DHL Express has announced the launch of On Demand Delivery for the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region.
On Demand Delivery is currently deployed in 6 countries across SSA – South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mauritius & Tanzania, with plans to roll out to further countries throughout 2017.
According to the company, globally, the share of e-commerce deliveries has grown from about 10% in 2013 to more than 20% of the international volumes.
The new service allows shippers and receivers globally to select from a range of delivery options. On Demand Delivery offers shippers the choice to activate specific delivery options and have the company notify their customers via email or SMS about a shipment’s progress. Customers can then select the delivery option that suits their requirements via the On Demand Delivery website. The service is tailored to the demands of international e-commerce deliveries, where the majority of shipments are addressed to residential addresses and customers place considerable emphasis on flexibility and convenience.
“On Demand Delivery isn’t just a new customer interface – it also represents an enhancement of our worldwide network, as we have tailored our last-mile operations to meet the specific demands of cross-border e-commerce deliveries. Thanks to On Demand Delivery, we can support the service offering of online shoppers and improve the delivery experience for their customers, while improving our own efficiency, particularly for last-mile deliveries,” said Hennie Heymans, CEO of DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa.
The service will be of benefit both shippers and receivers. Shippers can incorporate their own branding into customer notifications. On the other hand, receivers can schedule a delivery, arrange delivery to a nearby DHL Service Point or their own alternate address, and even request that a shipment is put on hold during a vacation.
On Demand Delivery will be deployed to more than 100 countries across the globe in 2017, accounting for the majority of global trade and online retail activity, and is available in over 45 languages.
