courier services

In recent times with regular postal strikes and soaring stamp prices, sending letters via royal mail becomes very expensive. Moreover most of the local post office branches are closing down because of the squeezing budget. A better solution for this entire problem is to find a proper courier service. People often have a presumption that courier prices are very heavy. In reality this is not always true. Due to a healthy completion in the parcel delivery market, customers always get the benefit. Courier prices are not fixed like royal mail prices, they are flexible and the customers have a number of choices. Most courier companies have different tariffs and plans which gives more choices to customers. Some common packages which many couriers are offering are next day guaranteed delivery, two day budget delivery for business. For most of the courier services parcel deliveries can be tracked online, which gives the customer more freedom.

KEBA Logo

James Cartledge is looking towards KEBA, an Austrian firm as a pioneer in automation of parcel service. Self-service terminals are getting popular as the latest development and solution for last mile delivery. The reason for this momentum is e-commerce with its volume and potential growth has forced operators to rethink on new business strategies other than normal business.

As consumers are always not available at home during delivery, with 24-hour access terminals seems to be a solution to manage this. With touch screen facilities and parcel alerts through messages this idea of automation of last mile places delivery in a modern age reducing costs of operation.

KEBA is planning to deploy its 3000 terminals all over the world. In 2013 it established Pack stations along with DHL in Germany and by 2002 expanded to 2500 machines. Yet they took long time to enter into this market despite having confidence in technology and temptation on e-commerce market.

Packstation, 10 years ago was a revolutionary invention and too early for the masses to understand even if with adopters like Danish post in line. DHL showed foresight in terminal network this early with an anticipation of behaviour changes of customer and parcel traffic increase. Pioneer period needed patience and courage, especially first 5 years were tough for KEBA pointing out benefits and convincing customers.

They almost created the logistic market now we are using. DHL in Germany got the advantage of prime locations as an early bird and recognition from consumers. KEBA is rewarded with the lead role in this field for solution proving consumer convenient method helping others also to follow.

In German market, DHL is presently working with technology and network of KEBA. Partners are nowadays replacing old terminals with modular ones with flexible installations and more capacity which can be optimised for more space. Recently they expanded service to Russia and Dubai also with the approval of hard work in market strategies. Pochtomat Company is processing the establishment of 120 new machines in urban locations with the help of KEBA technology.

They will operate terminals under the name LogiBox and will allow online sellers to use them for delivery of different service providers. Pochtomat Company presently has an yearly growth rate of 30-35% with further extension plans with KEBA. In Lithuania, they are supplying machines to SIUNTOS24 network with winter testing of machines for climate withstanding going on.

In Dubai also they have partnership with KEDU in the name Parcel and plan to deploy 15 machines by 2011 end. They described this technology as a smart solution appealing busy section of the society. Even if Europe has automated first and last mile technology rest of the world is catching it up with the influence of ecommerce.

KePol was designed as per international standards using features like modularity, applicability at any temperature, offline functions combined with marvelous network multi-language functions etc. There are of course competitors in this field arriving like In Post with an aim of 16000 terminals in Europe in coming years.

KEBA is competing and surviving in this field with unique features like safety and life-long value added service. They have their own peculiar way of dealing public and data protection along with security against failures.

Modularity not only means flexibility to accommodate any size of parcels but also number of installations as per any budget. KEBA announced 4 packages as per the needs and taste of different customers. KePol@Lab is offering trial system where they offer a free testing functionality.

KePol @Pilot is for customers with a public trial starting with 10 machines on rent with a chance to upgrade. There are also Kepol@KEBA and KePol@Customer services created to cater different customer needs. KePol@KEBA is providing trial starting with 100 machines with KEBA’s infrastructure. Each package is specific with different combination of software, machines integrated with IT logistic designs tailor made to suit specific customer.

KEBA after 10 years has gained good experience on environmental business related and legal needs for all terminal solutions. Their knowledge is vast incorporated in each detailed solution with 24/7 running machines available for maximum time.

ebay office

EBay was recently included in the list of companies, which are identified as the best Workplace in 2013 by The Great Place to Work Institute in the UK. The online retail giant holds the 6^th position among such companies. While the company accepted the award, it announced that it plans to recruit more employees in a span of 3 years in spite of the world economy being plunged into the recession.

EBay Europe’s HR Director Aileen O’Toole said the company is proud of the recognition, primarily because the awards are based on the opinions of employees.  He also said that the company aims to improve its position with each coming year.

He also said that the eBay group of companies should not suffer from a shortage of roles. The company wants to make use of the best talent and boost its payment, marketing and technology teams. Now that newer technologies in payments, smart mobile devices, image recognition and augmented reality have entered the market, eBay aims to have the best team across the globe, which will keep them in the forefront in the multi-channel retail industry.

What was surprising about the awards announcement came up with a surprise saying that it was a medium sized company, with 75-500 employees, with 371 in its UK wing, a number that should significantly be higher. Though many have moved to Europe, the number of employees in eBay UK should be higher than what was mentioned by the Institute.

Those who wish to work for the online auction company can do so by keeping an eye on the eBay website’s career page. Those with proper experience can always find thousands of openings and there are fewer companies in the UK that offer a better working experience.

adidas logo

A complaint has been registered by a consumer against Adidas for wrong parcel delivery of an item . He bought it on 19 December and paid express charges for shipping. When package didn’t reach  him even after Christmas he contacted both UPS and Adidas.

He was assured about the parcel delivery by the companies only to find out later that they have been sent to the wrong address. Christopher who made online purchasing of Adidas shoes for his wife as a Christmas present was informed that his parcel was delivered to a bar.

The parcel was even received by a bar employee after signing the receipt. After numerous desperate calls Chris, who is unemployed is yet to receive shoes. He is not new to this bar cum restaurant in his own hometown but has not visited there for long.

An detailed enquiry it was found out that UPS assured of the parcel delivered to Adidas and it has been considered as a complete procedure. Chris is surprised to see that he has been smartly duped. He may not get a replacement or refund back but the company assured him of a response quickly as they are looking into the matter.

The man who signed the receipt and walked away with shoes still remain untraceable. Consumerists are confused and are facing  so many questions .They are not sure whether address has been changed or not.

In most scams of such type goods are intercepted by the man who get access to account details of the buyer and change the shipping address. There are the possible remedies for goods undelivered and FTC suggests many solutions to worried customers.

smirnoff vodka

Coventry courier services driver jailed for stealing £65k of booze

Coventry Courier services Company’s driver has been accused of stealing spirits worth £65,000.Michael King sold off whisky and vodka to some acquaintances in the pub. Customers who couldn’t receive their crates of booze later contacted parcel delivery firm DHL to complain about the missing item and this helped to nab the driver.

In June last year he stole 2 pallets of whisky and 4 pallets of vodka. Later he confessed the crime at Leamington court.  He was awarded a jail term of 9 months.

King, the courier services driver collected spirits for delivery from Rugby and as planned earlier diverted from the usual route to unload crates for three men. He in total sold off Smirnoff vodka and malt whisky in three different occasions.