Making a break with convention
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Parcelnet was rebranded as Hermes a year ago, and CM caught up with chief executive Carole Woodhead to see how market awareness is being built up.
steve.hobsoniarbi.co.uk
HOME DELIVERY network Hermes has built a 1:200m-a-year turnover in the business-to-consumer (B2C) market, but it is now looking to take on the Post Office in the fast-growing consumer-to-consumer (C2C) sector.
Of all the UK parcels. courier and home delivery networks. Hermes uses a unique business model that is based on local self-employed agents delivering parcels rather than the conventional man-in-a-van franchise. subcontract or directly employed network.
Originally born as Parcelnet, the home delivery arm of the Grattan catalogue shopping business emerged in response to the postal strikes of the 1980s. Hermes now counts the likes of Next Directory, Lakeland and QVC among its 65 B2C clients. It handles more than 110 million items a year.
But the business could be poised for rapid growth if last year's launch of my Hermes into the huge and still growing thanks to the eBay online auction phenomenon C2C parcels market is a success.
"'[he best thing about Hermes is the couriers that do our doorstep deliveries," says Hermes chief executive Carole Woodhead. "Our team of 7500 self-employed people sets us apart from the other home delivery companies."
Using local people 60% of whom are female to handle doorstep collections and deliveries means the couriers have local knowledge of the area, their client' habits and safe places to leave parcels when no-one's home.
"They live locally and get to know their customers extraordinarily well.Woodhead says, "They know when people are M and where they can leave a parcel if they're out."
Delivery options
Retailers can offer customers the option of delivery before or after lpm, but the flexibility of the self-employed couriers allows evening deliveries when that suits both the customer and courier.
-We don't do evening deliveries as standard," says Woodhead, "but a courier will find the right way to deliver, so evening deliveries do happen."
The couriers use their own vehicles, which can present a problem with brand awareness, unlike the uniformed posties in their bright red vans; Hermes' agents are largely anonymous.
"The branding of our couriers is something I would love to address," says