Hermes has launched new features for its “Alexa Skill” service in the UK while DPD Germany customers can now use Siri digital assistant technology on Apple devices.
In the UK, Hermes has updated Alexa features to provide customers with even more control and convenience when they send or receive parcels. It is part of the company’s wider commitment to innovation and using smart technology to further improve the customer experience it provides on behalf of the UK’s leading retailers.
Last year, Hermes was the first parcel company in the UK to fully integrate its end-to-end tracking solution with Amazon’s line of Echo smart speakers, which use the Alexa digital assistant technology.
The B2C delivery specialist has now developed a number of additional industry-first features for Alexa users. Updates include a parcel shop finder, which determines the location of the nearest Hermes parcel shop; the option to set a designated safe place or choose to have a parcel delivered to a neighbour when not at home and an enhanced returns process.
Consumers asking Hermes to return their order via the Alexa Skill will be emailed a QR code and PIN that allows them to print a returns label at the nearest ParcelShop. Updates for the Amazon Echo Spot and Echo Show also include the ability to view a SafePlace photo or signature when a parcel has been delivered.
The new functionality has been developed and tested at the company's Innovation Lab in the centre of Leeds.
Chris Ashworth, CIO at Hermes UK, said: “Our commitment to innovation and our desire to continuously enhance our range of delivery solutions is driven by consumer feedback and improving the customer experience. Off the back of becoming the first UK parcel company to integrate our tracking solution with Alexa, we have set another technology milestone by introducing new functionality that boosts the consumer experience and will drive repeat sales for retailers.”
Meanwhile, DPD Germany is also expanding its use of digital assistant technology with Siri Shortcuts now available in its app on iOS devices. These individual voice commands can be integrated and configured directly in the app. For example, Siri can provide an accurate one-hour delivery forecast or search for the nearest Pickup parcel shop.
Via the "Add to Siri" field, a personal voice command can be recorded and saved directly in the app – for example "Siri, where is my DPD parcel?" or "Siri, where is the nearest parcel shop?". Siri then simply announces the delivery time window and can even state how many stops the delivery vehicle still has to make before the parcel arrives. Siri can also find the nearest Pickup parcel shop.
"Thanks to voice assistance, many tasks can be carried out in a user-friendly way simply by spoken command," Michael Knaupe, Director Customer Experience & Communications, explained. "After Amazon's Alexa and Google Home, it was only logical for DPD to offer convenient digital parcel tracking for Siri as well."
The service works on all iOS devices, including the Apple HomePod smart loudspeaker. In addition, iOS users can add the DPD app to their home screen as a widget. This enables them to track their DPD parcels without the need to open the app.
Since last year, DPD has been offering Amazon's Alexa language assistant with all the options required for tracking and managing parcels. The DPD Skill is available for the Amazon Echo and Amazon Echo Dot, as well as for the Amazon Echo Show and Amazon Echo Spot.
Since August this year, DPD has been offering an app for the Google Assistant which can manage and track parcel deliveries and forecast the delivery time down to one hour via a voice command. In addition to information about delivery status, Alexa or the Google Assistant can also be used to conveniently redirect parcels to a parcel shop or transfer them to a different delivery day.
Speech recognition is just one example of how DPD uses the power of artificial intelligence. It will soon also be using mailbots to automatically categorise and process incoming e-mails from parcel consignees. As a next step, DPD is also planning chatbots as an additional channel of communication.
