In the past decade, online shopping has witnessed exponential growth with an average American receiving at least 21 parcels in a year. This average figure is predicted to grow tremendously and reach China’s average of 70 or higher.
With the ever-growing popularity of e-commerce and online shopping, package management has become an issue for most delivery companies and this has started to reflect on individuals’ online shopping experiences.
Customers often find themselves complaining about not receiving their parcels on time, lost parcels, damaged goods, and a lack of coordination between the parcel delivery guy and the end customer.
These problems are minute in nature but have amalgamated to become a large mess for most delivery companies. To cater to this issue, delivery companies and customers alike have started to look towards alternative delivery options such as smart lockers.
What Is A Smart Locker?
A smart locker or a delivery locker is essentially a package management system suitable for residential buildings, offices, and educational institutions that offer a smart, safe, and contactless pick-up option for online deliveries. Instead of coordinating with customers to schedule deliveries, companies can simply deliver in designated lockers and customers can ensure pickups at their convenience.
Benefits Of Using Smart Lockers
Smart lockers pose several benefits for all parties involved in the delivery of an online order including the individual who placed the order, the delivery company responsible for delivering it, the shipper who shipped it, and the building or institution that is notified in the receiver address.
Given below are details for a few of these benefits:
1. They are a versatile solution
Smart lockers are a truly versatile solution in terms of how they benefit several parties in a transaction. Shippers can ensure that their customers would be satisfied with their chosen delivery options whereas delivery companies can ensure fewer complaints from their clients.
Customers can be satisfied and content with safe, timely, and contactless deliveries whereas institutions can ensure hassle-free package management solutions. All of these benefits sprouting from the same smart locker system can vouch for it being a versatile solution to several problems experienced by different entities.
2. They ensure convenience
The most evident benefit of using smart lockers is the convenience they pose as a delivery option. Time is by far the most precious commodity for every individual, and smart lockers pose time savings for every party involved in an online transaction.
Customers do not have to be bothered by delivery riders to schedule a delivery and can have access to their orders at their convenience.
Delivery riders do not have to waste time waiting for customers to show up to ensure delivery and can simply drop off packages in relevant lockers. Both parties can get on with their day and get work done without having to rely on each other.
3. They enable contactless deliveries
Contactless deliveries became a necessity in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and ever since customers have been enjoying its privileges.
However, recent instances of parcel theft have deterred many customers from opting for contactless delivery options. With porch piracy being at an all-time high, many customers fear contactless delivery options despite the convenience that they pose.
Since deliveries made with contactless delivery options under smart lockers are secured with barcodes, delivery riders cannot possibly deliver the wrong lockers, and hence ensure secure deliveries from start to finish.
4. They prevent loss or theft
Smart lockers are the only package management solution that can guarantee a decrease in the number of parcels lost or stolen every year. Dealing with mailroom staff and their incompetence can take a toll on most of us, especially if the staff is involved in the loss, damage, or theft of costly deliveries.
Smart lockers eliminate the instance of packages getting lost in transition or organization by already putting the package in the locker for the intended recipient, and removing any instances or middlemen involved in this transaction.
The package is placed safely in the locker awaiting the customer’s retrieval while it remains locked and secure.
5. They facilitate package and asset management
Irrespective of the type of package being delivered and managed, smart lockers assist in package management.
In addition to that, they also help facilitate asset management whereby companies and institutions can safely deliver company assets to relevant employees.
Whether this is distributing Christmas or holiday favors, or including distribution of devices and laptops, smart lockers can help them achieve both.
Conclusion
Over the past few years, the way people work and institutions function has changed tremendously with both businesses and individuals fulfilling their everyday requirements through online shopping. As a result, smart lockers pose several benefits for institutions, individuals, and delivery companies alike as they pose convenience for all three parties in several ways.
