City Link to ensure smooth delivery experience over Christmas
City Link has revealed the steps they are taking to try and manage the increased demand over the festive season. These include bringing in additional vans, collection and delivery drivers, warehouse staff and a range of new equipment and seasonal supplies. City Link has revealed the steps they are taking to try and manage the increased demand over the festive season. These include bringing in additional vans, collection and delivery drivers, warehouse staff and a range of new equipment and seasonal supplies.
This year City Link is adding an extra 1168 fleet collection and delivery drivers to its workforce to handle peak collections – 433 agency drivers and 735 subcontractors along with 100 additional trunking drivers in the busiest week.
In terms of vehicles, City Link is adding another 434 fleet collection and delivery vans to handle the extra demand, along with 80 additional trailers.
An extra 469 depot warehouse staff will be recruited along with around 30 additional operations support staff. Also, City Link is using 14 more forklift trucks and 963 more hand-held scanners.
City Link’s intensive preparation for the busy Christmas and New Year period also involves making plans for potential harsh winter weather with 1051 tons of rock salt on order together with 106 snow shovels and 24 snow spreaders to ensure they are well prepared to make deliveries in the event of a cold snap this winter.
Liam Tucker, City Link’s Operations Director, is extremely optimistic about this year’s Peak deliveries.
“City Link had one of its most successful peak periods in 2013 and we are looking forward to an even busier and more successful one in 2014. We’ve been planning since January and have worked with all of our larger customers to understand demand, put in place capacity and ensure contingency arrangements are there too,” said Mr. Tucker.
Operationally City Link is ready to cope well with increased demand; with a new automated sortation system in place to help increase throughput at the national hub in Coventry by up to 50% and with a £2 million investment in new handheld scanners making life easier for all their drivers, including those temporary drivers coming in to help with the Christmas rush.
Customers will also benefit from a smooth delivery experience with City Link’s new “On Our Way” service which provides those receiving parcels with an estimated two-hour delivery slot and the option of re-arranging their deliveries if they’re not going to be in to sign for them.
