The Myth Debunked:
A prevalent misconception revolves around the notion that online shopping has entirely dominated the retail landscape, leading to the closure of traditional brick-and-mortar stores. In reality, online shopping constitutes only 14% of total retail sales in the UK [1] and a mere 8.1% in North America [2]. While these figures are poised to nearly double by 2021 in the UK [3], it's important to recognize that the online shopping narrative, often considered an Armageddon for physical retail, is not as all-encompassing as believed. For instance, if a building received 100 parcels daily in 2019, the expectation is for this number to double to 200 in 2021.
The Escalating Challenge:
This surge in parcel volume is particularly pronounced in buildings with concierges and receptions where residents pay a premium for such services, indicating higher purchasing power. As consumer behaviors shift from traditional high-street shopping to online platforms, there is a potential three- to four-fold increase in daily parcel deliveries to these buildings.
Why It's a Predicament:
The influx of parcels poses a significant challenge for residential, office, and university buildings. Processing each parcel requires labor, translating to increased operational costs. According to industry research across three property managers, traditional parcel logging methods consume approximately 115 seconds per parcel.
Crunching the Numbers:
For a building receiving 100 parcels daily, this equates to over 800 hours spent annually logging parcels, resulting in an average wage cost of £12,000 (at £15 per hour). Larger buildings may face substantially higher costs, potentially necessitating one or more dedicated staff members solely for managing deliveries and parcel logging, adding up to a full salary commitment for this purpose.
Parcel Peaks and Pitfalls:
Compounding the issue, parcel deliveries experience a threefold increase during peak shopping weeks such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas. Building managers often resort to hiring additional temporary staff at receptions during these periods, incurring thousands of pounds in additional expenses.
The Risk of Lost Parcels:
Courier liability ceases once a package is delivered to front-of-house staff, leaving the crucial "last yard" of the delivery process under the liability of building management. Logging and tracking become imperative in this phase to ensure accountability and prevent issues such as theft or misdelivery, especially in buildings with high-net-worth residents, offices handling sensitive documents, or universities receiving valuable research materials.
Time and Cost Savings with ZapCondo Parcel Management Software as Parcel Tracker:
Enter the solution: ZapCondo Parcel Management Software. Leveraging cutting-edge technologies, our Internal Parcel Tracking System has significantly reduced parcel processing time from 115 to an average of 41 seconds over the past two years. This threefold decrease in processing time not only streamlines parcel management but also enables front-of-house staff to fulfill their diverse duties promptly. Zap Condo Free Parcel Management tracking eliminates the need to hire temporary staff during peak online shopping periods, providing substantial time and resource savings for property managers.
A Wise Investment:
ZapCondo Parcel Management Software is more than a solution; it is an investment that directly saves time and resources for property managers while enhancing the overall experience for residents.
For those interested in exploring a free parcel management process at their building, we encourage you to stay tuned for our upcoming article by signing up for our mailing list!
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