Author: Archive

Internet orders for delivery to home rose by 46 per cent.

Posted by | Sep 14, 2006 | |

Argos total sales were up 13 per cent, new stores contributed nearly 8 per cent. 13 new stores opened in the period. Like-for-like sales increased by 5 per cent. Argos Direct, the delivery to home operation, grew by 13% in the period and accounted for 25 per cent of Argos’ sales. Within this, Internet orders for delivery to home rose by 46 per cent, representing 8 per cent of total sales. An additional 10 per cent of sales were reserved by phone or the Internet for later collection in store. Sales at Homebase increased in the six months to 31 August 2006 by 1 per cent in total, of which 4 per cent came from new stores. Homebase opened a net seven stores in the period bringing the total to 304, of which 156 had a mezzanine floor.

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Help, We’re Drowning In Paper! Will IATA’s e-freight save us? – William Gottlieb

Posted by | Sep 14, 2006 | |

IATA’s e-freight Strategy ….

Is it a catalyst to effect revolutionary change in the air transport industry?

Can it achieve its primary objective …. “ to eliminate the need to “transport paper documents for air cargo” ?

Is it realistic to believe that IATA’s ambitious e-freight project as currently structured will …. unlike other IATA paperless endeavors of the past …. succeed?

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Closing the deal over the web; DHL web site has what it takes to connect with customers

Posted by | Sep 14, 2006 | |

What’s the secret to building a web site that actually helps customers and keeps them coming back for more? In a story that ran in this week’s issue of BtoB Magazine, DHL’s U.S. web site, http://www.dhl-usa.com, was featured as one of the “10 Great Websites” of 2006 for its focus on the customer. It’s no secret that an on-line presence is the price of entry for almost any business, but a close partnership with current and potential users of your web site during every step of the design process is the catalyst for online success.

BtoB Magazine put DHL’s U.S. web site to the test with leading online marketing experts and usability consultants. According to these experts, the DHL site was chosen as a top web site due to its ease of navigation, embodiment of the corporate brand, and ease of accomplishing business-oriented tasks.

“In just the first year since the launch of the site, DHL has seen a 7 per cent increase in online shipping transactions,” said Mike Heilman, VP of eCommerce for DHL. “Smart web site development isn’t about creating slick features and posting marketing material. We’re able to consistently win customers based on a superior customer web experience that focuses on customers’ transactional needs and exceeds the expectations of visitors to the site,” noted Heilman.

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Financial services race to grow on Japan Post privatization: S&P

Posted by | Sep 14, 2006 | |

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services predicted Wednesday that financial services competition in Japan could intensify if Japan Post expands its banking operations after its privatization starting in October 2007.

The postal system will be divided into four entities — mail delivery services, post office network, savings and insurance firms — under a holding company upon the privatization.

The savings firm, though starting as the world’s largest bank with assets totaling 227 trillion yen, is not expected to expand its share of the savings and lending markets over the coming few years, S&P said.

But competition is expected to intensify in sales of financial instruments and other fee-generating services, which have been a strategic focus for Japanese banks and provide a great growth potential for the postal savings firm, the U.S. rating agency said.

In response to the postal savings firm’s possible foray into such services, commercial banks will seek to maintain competitive advantages in product lineups and consulting services, it said.

Another option for them would be to ally with the postal savings firm to utilize a nationwide network of post offices, S&P said, noting that some trust banks are reportedly considering cooperation with post offices in trust banking services.

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Kerry Logistics expands into Europe

Posted by | Sep 13, 2006 | |

Hong Kong-based Kerry Logistics Network is establishing a pan European presence with the opening of initial offices in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Headquartered in Hamburg, Kerry Logistics GmbH began operations in eight locations across Germany, Austria and Switzerland on September 1st.

According to Kerry’s managing director responsible for Germany and Central & Eastern Europe, Michael Dieckmann, while Kerry Logistics has a very strong heritage in China and Asia, it has also been rapidly establishing a global footprint with well established businesses in the UK, Spain and Australia.

With more than 700 operating licences in China alone, Kerry Logistics has operations in 260 cities in the Asia-Pacific region, and its global network covers six continents.

Aside from a range of China distribution centres for general cargo, specialised facilities also handle bonded cargo, dangerous goods, temperature-controlled and perishable goods plus an increasing fleet of vehicles.

According to Dieckmann, further expansion over the next two years will include other German language countries and the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland.

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Britain's Royal Mail issuing 6 stamps to honor Beatles

Posted by | Sep 13, 2006 | |

The Royal Mail is saluting the Beatles in January by releasing six commemorative stamps illustrated with memorable album covers.

The set includes an image of “With the Beatles,” released in 1963, which was the group’s second album. In the United States, it was the first Beatles album to be released and was titled “Meet the Beatles.”

Others in the series include “Help!” (1965), “Revolver” (1966), “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (1967), “Abbey Road” (1969) and “Let It Be” (1970).

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Postal Service cuts USD1.1B from budget

Posted by | Sep 13, 2006 | |

The U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors has approved a fiscal 2007 financial plan that includes USD1.1 billion in cost reductions, including a planned decrease of 40 million work-hours and a 0.5 percent dip in overall mail volume.
The Postal Service said it will still provide universal service to an expanding delivery network, and that savings will come from automation improvements. The plan, announced late Tuesday, assumes continued slower growth in the U.S. economy and implementation of postage price adjustments in May that based rates on the shape of packages versus only the weight.

The plan also calls for a 3.2 percent increase in revenue and a 2.6 percent increase in expenses over the current year’s forecast, resulting in USD1.7 billion in net income. But an estimated USD3.3 billion escrow requirement results in a loss after escrow of USD1.6 billion.

H. Glen Walker, the Postal Service’s chief financial officer, said the plan carried greater risk than previous years’ forecasts because of the pending rate change, labor negotiations with its four largest unions, ‘and uncertainties with the economy, including fuel prices.’

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DHL in NHS supply deal

Posted by | Sep 13, 2006 | |

DHL has signed an agreement with the NHS to increase its share of the medical supply market. DHL will take over 1,650 staff from the public sector NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency, which it expects will result in GBP22 billion (USD41 billion) worth of goods to be delivered, providing some GBP1.6 billion in revenue. The new company will be known as NHS Supply Chain.

The NHS is expected to save 5per cent (around GBP1 billion) of turnover over the life of the project, according to the Department of Health.

Currently, DHL supplies around 45per cent of non pharmaceutical supplies, with the remaining NHS organisations operating alone or in consortia. According to DHL, it hopes to increase its share to between 70per cent and 80per cent, using Novation, the largest US medical supplies company, as a subcontractor.

The deal has attracted criticism from the largest trade union, Unison, which has said “This is taking an award-winning not-for-profit business that shares the savings it makes with the NHS and handing it over to a profit-making one.”
DHL has signed an agreement with the NHS to increase its share of the medical supply market. DHL will take over 1,650 staff from the public sector NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency, which it expects will result in GBP22 billion (USD41 billion) worth of goods to be delivered, providing some GBP1.6 billion in revenue. The new company will be known as NHS Supply Chain.

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