TNT restructures express services
TNT claimed its emphasis on morning deliveries, which it is backing with an international communications campaign under the “Good Morning!” theme, was unique in the market.
Jan Willem Breen, marketing and sales director, hailed 12:00 Economy Express as an industry first, providing customers with a door-to-door deferred service that was still day-specific and timeguaranteed.
Research was carried out among more than 7,000 shippers, 20 pct of whom said they would like a morning economy service even if they had to pay more for it – not much lower than the 30pct of express service users preferring morning delivery.
The key to TNT’s restructuring is close integration between its road and air networks. Nigel Barton, strategic operations director, said TNT was the only integrator with fully merged road and air operations in Europe, operating 3,700 linehauls a week.
The company has an intraregional focus rather than the intercontinental focus of its main express rivals.
Marie-Christine Lombard, group MD for TNT Express, said the company would operate only on selected long haul routes, but was seeking to replicate its European regional road/air model in markets such as Brazil, India and China, where it has acquired large domestic players in the last two years.
TNT has calculated its share of Europe’s GBP 21bn (USD 26.8 bn) express market at 17 pct , ahead of DHL on 16 pct. Lombard said it was a great opportunity that “others” outside the main integrators and post offices still accounted for 48 pct of the market, since so many smaller players were “destination specialists” offering just one or two countries.
“But customers see Europe as one destination market. A company that understands these needs will control the market”, she said.
