Tag: Track and Trace

Royal Mail goes hands-on (UK)

Posted by | Jul 9, 2008 | |

Royal Mail is finalising contracts with a range of suppliers for the provision of handheld devices to track letter and parcel information.

By the end of this summer, more than 25,000 staff handling items tracked by special and recorded delivery will use the devices, which are intended to speed up and modernise postal processes.

The devices will enable Royal Mail van drivers to capture signatures at the point of delivery. The data will then be transmitted over a wireless network, allowing customers to check via the web whether or not items have arrived at their destination.

Royal Mail is in the final stages of making contractual adjustments with the pool of partners chosen to carry out the project.

While contracts await final sign-off, suppliers are understood to include hardware specialist Intermec and systems integrator CSC.

Training will be done in-house and will begin in the weeks prior to the implementation.

Some 70,000 staff who deliver items by foot or bicycle will continue using a paper-based system to record signatures and delivery times, but the devices will roll out to all postal delivery workers in the future.

Trials for the handheld computers began late last year.

The project is the first stage of Royal Mail’s GBP 1.2bn IT-based infrastructure upgrade and will underpin a series of customer-focused initiatives.

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GLS Germany uses parcel shops as alternative delivery points

Posted by | Jul 2, 2008 | |

GLS has started to use its network of 5,000 parcel shops in Germany as alternative delivery points when private customers are not at home to receive their shipments. The new service responds to the boom in online orders from e-commerce.

In case there are no neighbors available to receive a parcel during the absence of the recipient, the GLS driver leaves a delivery note at the recipient’s home, takes the parcel to the nearest GLS parcel shop, and transfers the delivery information into the GLS IT system immediately after dropping off the parcel.

The customer can check that the parcel has arrived in the shop by using the Track-ID to make an online query on the GLS website, or via SMS or phone. He or she can then pick up the shipment in the GLS parcel shop by showing the delivery note and an ID card. The shipment can be picked up from the parcel shop within nine days of its delivery there.

If none of the 5,000 parcel shops in Germany is located close to the recipient’s address, GLS makes a second delivery attempt to the home address.

GLS said the alternative delivery to parcel shops was tested in a regional pilot scheme and was widely accepted by customers. The first experiences in nationwide operations from April onwards were also positive. Hardly any parcel stays longer than two days in the parcel shop before being collected, according to GLS.

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DHL offers recipient ID and age checks for German parcels

Posted by | Jun 30, 2008 | |

DHL Parcel Germany has extended its product range with an optional new service for domestic delivery providing identity and age verification for shipments that contain expensive or sensitive goods.

When handing over a parcel to the recipient, the DHL courier can cross-check the identity card of the recipient with the identity provided by the shipper, and record the personal data in the held-hand scanner. If the shipper also requires age verification, the DHL worker checks if the recipient has reached the required minimum age.

“It is becoming increasingly important to shippers and recipients that the goods they ship do not fall into the wrong hands, especially when it comes to products such as mobile phones, computer games, videos or pharmaceuticals,” explained Dr. Andrej Busch, DHL Parcel Germany board member. “With the identity and age verification we ensure from now on that these parcels are only handed over personally to the recipient,” he added.

The new service responds to the growth in online distance trading in recent years. In particular, there has been a strong increase in online orders of products that require a thorough verification of the recipient and his or her age in line with legal regulations.

The DHL identity and age verification service provides the appropriate solution for the relatively anonymous ordering procedure via the internet. For this purpose, the shipper has to transfer the respective data of the recipient electronically to DHL in advance.

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Verizon Business Unit Selected by U.S. Postal Service to Provide USD 16.4M in Network Services

Posted by | Jun 23, 2008 | |

Verizon announced that its Business unit has been selected by the U.S Postal Service to provide an estimated USD 16.4 million worth of network services under the federal Networx Universal communications program.

Verizon Business will be the primary provider of long-distance and calling-card services for the agency’s nearly 166,000 lines serving 34,000 locations nationwide, under a 10-year agreement valued at USD 10 million. In addition, the company was awarded a new task order valued at USD 6.4 million to upgrade about 100 data circuits to an Internet protocol network based on multi-protocol label switching.

Verizon Communications, Inc. provides communication services in the United States and internationally.

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IWCO Direct receives USPS and safety awards

Posted by | Jun 19, 2008 | |

IWCO Direct has received a “Corporate Business Achievement Award” from the U.S. Postal Service. In addition, the firm has been recognized as an “Industry Safety Leader” by the Envelope Manufacturers Association (EMA).

The USPS recognized IWCO Direct for its commitment to Intelligent Mail. IWCO Direct was among the first to test a new process for electronic documentation of commingled mail and collaborated with the USPS on acceptance procedures. IWCO Direct also participated in the Seamless Acceptance pilot test for Standard Mail.

The pilot test used unique Intelligent Mail Barcodes on mailpieces, trays and pallets, submitted all documentation electronically through the PostalOne! website and created mailing statements electronically.

The “Safety Leader” award was based on EMA’s evaluation of the organization on its safety achievements, based on quarterly and annual surveys. Employers are required to provide information on injuries and illnesses, as well as internal safety programs. EMA also calculates Days Away From Work due to Injury/Illness (DAFWII) based on the number of employees in the organization. To qualify for the award, DAFWII must be at or below 1.5 days per 100 employees.

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