[ad_1]
The Black Week shopping event in late November was the start of this year’s holiday shopping. Between November 30 and December 6, the approximately 2,000 Postnord agents in the country delivered 3.1 million packages. Since then, increased pressure has persisted and customers are witnessing long lines to collect their packages.
There have also been reports to DN that Postnord has left parcel cars on the street with certain agents who do not have space for them on the premises. Something that Peter Hesslin takes seriously, if the information is correct.
– I would be very disappointed if our agents handle deliveries that way. It happens that not everything goes according to plan, but if you leave things unsupervised without supervision, there are grounds for firing, he says.
Packages were stacked at the entrance of a postman.
Photo: Nicklas Thegerström
The agent agreement contains conditions on how package delivery will be handled and Postnord also classifies agents before they are adopted. Agents handle about half a million shipments daily and then mistakes can happen, says Peter Hesslin.
– Anyone can not become an agent and it has happened that we have fired agents who are not up to the job, he says.
Who is responsible for packages that end up on the street and are damaged or lost?
– We are responsible for the arrival of the package. But the customer does not have a relationship with us but with the company he buys from. If something happened on the road, contact the person you purchased the item from. But I don’t think you should worry as a customer. If a mistake is made, it will be regulated, says Peter Hesslin.
E-commerce is expected to break records this year. Postnord’s latest “e-barometer” e-commerce report predicts an increase before Christmas 2020 by 26 percent over 2019. In a Svensk Handel survey, every second Swede (46 percent) says they will buy the most Christmas gifts online this year.
“The agents have been able to handle this and I think we’ve done a good job,” says Peter Hesslin of Postnord.
Photo: Nicklas Thegerström
To cope with the pressure, Postnord has hired approximately 3,000 additional employees, ranging from sorters and drivers. In addition, they deliver the articles to the agents on Saturdays, they have home delivery and have increased by 70 extra agents. In recent weeks, Postnord has handled about a million packages per night.
As DN has previously reported, there is a concern among agents that they will reach the capacity limit for storage space and that they will not be able to deliver consumer goods on time or safely.
Peter Hesslin believes that there are solutions if there are problems, but so far it has been possible to deliver packages without major disruption.
– If our agents say they cannot receive more, we can go there twice in one day or move packages between agents. But the agents have managed to handle this and I think we have done a good job, it has worked very well, he says.
Can you guarantee that the Christmas gifts will arrive on time?
– If we receive a package on December 21, it will be delivered on December 23. But that doesn’t mean you need to buy on the 21st, but the item is picked up and packed at the e-retailer and it may take different time periods. My advice is: get a margin.
Read more:
More packages and the risk of crowds make it for postal agents
Lack of drivers makes Christmas deliveries difficult
