Background
Hermes is the UK’s leading consumer delivery specialist handling more than 190 million collections and deliveries each year. Within the UK, Hermes operates a network of nearly 9,500 lifestyle couriers that provides high-quality doorstep delivery
The Challenge
- 9,500 SIM-enable track and trace devices
- Deployment across private network for 99.99% resilience
- Multiple networks employed across one billing system
- Connectivity Service Level Agreement (SLA) gives added reassurance
- To identify a ‘one stop shop’ connectivity solution for their fleet of couriers’ track, trace and reporting systems
- To deliver a solution with fully optimised geographical coverage – with multiple networks as required
- Security and resilience essential with guaranteed performance and reliability necessary to ensure ‘always on’ connectivity
The Solution
Connectivity
Under the agreement, Wireless Logic provided 9,500 SIMs to Hermes’ network of couriers and designed and implemented a fully managed secure private connectivity service via their the Wireless Logic NetPro platform, taking data traffic away from the increasingly busy public networks. Performance and reliability were guaranteed via a comprehensive Service Level Agreement (SLA), which is not generally offered within the mobile industry. The deployment utilised Vodafone and O2 SIMs.
Track and trace
The implementation formed part of Hermes’ plans to transform the way the company tracks, traces and reports on the delivery of all parcels. Couriers were equipped with mobile handheld devices which provide access and communicate ‘last mile’ delivery data without the need to ‘cradle’ their devices at the depot. Meanwhile, the next day’s delivery scheduled was received by the PDA overnight, which meant couriers would rarely have to visit local depots. Retailers and customers benefited through being able to better track the whereabouts of their parcels.
As part of the project Wireless Logic worked closely with Blackbay (real-time mobile worker software), Intermec (providers of the CN3 mobile devices used by the courier network), and leading managed services provider The Barcode Warehouse, who were responsible for the provisioning and overall support of the mobility solution.
Philip Cole of Wireless Logic said: “We were chosen because of the significant infrastructure savings that Hermes will experience by using our fully managed private connectivity service and the extensive SLA put in place to protect Hermes’ investment and guarantee performance. Hermes’ decision to invest in mobile technology is indicative of an increasing desire for organisations to provide a consistently excellent service, regardless of distance or location. This is what Wireless Logic delivers for its partners. We’re looking forward to observing the benefits that Hermes’ customers will experience as a result of this implementation.”
This project is a key element of Hermes’ strategic plan that is significantly increasing the level of service and choice we deliver to our customers. It ensures we possess a full track and trace facility and creates invaluable management information and exception reporting. This in turn is enabling us to deliver even higher levels of service and better serve the delivery needs of high street, catalogue and internet retailers.