Whistl
Autumn 2019
magazine
Newmailing solution for marketers
How Partially Addressed Mail addresses GDPR-compliance whilst delivering great results
ELECTRIC TRUCK TRIAL FOR BELFAST NEW INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY METRICS FOR THE VALUE OFMAIL FEEL GOOD FULFILMENT PARCELHUB PARTNERSWITH BRIGHTPEARL
DRIVINGDIVERSITY IN LOGISTICS ALISTAIR COCHRANE
Wells Said
As we approach our 15th year in business, we’re in themidst of a busy and demanding time both froman internal and external perspective. We have seen a lot of change this year, our investment in new automated parcel sortation technology, a new super hub in Bedford, coupledwith our diversification into fulfilment and contact centre businesses. We’re firmly focused on driving the business forward and these changes are part of that strategy, but we acknowledge that this has not comewithout its challenges. We pride ourselves on delivering a sustained high quality of service andwe knowwe have fallen short of this in the last fewmonths with some clients during the transition to our new depot in Bedford. It is important for us that you, our customers, can put your trust in Whistl to be a reliable and dependable partner. Please be reassured that we are back on track and that we will continue to focus on quality going forward. On amore positive note Leafletdrop, our online self-service leafleting tool has seen over 10million doordrops delivered so far this year – that’s over 6millionmore items than last year. This is all incremental volume in addition to our core doordrop business. Our international gateway near Heathrow has also got off to a great start andwe are looking to introduce somenew International services very soon. With climate change top of the political agenda I’mpleased to say that we’re currently trialling new electric truck vehicles in Belfast as part of our aim to reduce our carbon emissions. And there’s news on new research regarding consumers’ attitudes to sustainable packaging. As always we’ll keep you postedwith all the latest news at news@whistluknews NickWells Chief Executive Whistl
Belfast goes
green with
electric
truck trial In our quest tominimise our impact on the environment, we’re pleased to announce that we’re trialling the first electric Renault Trucks Master ZE to be licenced on UK roads. The all-electric 3.1 tonne van has a range of around 100miles and is being trialled in Belfast on day-to-day operations, collecting business mail and parcels. Working with Renault, we’re aiming to reduce our emissions across our 400 strong fleet of vans and HGVs through new technology to help improve our overall sustainablilty. Phil Brown, Depot Manager at Belfast said: “The vehicle is a revelation, and the drivers love it. It is quiet yet the acceleration is immediate and to drive it is no different to a normal van. The emissions are zero and the anticipated cost of running it are somuch lower than traditional diesel.” Baz Barrett, National Fleet and Compliance Manager added “It is vital that we, as a business, continue to look at new technologies and adapt our fleet in this way. We already have an excellent relationship with BRS/ Renault Trucks and so when we knew this 100% electric vehicle was coming tomarket, we wanted to see how we could integrate it into our fleet in core urban areas. From the feedback so far, it works really well and there is great scope to introduce it into our fleet now to enable us to reduce our carbon and NOx footprint.”
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Introducing PAM, a powerful new mailing solution
If you’re looking to reach new customers without infringing GDPR rules, Partially Addressed Mail (PAM) offers the perfect solution. Instead of addressing an item to a named individual, potential customers are targeted using their postcode data rather than their personal data, providing a GDPR-compliant way of reaching a receptive audience. It’s a great option for winning new customers, and the numbers back this up. With high customer engagement rates, PAM gets noticed by people who aremore likely to be interested in what you’re promoting. By addressing themailing to ‘Dog Owner’, ‘Jet Setter’ or ‘Pizza lover’ for instance you can quickly capture attention, helping boost engagement. Mark Davies, Managing Director of Whistl Doordrop Media said: “Our expertise in addressed mail and doordrops means we’re able to offer a complete 360-degree approach, from campaign planning and geo-demographic targeting right through to delivery and post-campaign evaluation. “It works on a simple principle. We take a look at where your existing customers live and identify where similar prospects might live. The added bonus is that address data is much cheaper than buying the personalised consumer data used in traditional DM campaigns, so it offers a much better return on investment. You can also remove postcodes and existing customers that don’t meet your campaign criteria, saving on costly wastage.” All in all PAMmakes reaching more new customers on a budget much easier. You benefit from all the sophisticated profiling of geo-demographic targeting without all the data restrictions of GDPR – it’s a win-win solution for marketers.
86% of Partially AddressedMail is engagedwith* 30% more reach
Lower postage costs
Significantly reduced data costs
compared to an addressed mailing on the same budget
*JICMAILQ2 2017-Q1 2018
To find out more about Partially Addressed Mail, email moreinfo@whistl.co.uk
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Whistl Magazine • Autumn 2019
Whistl DoordropMedia win Gold at the COGS We’re proud to announce that theWhistl Doordrop Media teamwon gold at the Institute of Promotional Marketing COGS awards for the best use of direct, postal, email or door-to-door advertising. The awards which were held at London’s Café de Paris in Piccadilly recognise the contribution made by marketing services providers to successful promotional campaigns. Our doordrop teamwon gold for their work on last year’s Movember campaign which aimed to raise awareness of men’s health issues, increase sign-ups and generate new donors for the charity. The campaign which targeted 250,000 households delivered a 1.48% response rate and a revenue of £250,000 proving a great success.
We’re delighted to announce thatWhistl has acquired new warehouse space in Harmondsworth near Heathrowwhich will act as our new international gateway formail and parcels being sent in and out of the UK. The facility is ideally located close to key transport routes which will help us increase the flow of mail and parcel traffic through our network and enable us to grow our international business. Alistair Cochrane, Chief Development Officer at Whistl said: “The newwarehouse will help strengthen our capability to deliver international services and provide added cost-efficiency thanks to its location.” Newwarehouse to strengthen international services From single-channel e-retailers delivering within the UK, to establishedmulti-channel retailers sending parcels worldwide, our CMS system has been developed to integrate seamlessly with your own IT system, whether you’re running one online store, multiple webstores or a sophisticated warehouse management system. We will be launching a number of new and exciting services over the coming months through the newCMS so watch out for further updates! Formore information aboutWhistl’s Carrier Management Systememail moreinfo@whistl.co.uk or visit www.whistl.co.uk
Whistl GroupAccount Director Susie Idle (middle) collects the COGS Award flanked by compere &comedianTomWard (left) and sponsor Gavin Bancroft (right) fromWork Perk.
SMART NEWSYSTEM FOR SENDING PARCELS
We have successfullymigrated our customers using parcels on tracked or part-tracked national and international services to the newCarrier Management System (CMS). The CMS is an efficient one-stop solution formanaging your deliveries through a central platform, enabling you to despatch, track, print labels and access delivery reports. Modelled from Parcelhub’s CMS – aWhistl-owned ecommerce specialist – the platform acts as a single interface between the sender, Whistl and the carrier. Not only does it reduce administration, it also improves visibility and communication making sending simpler, quicker and more efficient.
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75% of shoppers think minimising packaging is important
Cost of delivery and ensuring items arrive in perfect condition are themost important concerns but sustainable packaging also features, according to the latest survey of British online shoppers conducted byWhistl. The survey asked 1,000 respondents whether the use of environmentally-friendly packaging really matters to themwhen purchasing online. High delivery charges are the number one source of frustration followed by delivery delays and excessive packaging. 75% of UK shoppers thinkminimising the amount of packaging and using eco-friendly material is important. The use of sustainable packaging is priority number five for shoppers. Although half of UK consumers said they would not be willing to pay more for sustainable packaging, those under 35 appear to be more receptive to the idea saying that they are prepared to pay extra. The over 65s are only willing to pay an additional 47p for eco-friendly packaging, compared to £1.19 for 18-24 year olds. 42% of online shoppers say they would or have taken some sort of action if they receive unsustainable packaging, with 15% stating they would not buy from the
company again. However 58% are unlikely to do anything or don’t care if the packaging is non eco-friendly. Melanie Darvall, Director of Marketing and Communications at Whistl, said: “While documentaries like the Blue Planet have increased frustration with retailers using unnecessary, unsustainable packaging, cost still remains the number one priority for the majority of customers when it comes tomaking purchasing decisions. Free, reliable delivery with goods that arrive in perfect condition are what people care about most. “Partnering with companies likeWhistl who train staff to pack goods with care, ensure they’re packed securely in the right sized box with minimumpackaging can make a big contribution to reducing waste. This all helps improve brand loyalty and increase sales so working with a fulfilment provider that has the expertise to fulfil orders efficiently can really pay off.” Formore information about Whistl Fulfilment services email moreinfo@ whistl.co.uk or visit www.whistl.co.uk/ fulfilment/pick-pack
Help improve brand loyalty and increase sales by reducing waste
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Whistl Magazine • Autumn 2019
DRIVINGDIVERSITY IN LOGISTICS Alistair Cochrane Chief Development Officer Whistl
Senior representatives across the transport and logistics industry were invited to Portcullis House inWestminster to launch The Year of Diversity earlier this year. It’s a government initiative driven by the Department for Transport’s Strategic Transport ApprenticeshipWorkforce (STAT) to promote awareness and access to apprenticeships, sector diversity and transport as a career. Alistair Cochrane, Chief Development Officer at Whistl, joined other leaders in logistics in signing a pledge to champion diversity within their business and help build a toolkit for the future of inclusivity in the sector. Opening the event, Tracey Worth, CEO of the Institute of Couriers, who chairs diversity for the DfT STAT group, said “Wemust tackle the lack of diversity in our sector. Our task is to raise awareness, encourage a new demographic and build an alliance.” She warned “It is a fact that millennials will look at your diversity & inclusion policy before applying for a job with your company. That accounts for 37% of your next employees.” Speaking at the event, Alistair said: “ Fostering breadth in diversity is about encompassing the company’s true potential. Inclusion is about welcoming diversity. Inclusion is about what you do. “At Whistl, our 1,950 workforce is made up of 38 nationalities, 37% are female. We take inclusivity seriously which is why we are members of the Disability Confident Scheme and actively participate inmental health week every year. But we recognise we can always domore. Quotas don’t automatically mean inclusion, we need to minimise fear and establish a sense of belonging through a top down approach, and that’s what Whistl will continue to strive to achieve.”
OUR PLEDGE TO INCREASE DIVERSITY • To create a network of transport people who are committed to tackling the lack of diversity within the sector • To create a culture where diversity is celebrated and inclusion is the standard • To raise awareness of the practices and activities of organisations employees can engage with to increase diversity • Encourage a wider demographic to join the sector • Build a cross-sector alliance of employers who have signed the pledge and will act as agents of change in the industry • To implement and share learnings industry-wide
NEW INTERNATIONAL INSIGHTSOLUTIONLAUNCHED
To find out more about International InSight, email moreinfo@whistl.co.uk or contact your Whistl Account Manager savinga lot of timeonadministrationand increasing visibilityonbothpart-trackedand fully-trackedservices so that everything runs smoothly fromcollection right through to delivery.” Lookout for newserviceenhancements in theNewYear! “What’smore, withaccess tomoreaccurate, item-specific informationonevery shipment, sellerswill beable toanswer customer queries moreefficiently. It certainlymakes lifeeasier,
save timemanuallywriting labels, thesystem alsoprovidesmoreaccurate tracking, billingand item-specificdelivery information. JenRufus,HeadofProductDevelopmentat Whistlsaid:“Oneofthebigbenefitsofournew InternationalInSightsystemisthatitwillhelp sellersensuretheirinternationalshipmentsmeet alltherequirementsforelectroniccustoms pre-adviceandpreventanydeliverydelays.
6 Whistl Magazine • Autumn 2019 process. It’sauser-friendly systemthat enables senders toenter the requiredUPU-compliant informationandprint the right labelswith the right international barcode. Not onlydoes it We’repleasedtoannouncethatwehave launchedInternationalInSight,anewintegrated shippingsolutionthatwillmakeiteasierforonline sellerstosendgoodsoverseasandcomplywith thenewUniversalPostalUnion(UPU)legislation introducedearlierthisyear. Thenew legislationstipulates that electronic pre-advicedataabout thesender, recipient and goodsmust be includedwitheachshipment to prevent customsdelays in receivingcountries. Our International InSight solutionhasbeen developed tohelpmultichannel andonline sellers, bothbigandsmall, tosimplify the
Audience not items – newmetrics for the value ofmail With the launch of the newCampaign Calculator, it has never been easier to see the true audiences for your mailing campaigns. Just input the volume of items for your schedule and instantly the JICMAIL Discovery dashboard shows the total audience of howmany people will see and interact with your mail– rather than just the number of packs you are sending. No one thinks about using other channels by talking about the number industry. It should now be embedded in every plan, recommendation and evaluation as the robust, accepted
About JICMAIL JICMAIL was launched in 2018, with Whistl as one of its founding partners. It delivers industry-standard audience measurement data for advertising (direct) mail and doordrops – enabling mail to be evaluated, planned and bought comparatively alongside other media including TV, radio, outdoor and digital. In eighteen short months, JICMAIL data has had a major impact and influence on how advertisers and agencies analyse and approach mail as a medium. In addition to the new Campaign Calculator, there are two further new JICMAIL tools that can benefit Whistl doordrop, business mail and direct mail clients. JICMAIL Discovery now also includes a tool to identify hidden audiences for acquisition testing. Some key target demographics interact multiple times tomail but receive less of it. These responsive audiences could be a great place to test new campaigns. Hidden target audiences – for acquisition Mail ItemDatabase With over 45,000 individual brand examples, you can benchmark your door drop and business mail campaignmetrics against industry averages and competitor activity.
of adverts shown, so why should mail be different? Now accessible inmoments, the JICMAIL data is gold standard (that is, accepted as objective and impartial data by all sides of the industry), and acts as core planning data fully comparable with every other channel enabling mail to be planned as an audience-centric channel. This transformational way of seeing the value of mail is fundamental to the
data set for all mail campaigns. The example below shows how easy it is to use the data. By choosing the supermarket sector and focusing on direct mail sent to households containing 17 - 24 year olds, we can see the 350,000mailing actually delivers campaign impacts of nearly 1,300,000, a completely different way to see the potential success of this campaign.
Sector
Mail Type
Supermarket or grocery store
Addressed Mail Door Drop
Select Demographic
Select Target
Age
17-24
i
Addressed Mail in the Supermarket or grocery sector:
1.28 Item Reach
2.9 Frequency
12.09 Frequency
Input number of Addressed Mail Items
448,236 Campaign Reach
1,299,886 Campaign Impacts
For more information about the full range of JICMAIL products and services, visit www.jicmail.org.uk
350000
Source: JICMAIL ItemDataQ2 2017 toQ2 2019;Supermarket or grocery storeAddressedMail 17-24 sample size= 40
Source: JICMAILAudienceDataQ32018 toQ2 2019;Supermarketor grocery storeAddressedMail17-24 sample size=43
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Whistl Magazine • Autumn 2019
Feel good
fulfilment
Ethical Superstore, which became part of theWhistl Group in 2019, gives consumers an eco-friendly alternative for purchasing everyday items that do as little harm to the environment as possible. Whistl Editor Rina Patel Maisuria talks to General Manager Peter Hall to find out a littlemore about their operation and whyWhistl Fulfilment proved to be the right partner for their business. We wanted to provide an outlet where ethically oriented consumers could go to buy organic, fair-trade and ethical products, from gifts and gadgets to groceries, clothing, cosmetics and cleaners. In other words a one-stop shop for sustainable shopping with products available both online and via mail order through our catalogue. What’s been the secret of your success so far? We’ve never lost sight of our eco-friendly ethos and we always try to source the best possible products that help consumers minimise their impact on the planet. We strive to build trust with our customers by consistently delivering the quality they expect from an ethically-conscious company. As an ethically-conscious company, do you support any community or charitable initiatives? Absolutely! Making a positive impact on society is at the heart of what we do and that’s why we support a number of charitable 8 Whistl Magazine • Autumn 2019 What’s the idea behind Ethical Superstore?
loyal customer base. The great thing about partnering withWhistl Fulfilment is that it gives us that added flexibility tomanage peaks and troughs more efficiently and offers the scalability that allows our business to grow. And why did you partner withWhistl? We have almost 200,000 items in stock at any one time in our warehouse so when we have huge spikes in customer demand we need to be confident that our fulfilment provider has the agility to handle high volumes of orders quickly and efficiently. Having seen the type of customers that Whistl has on its client list, it proved to us that they must have a vast amount of experience in dealing with peak activity, particularly through the cyber-week period, so the partnership proved to be a perfect match. What are the daily challenges theWhistl Fulfilment team face? The average order contains over 15 items which can include anything from large multi-packs of kitchen rolls to bottles of juice and very small spice jars. It takes skill and experience to ensure that every order is picked and packed correctly. We’re proud of the quality service we provide so ensuring every order arrives in perfect condition and on time is really important to us. When we have huge spikes in demand that commitment can really be put to the test, but I’mpleased to say that Whistl’s Fulfilment teamdelivers the speed, accuracy and high standards of service that we expect of them every time.
causes. For instance, in 2015 we launched Food Bank Friday, an initiative that we now run every year on Black Friday where, for every order we receive over £30, we donate a grocery product to NewcastleWest End Food Bank. Last year we sent over £7,000 worth of food and essentials to the Food Bank in time for Christmas. Our customers play an important part in our fundraising. We know they care about supporting good causes just asmuch as we do, and that’s why we also give them the option tomake a small donation at the checkout to the charities we support. And froma business perspective, how doesWhistl Fulfilment support your ecommerce operation? Whistl provides a range of fulfilment services for the orders we receive via our online store and through our mail order catalogue. They handle everything from storage and warehousing to providing customer services and support for our
For more information about Whistl’s fulfilment services email moreinfo@whistl.co.uk or visit www.whistl.co.uk/fulfilment
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Whistl Magazine • Autumn 2019
Parcelhub partnerswith Brightpearl
Parcelhub, theWhistl-owned ecommerce deliverymanagement and tracking support specialist, has teamed up with Brightpearl – a retail operations platform– to help sellers integrate their daily back- office and despatch activities more effectively. The partnership will mean that Brightpearl’s 2,000+ retailers, distributors and wholesalers will now have seamless access to Parcelhub’s wide range of carriers, delivery options and innovative SMART Notification platform through a single portal. One of the great benefits of Parcelhub’s SMART Notification platform is that it proactively flags up potential delivery issues with the retailer and Parcelhub’s ecommerce support team, so any problems can be addressed before they escalate. “In a competitive market where the customer experience is of paramount importance, a proactive notification systemmeans that we can help retailers minimise delivery issues and improve overall customer satisfaction” said Stuart Pick, VP Global Alliances at Brightpearl.
It fits perfectly with our own platform that’s been developed to automate those laborious, repetitive administrative tasks that detract from core business activities. providing the most automated end-to-end solution from the buy button through to the final mile and post purchase experience. Not only does it help retailers save a lot of time, it also improves operational efficiency and ultimately customer satisfaction. “It fits perfectly with our own platform that’s been developed to automate those laborious, repetitive administrative tasks that detract from core business activities. By partnering with Parcelhub, we’re
“What’s more, the Parcelhub system is scalable supporting sellers sending anything from 50 to 10,000 parcels per day. This gave us the confidence that Parcelhub can deliver a reliable, robust solution even at peak trading periods when order volumes can surge.” James Hayes, Director of Business Development at Parcelhub added: “We were really impressed with Brightpearl’s overall approach to the market. Their objective is to automate as much routine activity as possible, freeing time that can be used tomake a positive difference to the customer experience. This is very much aligned with our goal tomake deliveries friction-free for both consumer andmerchant alike.” Formore information about Parcelhub’s range of ecommerce solutions visit www.parcelhub.co.uk or call 01159 503 018.
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We’re here to provide solutions to support you and your business. Whatever you are looking to deliver and wherever you need it to go, we have a service for you. Any other business?
• Tracked • Part tracked • Standard • International Our range of UK and international parcel shipping solutions can help you meet your customers’ expectations.
Global reach for mail and parcels through a network of leading partners worldwide.
• Sorted & unsorted mail • Tracked & untracked parcels
• Call centre services • Ecommerce customer service • Customer data handling • Telemarketing services Providing tailored solutions for inbound and outbound contact centre services for brands and retailers. Contact Centre
Choose from our range of mail delivery solutions developed to save you time and money. • Sorted • Unsorted • International • Partially addressed • Admail
• Pick and pack • Systems and technology • Despatch and distribution • Returns management • Inventory management Give your customers a high-quality, seamless experience from first click to final delivery.
Increase customer engagement, acquisition or retention with our intelligent approach including targeted leaflets, catalogues, samples and partially addressed.
• Leafletdrop • Partially addressed • Customer insights • Print solutions • Leaflet advertising • Product sampling
TO FIND OUT MORE Existing customers contact your account manager New customers call us on 01628 702 413 email whistl.magazine@whistl.co.uk visit www.whistl.co.uk
We hope you enjoy reading Whistl Magazine. If you have any news or views that you’d like us to feature in future editions, just get in touch! email whistl.magazine@whistl.co.uk write Rina Maisuria, Whistl UK Ltd, Meridian House, Fieldhouse Lane, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 1TB
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Returnaddress:Whistl UKLtd, Meridian House, Fieldhouse Lane, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 1TB
Reach customers worldwide with Whistl The world comes shopping on UK e-commerce sites. If you’re looking to generate more cross-border trade, Whistl can help. Not just with all the delivery options you and your international customers want, but expert support on customs, duty and stuff like that. In short, we put the world within reach.
Call 01628 702 413 e-mail whistl.magazine@whistl.co.uk visit www.whistl.co.uk/worldwithinreach
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