Pitney Bowes Debuts ParcelPoint Smart Lockers
Global technology company Pitney Bowes Inc. recently expanded its lockers portfolio with the debut of ParcelPoint Smart Lockers. The smart lockers offer a secure, contactless package delivery system ideal for high-volume environments like offices, government agencies and college campuses. They’re powered by a proprietary software service and supported by a series of company service and analytics solutions.
A variety of smart locker products were designed to meet a variety of needs. The Express Series lockers come pre-configured with the SendSuite Tracking Online tracking and processing software to simplify the management and delivery processes. The Plus Series lockers are modular, scalable, and designed for organizations with complex workflows. They can be customized to meet various needs regarding workflow, space and volume requirements. They can function with or without tracking software, and they are fully compatible with Pitney Bowes’ software solutions or an organization’s existing tracking software.
“The global automated parcel locker market is expected to exceed $1.4 billion by 2027, driven by organizations looking for ways to manage the exponential growth in ecommerce and parcel volume,” said Kerry Caylor, Vice President of SendTech Parcel and Locker Innovation with Pitney Bowes. “Pitney Bowes ParcelPoint Smart Lockers with powerful SaaS software make it easy for organizations to automate, streamline and digitize their parcel and mail management and deliver a user-friendly contactless pickup experience. By providing both pre-configured and customized options, we’re giving organizations the choice and flexibility to select the smart locker solution that exactly matches their requirements and the needs of the clients they serve.”
Operators can access the smart locker interface from their device of choice. They can select a locker of the appropriate size and location for a given package, open it, place the package inside, and send an access barcode to the recipient, who can scan the code and pick up the package at his or her convenience. The software keeps track of reporting and analytics in real time for full transparency and visibility of the process.
Pitney Bowes consulted with more than 200 business and higher education authorities to determine their needs and concerns with the package delivery process. Among the responders, 66 percent were worried about leaving items unattended, while 52 percent noted space and storage constraints. Higher education participants in particular expressed concerns about security. After using the ParcelPoint Smart Lockers, 88 percent of business respondents and 76 percent of higher education respondents said that their security-related needs were being met, while 72 percent of business respondents were satisfied with the space and storage available.
About the Author
Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at mjones@1105media.com.