time, which we calculate based on the position of the van recorded by GPS. We are now testing this in some regions and in the course of 2020 these ‘just-in-time’ packages will be available nationwide.”
DHL and other carriers have been criticized in the past over the reliability of delivery, with many people complaining that companies fail to deliver parcels even when customers are at home waiting for the item.
Appel said DHL was also taking measures to make sure customers received goods as quickly as possible by not storing packages for long periods of time before delivery.
It is “practically impossible” that customers have to wait longer than necessary for goods or letters, he said.
Postal prices on the up
It came as changes to the postal service in Germany got underway this month.
From July 1st a stamp for a standard letter increased in price from 70 cents to 80 cents.
READ ALSO: Postage costs set to spike in Germany
The price of sending postcards also jumped from 45 cents to 60 cents.
Meanwhile, a compact letter, which can weigh up to 50g, rose by 10 cents to 95 cents.
Deutsche Post said price hikes were necessary to keep up with costs, as consumers increasingly turn to email instead of sending post.
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LOL….I’ve ordered hundreds of things from Amazon over the years and maybe two arrived at my door. No matter what time I i am at home, they NEVER ring the bell. Now they’re going to tell me exactly when the package is arriving? Ha ha Ha ha ha