DPD Germany to inform customers about parcel delivery delays

The parcel carrier, which claims to be able to forecast its delivery times down to a 30-minute window under its “Predict” system, said that it will also send warnings about any delays caused by heavy traffic, road accidents or vehicle breakdowns. DPD, majority-owned by La Poste’s international parcel group GeoPost, already provides email or text notifications to consumers stating when parcels should arrive.

During the morning of a delivery, consumers are given a one-hour window when a courier should arrive. Since July 2014, the company has been able to refine this prior to delivery to a 30-minute window. The company said its delivery estimates already take account of the day’s parcel volumes and any regular traffic jams or periods of heavy traffic.

As well as investing in its tracking and delivery forecasting technology, DPD has been working to expand delivery convenience by making Saturdays a “normal” day for deliveries. Saturday deliveries are now available for about 30% of recipients across Germany, with DPD working to roll out the feature nationwide by May 2015.