myHermes launches new ETA solution

myHermes has launched a new Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) solution which it says will enable SME retailers and online marketplace sellers to provide their own customers with improved visibility over delivery. The free service – which is also available to Hermes Business Account holders – will see myHermes provide the end customer with a four-hour time window on the retailer’s behalf. Notifications will be sent to the consumer via email on the morning of their parcel delivery.

The ETA solution applies to all packages booked via the myHermes website, regardless of whether they are picked up by a courier or dropped off at one of 4,500 myHermes ParcelShops.

This move follows the implementation of an ETA solution for Hermes’ retail clients early last year. The service is supported by 18,000 handheld scanners, which were deployed across the courier and myHermes ParcelShop network last year, following an £18m investment. The 4G devices boast geo-fencing technology and a built-in camera.

Mike Antwoon, Sales Director at Hermes, said: “With consumers leading increasingly hectic routines and spending less and less time at home, it is important that delivery operators continue to innovate. The ETA solution not only provides the recipient with a valuable time window for delivery, but it also breeds consumer confidence, which is critical for sole traders and SMEs looking to grow their businesses.”