As the need for online shopping grows as do expectations of customers. Customers expect to receive their purchase when they want to receive it. Making delivery an integral part of the overall experience.
However, meeting this requirement can be a challenge. Especially when the recipient is in an apartment or condominium, or in university housing. A lot of customers aren’t home at all times and packages are put in the lobby to pickup. To prevent this from happening some recipients are able to have delivery of their parcels to the work place which can cause problems for their employers.
Parcel lockers offer a safe and efficient solution for condominium and apartment managers, universities, corporate and retail stores that face these issues.
What are Parcel Lockers?
Parcel lockers an electronically controlled “click and pick up” system. It secures packages to make it easy for consumers to retrieve them. They can enhance the experience for customers to a new level. Also at the same time decreasing the risk of theft, lost packages, and attempted delivery.
Automated parcel lockers make it an easy, three-step procedure for retrieving packages:
- The package handed over and placed in the parcel locker. The recipient notified of delivery via either SMS or receive app.
- The user enters a unique PIN number at the station where they can lock their locker.
- Door opens to let packages in for retrieval.
Returning packages is as simple as:
- The receiver puts the return label on the package.
- The label is read in the lockers.
- The lock door opens, and the buyer puts the package in.
Advantages of Parcel Lockers
Automated parcel lockers have many advantages like:
- Access 24/7, convenient to pick up parcels.
- Complete protection for delivery of packages and a reduced risk of losing packages.
- Full monitoring and responsibility for shipping companies by keeping a log of every package pickup and drop-off 100 100% chains of custody.
- Electronic log records eliminate the requirement for signatures
- Customers can choose to receive either text or email notification to receive their locker’s passcode.
- Reduced costs for labor with less internal resources needed to manage parcels as well as distribution and pick-up. Savings on labor can be a good argument for the expense for the program.
A Win-Win-Win for Building Management and Consumers
With increasing numbers of customers prefer to send their items to their places where they work, businesses also faced with managing the increased volume of mail. A lot of mailrooms provide packages to employees’ workplace or desk. The higher volume of mail means longer time and cost to sort and deliver packages that have no connection to the business in any way.
Retailers who have lockers for parcels near or within the brick and mortar shop not only gain from the ability of customers to collect their online orders on their own time as well as from the increased customer footfall as they go into the store for other purchases.
One of the most significant advantages of lockers for parcels is the complete customer experience. Consumers are able to pick up their packages at any time that is convenient for them, and not having to worry about the possibility of theft. Companies and building owners who provide this service are offering an excellent service that is highly loved by their customers and staff.
Ending
Parcel lockers can be set up for every installation, with various sizes of lockers that are available. They can vary from 3.5 24 inches for the smallest locker, to 29 X 24 inches to get the extra-large size.
Other options include an industrial touchscreen, camera with uninterruptible power supply barcode reader badge reader, and the detection of tampering with alarm system and notification. Additional technology can include surveillance and monitoring of video areas. Also a receipt printer, Shipping label printer, and payment module.
In short automated Parcel Lockers can enhance the experience of customers by providing the security and convenience to deliver packages.
