Tag: Courier/Express/Parcels

British e-commerce websites lack contact and delivery information

Posted by | Sep 21, 2007 | |

British online retailers lack comprehensive contact details and a limited choice of delivery options, according to new research by web monitoring company, NetExtract.

Of the 10,000 or so British e-commerce sites, analyzed by NetExtract, 60 percent failed to provide a contact telephone number anywhere on the website.

An address to indicate the location of the business was absent in 43 percent of websites and 39 percent didn’t provide an email address. Incredibly, almost one in three websites listed neither telephone nor email contact details. Customers are less likely to buy from a company that is secretive about it’s location and communication routes.

NetExtract’s Managing Director, Thomas Roberts, stated that consumers need reassurance before they will purchase from a website. “This analysis has highlighted that many online retailers can help further reduce the fears of potential customers by offering multiple contact channels, delivery options and adding testimonials from current customers to their site,” he said.

British online retailers also offered a poor selection of delivery options, found the research, and of all the delivery companies named on websites, Royal Mail accounted for just 17 percent. When it came to providing free delivery or postage, just 11 percent offered this service and just 15 percent offered Special Delivery or next day options.

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DHL Express and Swiss Railways (SBB) relaunch their next-day parcel delivery service.

Posted by | Sep 20, 2007 | |

DHL Express and Swiss Railways (SBB) are extending their next-day parcel delivery service to same-day deliveries to key economic centers. Since this summer the two companies have offered a next-day domestic parcel delivery service called “A-Pac” where consumers can hand in their parcels at 71 DHL Servicepoints located at railway stations.

Under the DHL Rail Pac trial service launched on September 24, customers can now hand in letters and parcels at the Servicepoints in Zurich and Bern railway stations for same-day transportation to SBB stations in Basle, Biel, Lucerne and Geneva, with optional to-door final delivery by DHL. Items delivered to Lausanne, St. Gallen and Bellinzona have to be collected at the railway station. Pick-up customers are informed by phone when their items have arrived.

The pilot project will run for three months, and the two companies will then decide whether to extend it.

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Express Courier Systems, Inc. Launches New Division for Healthcare Companies

Posted by | Sep 20, 2007 | |

To better serve the time- sensitive transportation needs of healthcare companies and laboratories, Express Courier Systems Inc., today announced the formation of Medifleet. A standalone division of the company, Medifleet’s business is fully focused on healthcare organizations, providing them with a broad range of customized delivery solutions to meet their specialized needs. Medifleet offers same day pick-up and delivery service in many different markets across the country. Moreover, each member of Medifleet’s courier team has comprehensive training in ambient, cooled and frozen diagnostic specimen handling, and is OSHA, HIPAA and DOT compliant.

Medifleet also features a unique Dedicated Courier Program to provide its healthcare customers with added assurance in the professionalism of the courier servicing their business. Unlike other courier services that rotate drivers, Medifleet customers will have the same courier and dispatchers assigned to their business every day. This ensures the Medifleet team is fully familiar with the client’s location, staff, delivery routes, pick-up windows and any special requirements.

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FedEx Corp. Reports higher first quarter net income

Posted by | Sep 20, 2007 | |

FedEx Corp. today reported earnings of USD 1.58 per diluted share for the first quarter ended August 31, compared to USD 1.53 per diluted share a year ago.

FedEx increased its revenue and earnings against the backdrop of a sluggish U.S. economy, said Frederick W. Smith, FedEx Corp. chairman, president and chief executive officer. Outside of the United States, the economy is generally solid, contributing to the growth in our international express shipments. I continue to believe that FedEx will, over the long-term, reap the rewards of our strategy of investing in key growth markets and strengthening and expanding our worldwide networks.

First Quarter Results

FedEx Corp. reported the following consolidated results for the first quarter:

Revenue of USD 9.20 billion, up 8pct from USD 8.55 billion the previous year

Operating income of USD 814 million, up 4 pct from USD 784 million a year ago

Operating margin of 8.8 pct, down from 9.2 pct the previous year

Net income of USD 494 million, up 4 pct from last years USD 475 million

While operating margin improved in the FedEx Express and FedEx Ground segments, consolidated margin declined due to a lower margin year over year at FedEx Freight and to network investments to increase capacity, improve service quality and increase productivity.

Total combined average daily package volume in the FedEx Express and FedEx Ground segments grew 8 pct year over year for the quarter, due to growth in ground and international express shipments. The increase in international domestic express shipments resulted primarily from recent international acquisitions.

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Business Post launches i-mail

Posted by | Sep 20, 2007 | |

Business Post’s UK Mail business has announced the New Year launch of its i-mail next day service in a partnership with Royal Mail. Business Post customers will be able to send an electronic copy of a letter or document to one of Royal Mail’s sort centres where it will be printed, sealed and transferred to Royal Mail for final-leg delivery.

Business Post says prices for the new service will start at less than the price of a first-class stamp, including stationery and printing. It claims the agreement makes UK Mail the first private organisation to provide an alternative next-day service to nationwide addresses. Customers will be able to send mail as late as 6pm to secure next-day delivery.

“We’ve been looking at it a little while,” says head of group marketing Nigel Proctor, who adds that the group has been in talks with Royal Mail for around eight months. In-house trials of the service will begin next month and software developments are in place with a third-party provider.

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