Deutsche Post launches “control cockpit” for German parcels

Deutsche Post DHL has set up a new website for German consumers to manage the delivery of their parcels. DHL Paket bundles together the company’s various parcel services for private recipients and senders of parcels within a single “control cockpit”.

As part of the service, registered customers are kept informed about the status of their deliveries, with recipients sent email or text message alerts about expected delivery dates.

The portal can also be used by consumers to set a particular delivery date for their parcel, or divert the delivery to an alternative address, including one of DHL’s 2,500 self-service “Packstation” parcel terminals across the country.

Deutsche Post said consumers can also, via the website, appoint another person to take delivery of their package in the event they are unable to do so themselves.

As consumers buy online more and more frequently, they need a simple way to manage the process, Deutsche Post said.

The new website portal comes as the logistics giant continues to compete in a German parcel market marked by high levels of competition and resulting pressure on margins.

The company said the “constantly growing” e-commerce market was placing demands on delivery firms for quality in the logistics systems involved.

Andrej Busch, chief executive of DHL Paket Deutschland, said tailoring parcel delivery to the customer’s wishes was increasingly an important success factor for delivery companies dealing with e-commerce.

He said: “With Paket.de we are giving parcel recipients full transparency and control over the delivery of their parcels and in the process have created a new level of service in the parcel segment.”