OREANDA-NEWS. The company's DHL eCommerce unit has launched DHL Parcel Metro, a new fast and flexible service for online retailers that meets consumers' increasing demand for same-day and next-day delivery. Parcel Metro utilizes customized software that allows DHL eCommerce to create a 'virtual delivery network' of local and regional contract couriers and crowd-sourced providers to ensure maximum flexibility and capacity over the last mile. Retailers can offer a fully branded suite of delivery options to their customers. For consumers, the service creates a seamless experience: an online and mobile interface allows consumers to track shipments in real-time, communicate special instructions to their courier, reschedule a delivery and rate their delivery experience. The new service is now available in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, and will be launched in Dallas, Atlanta, San Francisco and Washington DC later in the year.

"E-tailers today recognize more and more that the customer experience - and their ability to build customer loyalty - is won and lost in how well the orders are fulfilled and delivered," said Charles Brewer, CEO, DHL eCommerce. "Deutsche Post DHL Group is constantly looking for new and innovative ways to offer the best service, quality and efficiency for our customers. The DHL Parcel Metro solution provides a technology solution to the last mile opportunity. Our digitalization journey is all about how we can add value to our customers, to our employees and to our shareholders. DHL Parcel Metro is part of a number of innovations we are actively implementing, including augmented reality glasses for greater pick accuracy, "follow me" robots, and autonomous vehicles."

"Eighty-six percent of consumers associate delivery as part of their total online shopping experience, according to recent research. It's therefore important for DHL to offer services that not only meet their needs, but do so in a highly consistent fashion. It's important for DHL to offer services that not only meet our customers' needs, but do so in a highly consistent fashion. DHL Parcel Metro provides that consistency, and offers retailers the ability to extend their brand and messaging to consumers throughout the final mile delivery for a unique shopping experience," said Lee Spratt, CEO, DHL eCommerce Americas.

DHL Supply Chain President of Retail, Jim Gehr said: "Innovative technology is becoming an extremely important element in e-commerce logistics because of changing customer demands. We are using software technology to speed order flow and to more efficiently organize distribution centers. Hardware solutions like LocusBots allow for faster picking. What we look for is the smart combination of software and hardware."