Hand-held scanners help City Link’s customers stay in the loop

Express parcel carrier City Link is investing £2 million in new hand-held scanners for all of its drivers which improve efficiency, and show customers exactly where their deliveries are. The 2,500 scanners are being phased in on a depot by depot basis in time for the Christmas peak and every driver will be given one of the new Motorola MC67 models to use.

During an initial trial at one of City Link’s largest depots, in Bristol, customer calls regarding the progress of their deliveries dropped by 40% as the hand- held scanners enable customers to monitor drivers on the road.

Liam Tucker, City Link’s Operations Director said: “The trial showed a phenomenal improvement in scanner accuracy with the new Motorola MC67 hand-held scanners and we are delighted with the results.

“During the trial the scanners led to better availability of tracking information through our self-service channels, such as My City Link, enabling customers to see clearly where their consignments were.

The scanners can take and send photos and have an 8MP camera that is able to take pictures in low light conditions, enabling drivers to record clear images of addresses where they have left a ‘Sorry you were out’ card.

They have a longer battery life than the previous models used by City Link and each has an in-cab charger to avoid problems with flat batteries. All are equipped with integrated SAT NAV which will prove invaluable with new drivers and temporary drivers, especially during the Christmas peak period.

City Link has invested in a series of improvements to operations nationwide this year, including the introduction of ‘On Our Way’ message alerts to people advising them of a two-hour slot in which their parcel will arrive, with a range of options for re-delivery if the time is inconvenient.