Smart parcel lockers can keep deliveries secure, facilitate pick-up for residents and relieve staff from time-consuming handling duties
Online shopping means more and听more parcels听are听being delivered to Build to Rent properties.听听
听
Astonishingly,听online shopping听now makes up鈥痑round a quarter鈥痮f retail sales听and even听pre-pandemic,鈥痚Commerce was growing with a 2019-20 eight per cent鈥痽ear-on-year increase in UK鈥痯arcel听volumes鈥�撯�痑 phenomenal鈥�2.8 billion delivered items, according to Ofcom research.鈥�
听
Operational听implications of听missed听deliveries鈥�
This presents a challenge for BTR properties.听听
听
Parcel handling takes up considerable staff time. In fact,听based on an average of 60 packages per day,听six听days a week, at听a rate of 10 packages per hour,听up to 36 hours can be spent each week handling and sorting.鈥�
听
As owner-operators strive to provide all the amenities residents expect, they will aim to turn parcel deliveries around as rapidly as possible. After all, next听or听same-day delivery is fast becoming the standard. BTR parcel management processes must therefore听maximise:鈥���
- Convenience and simplicity for residents鈥�
- Efficiency for administrators and staff鈥�
- Cost effectiveness for owner-operators鈥�
This is tricky if staff鈥痟ave to鈥痶ake in parcels themselves, log them听manually听and get them to residents. Nor听do the problems end there. If deliveries are made to a communal space,听such as reception,听they听can听create听an untidy environment and potentially pose听a trip听or听fire hazard. What鈥檚 more,听left in听reception areas or outside residents鈥� own doors, parcels are at risk of going missing. It鈥檚 not the best resident experience.鈥��
听
The Brief听
听Velocity Village provides studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments to rent in the heart of Sheffield. One of鈥痑 number of鈥痵ites in the UK managed by鈥疉ddLiving, the 300-unit听village offers a range of amenities for professionals and students.听听
听In 2019,鈥疉ddLiving 鈥痶o give residents 24/7 access to their delivered parcels.鈥�听
Vicky Gill, lettings negotiator at Velocity Village,听said:鈥�鈥�It was hard for residents to collect parcels and it took up a lot of staff time, especially as parcel volumes increased with more people shopping online. We wanted to explore options that would make the whole process easier and鈥痬inimise鈥痶he amount of staff intervention required.鈥�鈥�听
On a quiet day, the office could take delivery of around 20 parcels for residents. This would increase to around 100 deliveries a day at peak times, such as Christmas.鈥�听
The method听
To test the theory that parcel lockers can contribute to reduced congestion and pollution, Parcel Pending by听Quadient鈥��鈥痠n the US with the University of Washington and its Urban Freight Lab7, with the participation of two carriers (UPS and USPS), property managers at the Seattle Municipal Tower (CBRE), the Seattle Department of Transportation, and鈥痓uilding鈥痳esidents.听听
The results revealed:鈥�鈥�听
- Total delivery time plummeted 78 per cent, compared to floor-to-floor and door-to-door delivery鈥�听
- There were鈥�zero鈥痜ailed deliveries to the lockers, compared to seven in the traditional delivery model鈥�听
- A significant reduction in dwell time (time spent parked in a loading zone) reducing traffic and carbon emissions.鈥�听
Quadient鈥檚 intelligent parcel lockers were chosen for the secure storage of delivered parcels at the听Velocity听Village.听听
听
The Impact听
Vicky Gill said:鈥�鈥�Residents love the parcel lockers, they鈥檙e really user-friendly and mean they can collect their parcels at any time. They鈥檝e also taken pressure off staff who now have very little to do with parcel deliveries.鈥�鈥�听
Erdal Kacar, operations director at AddLiving, said: As a company we embrace technology and new ways of solving old problems. The lockers are now an amenity which we are proud of and are well liked by our residents.鈥�听
Implications for听residents and听their听experience鈥�
听
Residents are often out when deliveries are made, making tracking them down an issue. Staffing levels often vary too and building access for delivery couriers may be restricted. If couriers can鈥檛 make their drop-off, they must make a redelivery, generating more traffic to the site听and听adding听to congestion and carbon emissions.鈥��
听
Implications for the听wider听environment鈥�
听
A 2020鈥疻orld Economic Forum (WEF) report鈥痚stimates the demand for last-mile delivery in urban areas will increase by 78 per cent by 2030, leading to a rise in emissions from these deliveries of over 30 per cent in the world鈥檚 top 100 cities.听听
听
In 2017,鈥痶he RAC reported鈥� vans听were the fastest-growing traffic segment in the UK and that, whilst eCommerce听was听not a dominant part of the traffic mix, by 2040 vans听were听forecast to create 21 per cent of all traffic miles. Therefore,听maximising听the chances of鈥痜irst-time鈥痵uccess in deliveries has side benefits for urban traffic flow and听minimising听emissions.鈥�
Resolving听these听issues鈥�
Times have changed and the manual process鈥痮f receiving, logging, storing, and distributing鈥痯arcels鈥痑re creaking under the strain.鈥��
听
Smart parcel lockers听providing secure storage, offer a solution.听听
Here鈥檚 how they work:鈥��
- The delivery driver or on-site staff member selects the resident from the electronic directory鈥�
- They choose a locker box according to the item鈥檚 size and shape and place the package inside鈥�
- The resident is sent an automatic electronic notification with a PIN and barcode鈥�
- They use the details to open the locker when they鈥檙e ready to collect听
鈥�
It鈥檚 simple, convenient, reduces staff involvement and听means听parcels are no longer left lying around awaiting collection.听听
What鈥檚 more,听according听to听survey听results gathered from case studies conducted with residents of Cortland Partners properties,听lockers听provide a better resident experience听and听can drive increased听renewals by 40 per cent.听