48_SH_June.qxp 24/5/07 08:52 Page 48
■ Logistics IT
Customer driven technology
Integration programme director for City Link, Mike Harrison, looks at how the use of
technology will be integral to the continued success of one of the UK’s best known
express delivery brands.
Express delivery services are not
necessarily known for their innovation.
Traditionally focussed on the Business to
Business (B2B) market, business objectives
have centred around improving efficiency
with a belief that this will impact directly
on the bottom line. In a growing market –
and the B2B sector continues to grow by
about 4 per cent per year – this has been
enough. However, the market place is
changing.
The biggest opportunity for express
delivery companies now lies in Business to
Consumer (B2C) – a market which throws up
very different challenges to those we have become the expectations of the business also be equipping every driver across the fleet
previously experienced. Driven by the wants market. We know that the success of our with hand-held technology bringing obvious
and needs of customers, the B2C market will business is dependent on the agility and speed benefits to the business in terms of
force courier companies to reassess the way of responding to our customer needs, monitoring, measuring and managing the
they do business and their measures of flexibility in attitude and resources, bespoke performance of collections and deliveries but
effectiveness. Customer requirements and solutions and operational excellence – but to also improved benefits to our customers in
delivering on our promises will become what extent express delivery operators terms of efficient and effective tracking.
intrinsically linked to methods of efficiency, currently tailor their services, and make However, where City Link stands apart
investment in technology and ultimately the investments in technology, specifically from others is our commitment to ascertaining
bottom line. designed to meet the changing requirements exactly what it is that matters to our
However, we would be foolish not to of their customers is debatable. customers so that we can be sure that any
realise that as in all other market sectors, the Following the merger with Target Express, investment or development will deliver
expectations of the consumer market will City Link plans to create the best performing tangible customer benefits while at the same
business by utilising the latest technology to time deliver a tangible benefit to our bottom
deliver the highest level of service to its line. This approach will not only benefit our
customers. B2B customers and ensure that City Link
For example, the implementation of routing stays one step ahead as their demands grow,
and scheduling software will help make what but it will make us well placed to capitalise on
was an already efficient fleet even more the growth of the B2C delivery market in the
profitable while at the same time improving future.
the efficiency of our collections and deliveries
City Link is an express delivery company with a
from a customer perspective. We will also be
history. Until recently the business was built on
investing heavily in mechanical handling
a franchised model which grew organically over
equipment for all depots to help speed the
35 years into one of the UK’s best known
depot warehouse process including new
express delivery services. However, the
conveyor systems, revenue protection systems
challenges posed by a mature market place led
and plant equipment. Technologies such as to a decision to de-franchise its operation in
cage tracking, trailer tracking and ultimately October 2005. But, the story doesn’t end
parcel tracking will not only ensure a secure
there. In December last year Rentokil Initial
network but they will give us a full
took City Link one step closer to market
consignment history enabling us to deal with
dominance when it bought Target Express.
customer enquiries more quickly. We will
www.city-link.co.uk
48 ShD June 2007
www.PressOnShD.com
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