Austrian Post trials mobile alert services for parcel receivers

Austrian Post is running a trial in which recipients will be sent text messages letting them know their packages have arrived at a local post office. The Aviso-SMS service was introduced this week in parts of Vienna and Linz, and is set to run until November 1.

Along with a message sent when a package has arrived at a local delivery office, a second will be sent to recipients when their package has been sent out for final delivery.

Austrian Post said the system meant consumers would find it more easy to be ready to receive the package.

Peter Umundum, Austrian Post’s board member responsible for the parcel business, said: “We are starting this project with key customers in the mail order industry. If you know someone’s mobile phone number or email address when they are ordering items, we will be able to notify them about the status of their shipment.”

Call trial

A second trial being run at the same time will see mail carriers with mobile phones able to call package recipients if they are not present for a delivery, so that an alternative delivery can be arranged.

“We recognise that service is an important part of the supply chain for the mail order industry,” said Umundum. “The better it performs, the higher the number of repeat orders there will be, so we want to offer our mail order partners even better service in future.”

Austrian Post said once both trials are completed at the end of this month, it will plan the next steps.

The company has been trying a number of different options to try to improve its first-time delivery rates, and boost service given the opportunities that exist in the field of ecommerce shipping.

Last month, Austrian Post reported promising results for a system of community collection boxes for parcels within residential apartment blocks.