Postal Hub podcast

Roel Gevaers, Professor in Last Mile Logistics and Supply Chain, University of Antwerp, discusses new Belgian legislation targeting last mile parcel delivery. Definition of parcel delivery companies under the new law Obligations on delivery companies Minimum payment rates Intention behind this legislation Past scandals in Belgian parcel delivery Pay rates and social security payments Lack of overs...

Jack Hopkins, CEO and co-founder of Tradeaze - a same-day delivery service for the building and trades sector - shares how Tradeaze started and the delivery need it fills: What drove Jack to found Tradeaze The need for tradespeople (tradies) to have access to fast supply of parts How the parts market works How merchants service spare parts needs The Tradeaze platform for shipping spare parts Offer...

Thibault Guez, Out-of-Home Project Director Europe at Geopost, discusses out-of-home delivery, including PUDOs, parcel lockers, delivery preferences and more: What is out-of-home delivery? Size of Geopost's out-of-home network Getting closer to the consignee Dominance of residential B2C delivery in some European markets Understanding local cultural habits Refrigerated parcel lockers Striving for i...

Robert Jordan, CEO at the Information Factory, discusses how data can be used to drive profitability in delivery and logistics. We cover: Harnessing logistics and delivery data Data is not just about reporting Falling letter volumes, volatile parcel volumes, labour pressures Postal operators dealing with operational issues in the network and the last mile Revenue optimisation Using data for perfor...

Dean Maciuba , Managing Partner (USA) for Crossroads Parcel Consulting , discusses the ramifications of the UPS - Teamsters deal, FedEx's cost-cutting, USPS reform, and Amazon delivery contractors. Impact of UPS's deal with Teamsters How UPS was travelling prior to striking a deal with the union FedEx's efforts to reduce its operating costs Amalgamation of FedEx's Ground and Express networks FedEx...

Margaret Persico, Senior Director of Postal and Logistics Unit at Kantar, and Will Simpson, Client Director at Kantar's Postal and Logistics Unit, discuss what external measurement means for postal, parcel, regulators, and e-commerce players: Transformation of postal operators Changes in capturing and reporting transit measurements Accurate real-time results powering improved reporting Transition...

Ann Snitko, UC Berkeley Researcher and Chief Product Development Officer at Omnic on parcel lockers, delivery efficiency, and emissions. Reducing emissions in transport under the European Green Deal Optimising routes with parcel lockers Modes of transport consumers use for collecting parcels Parcel locker density and encouraging consumers to walk Load capacity issues Reducing the vehicles loading...

Kardinal's Head of Business, Michael Anderson, discusses key findings from Kardinal's recent research into last mile strategy and last mile operations: Understanding postal and delivery companies' priorities in the last mile The importance of service quality in parcel delivery Environment and sustainability as a high level strategic priority Profitability Getting fleet and depot design right and r...

Brody Buhler, CEO at Escher Group discusses key findings from Escher's 2023 Future of Posts research. We cover: Acceleration of letter volume declines Fluctuating parcel volumes Major challenges currently facing postal operators Postal operators struggling to achieve profitability Changing letter and parcel delivery Capacity constraints or lack of parcel volumes? Bringing inventory closer to the c...

Should parcel locker networks be compelled to be "open"? Roel Gevaers, Professor in Last Mile Logistics and Supply Chain, University of Antwerp, discusses moves to force Belgian parcel lockers to accept parcels from other carriers. bpost and Budbee operate the two most significant Belgian parcel locker networks Where Budbee parcel lockers are generally located Overview of major last mile operators...

Heleen Buldeo Rai, assistant professor at VUB, discusses her research into how urban logistics facilities can be good neighbours. Warehouses and logistics centres getting closer to the city centre What makes NYC an interesting city for studying urban warehouses Population density, strength of e-commerce and zoning Cross-docking operations in NYC Delivery activities happening at the kerb/curb Commu...

Daniel Rueda, CEO at Open Pricer, and Jonathan Bouaziz, CEO and co-founder at Kardinal, on the combined power of route optimisation and dynamic parcel pricing. What parcel volume decreases mean for parcel and postal operators Retaining delivery drivers Optimising parcel margins - even to a postcode level Parcel pricing variations by the day of the week Improved cost modelling means improved pricin...

Mark Cross, Engagement Director at JICMAIL, and Dr Christopher Thresher-Andrews, Research Director at Kantar, discuss measuring mail's impact and unlocking mail's new capabilities: Creating the mail equivalent of TV audience measurement Demonstrating the value of mail, including business mail JICMail's background and ownership Helping marketers understand audience data for mail Making data accessi...

Kate Muth, Executive Director at IMAG, discusses cross-border delivery and the US Postal Service, including: USPS plans for international mail USPS's focus on domestic matters and business What pushed USPS rates high? Why USPS lost business during COVID What's the plan to win business back Competing on price Alternatives to competing on price Highlights of USPS research on international mail Decli...

Sustainable urban logistics expert Johan Peeters discusses reducing last mile emissions, including: The gap between what consumers say they want and what they're prepared to pay for when it comes to "green" delivery The seduction of free delivery Opportunities for delivery companies to improve cities Green zones in European cities Urban planners seeking to create human-based cities, to the exclusi...

Julien Le Signor, Head of Environment at Geopost, discusses measuring and reporting last mile emissions. Calculating and processing delivery emissions in real time in Geopost's Carbon Calculator tool Taking data from scanning events for millions of parcels per day Differing emissions for different vehicle types Reporting emissions for residential and out-of-home deliveries Why develop a carbon cal...

Omnic CEO Dimash Syzdykov and Chief Product Officer Ann Snitko discuss a new era of parcel lockers. Why parcel lockers networks fail Making parcel lockers more than just luggage storage lockers The risks of weak customer experience Comparing parcel lockers to non-automated alternatives Omnic combining expertise in locker manufacturing, software development, and parcel locker management systems How...

Cpost International CEO, Thomas Roggendorf, details how a unique set of circumstances in Curaçao demanded an innovative response from the national postal operator. How the post became Cpost International Falling letter volumes Why the post couldn't fall back on local e-commerce What a semi-government company is The quest to be profitable Cross-border e-commerce Consolidated international shipments...

Cédric Hervet, Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder at Kardinal, discusses a technology-assisted approach to delivery resource management. How postal and parcel delivery companies manage resources Deciding who does what and where, and moving beyond planning via spreadsheets Productivity lost thanks to suboptimal route organisation Maximising driver productivity Advantages of drivers being familiar...

Markus Reckling, CEO Germany at DHL Express, discusses cross-border e-commerce, delivery preferences, and sustainability. Growth in B2B e-commerce Post-pandemic trends in B2C e-commerce and bricks-and-mortar retail Food delivery Global opportunities for B2B retailers in supply markets and in customers Why cross-border is important for B2B Offering quality of service worldwide Delivery preferences...

Pos Malaysia Group CEO Charles Brewer discusses the postal operator's transformation strategy and its sustainability push: Board's remit to transform and turnaround Pos Malaysia No glitter without the basics! The need to focus on core logistics functions, including parcel delivery performance Understanding customers' needs The three parts of Pos Malaysia's strategy: fix the basics, transforming th...

Dean Maciuba, Managing Partner (USA) for Crossroads Parcel Consulting, shares some insights into the negotiations between UPS and the Teamsters - the union representing UPS employees. UPS driver employment model - including a lower-paid class of driver Why are these negotiations attracting so much media attention? Change in Teamsters leadership and implications for negotiations with UPS The relati...

Cathy Morrow Roberson, founder and lead analyst at Logistics Trends and Insights, discusses what trends in consumer spending power and in-store shopping mean for e-commerce parcel volumes. Trends in US consumers' spending power What consumers are buying Consumers looking for bargains, and retailers looking to offload inventory Discretionary spending vs essential purchases Rising food prices and fl...

David Spottiswood, co-founder of Hurricane, and Cyril McGrane, Director International Trade at An Post, discuss An Post's experiences in implementing HS codes for inbound and outbound international parcels. Why data is king in cross-border e-commerce delivery Governments no longer ignore cross-border e-commerce Ireland was an early adopter of cross-border data obligations How An Post approached ch...

It's episode 300! First up, Dean Maciuba (Crossroads Parcel Consulting) briefly discusses FedEx's plans to merge its Ground and Express delivery networks. Then the USPS Inspector General, Tammy Whitcomb Hull, joins me to discuss the role of the Inspector General. The role of Watergate in the origins of Inspector General roles Oversight of the US Postal Service and Postal Regulatory Commission Law...