{"id":12274,"date":"2021-09-30T12:24:22","date_gmt":"2021-09-30T12:24:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.parcelpending.com\/?p=12274"},"modified":"2026-02-06T11:02:24","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T11:02:24","slug":"understanding-courier-delivery-process-flow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.parcelpending.com\/en-us\/blog\/understanding-courier-delivery-process-flow\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Courier Delivery Process Flow"},"content":{"rendered":"

The explosion of eCommerce has led to related <\/span>delivery<\/span> logistics<\/span> issues: how to get <\/span>goods<\/span> to customers quickly, securely, cost-effectively, and with transparency throughout the process. The first step in solving the problem is understanding the <\/span>courier delivery process flow<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Welcome to Personalized Logistics<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Along with <\/span>customer<\/span> expectations for an omnichannel shopping experience comes the expectation for omnichannel <\/span>delivery<\/span>. <\/span>These and other omnichannel trends<\/a> have emerged from customers wanting<\/span> what they want, when they want it, and where they want it. In essence, shoppers have voiced their preference for \u201cpersonalized <\/span>logistics<\/span>\u201d \u2013 the option to receive goods from retailers at physical storefronts \u2013 via store lockers, locker hubs, or curbside pickup \u2013 or by <\/span>shipping<\/span> goods directly to their home or office.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fast, Flexible, and Free Delivery is Crucial to Consumers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If, for example, a shopper changes their <\/span>delivery<\/span> method from in-store pick-up to <\/span>shipping<\/span> to their home, a variety of changes ensue.<\/span><\/p>\n

For the retailer, the logistical shift automatically increases the cost of <\/span>delivery<\/span>. Target estimates, for example, that it costs an average of 40% less<\/span> when shoppers pick up their orders curbside or in stores, compared with <\/span>shipping<\/span> from a <\/span>warehouse<\/span>1<\/sup><\/span>. <\/span>Further, labeling, packaging, and <\/span>courier delivery<\/span> are now additional steps between the <\/span>goods<\/span> leaving the <\/span>warehouse<\/span> and arriving at the <\/span>customer\u2019s doorstep<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The biggest issue, of course, is lack of chain of custody transparency. Both customers and retailers want to track their <\/span>goods<\/span> at all times and places. In fact, 83%<\/span> of consumers expect regular communication about their purchases and where <\/span>their shipment is throughout <\/span>the <\/span>shipping process<\/span>2<\/sup><\/span>. Taking it a step further, only 15% of US shoppers stated that <\/span>delivery<\/span> speed met their expectations demonstrating the <\/span>service<\/span> gap. And, i<\/span>n a recent study, 53% of consumers <\/span>said they would not purchase from a retailer if they didn\u2019t know when their package would be shipped<\/span>3<\/sup><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Clearly, winning over consumers requires exceeding their <\/span>service<\/span> expectation by communicating early and often. In fact, <\/span>same day delivery<\/span> is now the gold standard with <\/span>over 56% of shoppers aged 18-34 expecting it and 60% willing to pay for it<\/span>4<\/sup><\/span>! Plus, over 25% of consumers would abandon an online shopping cart if <\/span>same day delivery<\/span> wasn\u2019t available.<\/span><\/p>\n

Final Mile Delivery is Key<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Final mile delivery<\/span> is the step in the <\/span>shipping process<\/span> wherein a <\/span>parcel<\/span> reaches its final destination \u2013 typically the customers\u2019 hands \u2013 via a retail locker, their mailbox, or<\/span> the customer\u2019s<\/span> doorstep. It\u2019s ironic that this shortest leg of the entire <\/span>shipping process<\/span> is also the most crucial.<\/span><\/p>\n

Introducing Lockers Hubs: Open Network Community Lockers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Most smart lockers are installed and owned by one party: a retailer allowing for in-store pickup via retail lockers (such as Buy Online, Pick-up In Locker or BOPIL\u00ae by Parcel Pending), a multifamily community providing <\/span>residents with secure package delivery<\/a> via smart lockers<\/span>, or a university campus utilizing lockers for easy retrieval of books, documents, keys, and other campus essentials. Community-wide lockers, however, are carrier agnostic systems that can be used by any retailer, carrier, or recipient and typically placed on public property. These Locker Hubs are emerging as a smarter <\/span>logistics<\/span> solution that speeds up <\/span>delivery <\/span>times<\/span>, increases <\/span>parcel<\/span> visibility, and even reduces emissions.<\/span><\/p>\n

To test the theory that courier lockers<\/a> boost efficiencies and decrease truck congestion and pollution, <\/span>Parcel<\/span> Pending by Quadient entered into a pilot project with the University of Washington and its Urban Freight Lab. It required the participation of two carriers (UPS and the United States <\/span>Postal Service<\/span>), property managers at the Seattle Municipal Tower (CBRE), the Seattle Department of Transportation, and building tenants. The goal was to tackle how to handle not just the \u201c<\/span>final mile<\/span>\u201d of package <\/span>delivery<\/span>, but what is termed the \u201cFinal 50 Feet\u201d- getting the <\/span>parcel<\/span> to the <\/span>customer\u2019s doorstep<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The results were astounding<\/span>5<\/sup><\/span>!<\/span><\/p>\n