Black Friday has been transformed into Black November, when traders tempt shoppers with discounts and offers, and the latter empty their wallets thinking about their upcoming Christmas presents. Black Friday sees a one-third increase in parcel volumes in the Baltic States every year, making it a busy time for delivery companies.
Although the volume of parcels increases significantly in November, before passing the baton to the December Christmas shopping spree, shoppers shouldn’t worry about delayed deliveries according to Karolis Kanapinskas, Logistics Manager at Venipak.
“With the festive season approaching and shopping trends changing, we want to ensure smooth and fast deliveries to customers. We are preparing for the expected increase in orders and are taking strategic measures to maintain the quality and efficiency of our service, especially during the peak festive season. Like last year, we hope to avoid delays and, thanks to our professional and dedicated couriers, we’re certain that Christmas gifts will reach their recipients on time,” said Kanapinskas.
Courier volumes will increase by one-fifth
Venipak has increased its team by 20%, to ensure a smooth delivery service during the big November sales and the festive period. Deliveries will also be made in the evenings, after working hours and, if necessary, on Saturdays, subject to a prior agreement with the recipient.
According to Kanapinskas, the additional employees will start working in October. There are currently more than 500 Venipak couriers employed in Lithuania, and the number of delivery workers increases by at least one-fifth every year during the peak season.
“The biggest need for extra hands is in the parcel delivery and sorting area,” said Kanapinskas. “We always prepare for the holiday season in advance, by studying the shipment forecasts to ensure that we have the right number of staff. We have a pool of employees to cover our service needs, and we are pleased to have some staff who have returned to us for a number of years during the peak season.”
Mobile pick-up points and expanded warehouse spaces
During the festive season, when the amount of parcels reaches its peak, it is not uncommon for self-service terminals to be filled with parcels, disrupting the smooth delivery process.
Kanapinskas explained that Venipak has prepared for this situation: once all the self-service parcel terminals and parcel pick-up points are full, parcels will be delivered via additional mobile parcel pick-up points.
The network of self-service terminals is also expanding rapidly, with Venipak currently offering a total of almost 1,500 collection points in the Baltic States, including self-service parcel terminals and pick-up points.
“We have increased our capacity. Over the past year, we have expanded our warehouse area by 5,400 sq. metres and invested EUR 1.5 million in new conveyors and conveyor upgrades, which will definitely allow us to process even larger volumes of parcels. In addition, the Venipak Drive software contributes to the efficiency of the delivery process – in this way, drivers who want to earn extra money are able to extend our capabilities by taking care of more deliveries,” said Kanapinskas.
Buyers also play an important role
According to Kanapinskas, buyers should take into account certain circumstances, in order to ensure that their parcel arrives on time.
The first thing to do, he explained, is to plan your order: take into account the delivery times, choose the most convenient delivery method and remember that there is more than one party involved in the delivery chain.
“It is important to understand that the smooth delivery of a parcel depends on more than just the performance of the delivery company. Equally important is the role of the company that is responsible for the purchase, the timing of when the parcel will be ready and handed over to the courier and, of course, the buyer’s own planning. For this reason, we always recommend that you do not wait until the last minute to make your purchases, especially for Christmas presents, and if you do, to take into account the latest deadlines announced by the delivery companies in order to ensure that your Christmas parcels will be delivered on time,” advised Kanapinskas.
