Postal Hub podcast

John Acton, managing partner at DPI Europe, discusses overcoming the seven deadly corporate mindsets to stimulate innovation in corporations. We cover: Content vs critical thinking consultancy Bureaucracies smothering creative thinking in a big organisation What is a deadly mindset? And how does it relate to innovation? Stripping away barriers to innovation Breaking out of cycles The problems of "...

Author, podcast host, and host of the eCommerce MasterPlan podcast Chloë Thomas returns to talk about e-commerce delivery from a retailer and customer perspective. We cover: Speed vs cost vs green Giving customers what they want… and paying for it! Changing consumer expectations thanks to That Virus Will customers still want fast delivery? Or will it depend on the product category? Customers switc...

Amazon is using its B2C infrastructure to quietly dominate in B2B. Joining me to discuss this is Dean Maciuba, Director Consulting Services at Logistics Trends & Insights. We cover: Amazon Business - the dominant marketplace in the USA? How Amazon leverages its existing network of fulfilment centres Fulfilment costs SKU range Amazon's Delivery Service Partners - and shipping costs Multi-piece deli...

Rebecca Hall, founder and director of fleet management, compliance and driver safety tool HH Driveright and courier firm JMHC, joins me to discuss modern fleet management - especially in the age of COVID-19: How JMHC started out as a single van and grew to a national fleet of 500 vehicles The importance of fleet management, including safety The fleet management response to COVID-19, including: Veh...

Sandra Bonfigli, from the Procurement Unit of the UPU Development Cooperation Directorate, outlines how the UPU is distributing key safety equipment for postal workers in least development countries: The role of the UPU in responding to natural disasters Distributing personal protection kits to various countries How the UPU partnered with another UN agency to overcome difficulties such as airport...

Cathy Morrow Roberson , founder and lead analyst at Logistics Trends & Insights, joins me to discuss the air cargo capacity crunch and modal shift: Reduced numbers of flights Essential vs non-essential cargo during the COVID-19 pandemic Repurposed passenger aircraft carrying cargo Moving air cargo to rail Rail's advantages over air and sea (ocean) cargo Mail trains running from China to Europe Dir...

Dean Maciuba, Director Consulting Services at Logistics Trends & Insights, joins me to discuss how home delivery fits in with the e-commerce value proposition: UPS and FedEx's growing network of access points (PUDOs) How UPS and FedEx are using those access points for residential deliveries, including redirections of failed first-time deliveries Pressures on delivery drivers Residential delivery:...

Dean Maciuba, Director Consulting Services at Logistics Trends & Insights, joins me to discuss how home delivery fits in with the e-commerce value proposition: UPS and FedEx's growing network of access points (PUDOs) How UPS and FedEx are using those access points for residential deliveries, including redirections of failed first-time deliveries Pressures on delivery drivers Residential delivery:...

Mike Darchambeau, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at last-mile technology company Urbantz , joins me to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the e-commerce last mile: The sudden boom in e-commerce - including grocery delivery E-commerce merchants are capitalising on the boom Creativity in the last mile to cope with the drastic growth Enabling local e-commerce Increasing capacity in response to...

Kevin Seller, VP Sales EMEA at Escher , on applications for artificial intelligence in the postal sector: The basic principles of artificial intelligence and machine learning Some current non-postal applications for AI Optimising operation and performance of retail stores and improving the customer experience Harnessing the huge amount of data available in the business Making an optimum post offic...

Mark Fallon, President and CEO at the Berkshire Company, joins me to talk about how the US Postal Service is helping bridge the digital-physical divide in delivery: How Informed Delivery works National census - a digital experience Sending the US census, and the role of the postal service Informed Delivery's role in the process The ultimate omni-channel marketing campaign Conducting elections by m...

Ben Stickle, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Middle Tennessee State University, joins me to discuss recent research he led into the porch piracy phenomenon: Background to research into porch piracy Reporting e-commerce parcel theft Definition of porch piracy - the theft of parcels delivered to private property Distinguishing porch piracy from mail theft Who is stealing parcels? Is it or...

Ralf Garlichs, Chief Operations Officer at Siemens Logistics, joins me to discuss the automated future of parcel processing: Processing varying parcel formats Speed and complexity Removing the need for manual handling A brief history of automation in logistics Labour shortage implications for logistics Three factors driving advances in automation: labour, volume growth, and the battle for services...

Jean-Philippe Ducasse from the USPS Office of Inspector General discusses recent OIG research into the US same-day delivery market: Can anyone make money on same-day delivery? Same-day delivery market size, including what kind of goods are being shipped The major players in US same-day delivery, and the different operating models Typical customer profile for same-day delivery Why customers buy wit...

Igor Smelyanksy, CEO at Ukrposhta (Ukraine Post) is my special guest. We cover: The main drivers for domestic e-commerce growth in Ukraine Staggering growth in inbound parcels - and the investments Ukrposhta has made to cope with the increasing volumes How Ukrposhta is helping local businesses to sell online, including social media and webcasts Streamlining induction of international outbound parc...

Tim Harrison, Senior Policy Researcher at Citizens Advice and one of the authors of "The market which isn't delivering", joins me to discuss the failings and potential remedies in the UK e-commerce parcel delivery market: Where does the e-commerce parcel delivery experience begin? Unfair surcharging (for example, for delivery to remote addresses) Delivery information customers need when ordering o...

Marek Różycki, Managing Partner at Last Mile Experts (and ex-Amazon VP Logistics EU) discusses FedEx's travails and Amazon's continuing expansion in the last mile: Has FedEx taken its eye off the ball in B2C delivery? B2B mindset in the e-commerce era Could FedEx pull back from the B2C segment? Why FedEx needs to change or run the risk of being broken up FedEx's TNT acquisition DPD's decision to g...

David Spottiswood, co-founder of Hurricane Modular Commerce, and David Nelson, Vice President Sales (Americas) at Escher, join me to talk about improving the efficiency and customer experience of cross-border e-commerce: Estimating taxes and duties on goods moved via the post office Data collection for cross-border e-commerce Data leakage for parcels lodged over the counter Delays due to customs i...

Catalin Maftei, founder and CEO of C-Solution , joins me to discuss an innovative approach to parcel lockers: How a payment solutions provider became a parcel delivery company The link between delivery failure and refunds How niche online businesses grow from marketplaces to becoming standalone e-commerce merchants How small business growth is powering Romanian e-commerce Cross-border e-commerce i...

Cathy Morrow Roberson, Founder and Lead Analyst at Logistics Trends and Insights on 3D printing and the delivery sector: 3D printing finding its purpose in life Bringing the point of manufacture closer to the customer Manufacturing and distributing spare parts Delivery companies getting involved in 3D printing Impact on warehousing and delivery Reducing logistics costs Shrinking manufacturing lead...

Alan Barrie, senior advisor for e-commerce and urban logistics at Transport for London, talks about how changes to delivery can improve air quality: Overview of the types of vehicles on London's streets TfL's responsibilities The effect of London's congestion charge What the ULEZ (ultra low emission zone) means for the delivery sector Reducing emissions and improving efficiencies in the last mile...

Lindiwe Kewele, Acting Group CEO at South African Post Office, discusses: Post office access in rural areas Social grant payment - and how SAPO delivers it Providing access to financial services Funding the USO and being self-sustainable Mobile postal services Migrating to non-cash payment alternatives, including mobile money Financial services for the elderly - including using biometrics to ident...

Nick Manolis, CEO of Escher Group, is my guest. We discuss: The blurring line between delivery and the retail network Achieving better customer engagement in a postal context Helping posts win more parcel volumes through measuring customer satisfaction Taking real-time data collection and making it useful Replacing mystery shoppers and QR codes on receipts Cross-border duties and taxes Dealing wit...

Ben Nowlan, CEO of OmniCX and co-founder of delivery start-up Sherpa, joins me to talk about fast delivery: The background to setting up Sherpa's fast delivery service Interactive delivery management from a consumer perspective and from a merchant/delivery perspective Communications between the delivery driver and the recipient Are companies not trying to be customer-centric? What's the driver beh...

Escher CTO Wayne Haubner joins me to discuss applications for artificial intelligence in the postal and delivery sectors: The difference between AI and machine learning Where to source data (e.g. transaction data, tracking data, customer profiles) AI and loyalty programmes - and the impact on repeat sales Driving better customer engagement with AI Digital on-boarding - training for new staff How A...