The NexTrust project has tested an innovative system for last mile e-commerce deliveries in Berlin. The pilot, named ANGEL, runs in partnership with Kisura, an online shopping service, and Berlin Last Mile, a logistical service provider. Since launching in July 2017, ANGEL has shown positive results.
The ‘ANGEL’ IT platform hosts retailers, vehicle owners and drivers in a collaborative trusted network, which processes customer order details, and arranges appointed, convenient and sustainable delivery journeys for both the retailer and the customer. The pilot is reducing, congestion and greenhouse gas emissions in busy metropolitan areas, as well as improving customer satisfaction in the process.
IT platform developed in-house
The part of the project which Fiege spearheads is about making vacant vehicle resources available for the delivery of parcels. The goal is to sustainably handle the dramatically growing volume of parcel shipments which are a result of the booming online trade. Axel Niessner, Senior Project Manager at Fiege and official representative of the “E-commerce logistics innovation” task package, explains: “Parcel service providers currently offer little to no convenience to recipients. We will deliver the parcel at the recipient’s preferred time and place.”
This applies also for the Berlin start-up, Kisura which curates complete outfits for women in response to individual requests from its clientele. The heart of the “Angel” logistics concept is an IT platform developed by Fiege which aims to organise eCommerce logistics using collaborative networks. Fleet operators transmit their vacant capacities to the system. The IT platform connects the vehicle with an optimised tour which it then offers to the drivers. Deliveries are to be made within a two-hour window between 6 pm and 11 pm.
“Recipients are pro-actively informed of the exact time of delivery as soon as the delivery driver is on his way”, explains Axel Niessner, who expects the solution to produce these results: “A much higher delivery success rate prevents additional delivery attempts and sustainably contributes towards a reduction of inner-city trips.”
Linh Nguyen of Kisura said “With NexTrust we tested how we could further optimise and personalise our service”. By using the ANGEL system “we have improved delivery rate which has immediately led to higher customer satisfaction and increased flow of goods in our warehouse”.
After first successful operations in Berlin the e-commerce pilot has extended its scope to other metropolitan areas facing city congestions. Pilot leader Axel Niessner from Fiege, is optimistic the replication and roll out in other European cities will demonstrate further positive results, saying “We offer a new convenient appointed time delivery service for the customers, we are using under utilised vehicles and finally we stand for sustainable deliveries”.
Source: Nextrust.