University

Could Parcel Lockers Bring Peace of Mind to Your University Campus?

It’s hard to believe that most students enrolling at university this year will have been born right around the time that Amazon was only just turning a profit. Since the early 2000s, eCommerce has revolutionised how we purchase goods, with many of us choosing to have the majority of things we buy delivered straight to our front door, and students are no different.

The students of today will have grown up around this level of convenience and, as they depart for life on campus, they will be updating their delivery addresses so that they can continue to make quick and easy purchases for everything they’re used to ordering online – and more; as they’ll inevitably require textbooks, writing materials and will even be ordering laptops and tablets to assist with their learning.

However, with so many students ordering large numbers of packages and parcels to university campus locations, the risk of mail being lost or stolen is increased. It’s extremely unlikely that students will receive their packages by hand – instead, incoming mail will need to be sorted and distributed by university staff.

Even then, with each student having a varied timetable, it will be extremely difficult for them to be located so that their packages can be delivered directly to them. Campuses of any size can be a very difficult environment to manage from this perspective. The number of people entering and leaving the site at all times throughout the day and night, means that specialised solutions are required to help keep people, and their property, safe and secure.

Tracking and storage to address concerns

Two of the most effective ways to alleviate concerns over mail security and management are inbound mail tracking systems and smart outdoor lockers. Combined, these solutions can help provide peace of mind in university campus environments.

An inbound internal parcel tracking solution gives transparency and full visibility of inbound packages’ journey from delivery to the recipient. They comprise of recording and labelling software, handheld scanners, and web tracking reporting systems that allow mail recipients and administrative staff to track inbound parcels in real-time, whether it is in receipt, transit or delivery. In the university campus environment, it will allow students to plan their movements around the receipt of mail items, as well as help address any concerns regarding lost items, reducing complaints and enquiries about delayed parcels.

What is a parcel locker?

Parcel lockers for universities provide additional assurances about the location and security of mail items, as well as providing recipients with the added convenience of a ‘click and collect’ experience. By electing to have their post delivered to a secure locker, students can automatically be notified when their packages have arrived, and then pick up packages at any time that suits them. Smart lockers are reinforced and secure, providing recipients with passcodes to access their mail. This removes the risk of packages being lost or stolen from communal areas.

Students and staff on university campuses have far more important priorities than worrying about the lengthy manual processes of receiving, logging, storing, locating, delivering and collecting parcels. Thankfully, with the right technologies in place, those worries can be removed.

To learn more about parcel lockers for universities and student accommodation campuses, fill out your details below.