With the parcel delivery sector focusing increasingly on higher customer satisfaction rates and faster delivery times, the future of the industry is certainly looking promising. However, with big moves being made towards the utilisation of innovative technologies, it can seem uncertain so, to settle your mind, we are going to look at what the future of parcel delivery is likely to have in store.
Driverless Delivery
With the constant development in the driverless vehicle’s market and the introduction of delivery drones (particularly for Amazon), it appears that deliveries could soon become driverless. However, driverless vehicles are far from being implemented on a commercial scale, as they are still very much in the development stages. With further development and safety checks, however, we could see autonomous delivery on the roads sooner rather than later. Drones, on the other hand, can make the process even more streamlined, as these devices can cut out the need for following roads and sitting in traffic for long periods of time.
Enhanced Tracking And Order Management
Offering tracking as part of a parcel delivery service has become an integral feature for any courier but as demand for more in-depth information becomes clear, it’s easy to see why developments are still ongoing. One way in which these companies are starting to offer this tracking is by utilising autonomous and more intelligent order management systems. Through the introduction of algorithms that keep track of anyone parcel at any one point and even just by including GPS, regular and more detailed updates could soon become possible. What’s more, with most courier services offering you cheap delivery with tracking as standard, this is something that could come in handy the next time you order Christmas gifts!
Varying Collection Points
In addition to more advanced tracking, there may also be an improvement on where you can collect your parcel from. With increasingly busy lives with long hours, being home for a delivery isn’t always possible and seeing a frustrating note left through our door can lead to time spent collecting it from the depot which in some cases, can be quite a distance away. With the further introduction of the likes of parcel lockers, however, this could be improved. Currently, there are parcel lockers and other collection points dotted about the country, but the future is set to see more and more of them introduced to localities in order to make parcel delivery and collection simple and convenient.
Faster Shipping
Next day delivery has become a pretty standard feature thanks to the likes of Amazon and other leading brands, but consumers are demanding more. Same day delivery isn’t available on a wider scale just yet, but with industry leaders working on providing this service to areas close to their depot, we could see faster shipping options much more accessible sooner rather than later. For consumers and businesses alike, the ability to order a parcel and have it delivered within 24 hours can improve efficiency – what’s more, as more and more companies introduce this service, the cost of opting for it could soon reduce too, introducing more and more people to the luxury of speed.
With all this in mind, the future of parcel delivery is looking very dependent on technology and the developments that we are seeing. However, in the meantime, the short-term future of parcel delivery centres on increasing customer satisfaction rates and ensuring customers have the best experience possible.
