Due to the spread of the coronavirus and the boost in e-commerce levels, more parcels are shipped to parcel machines than they can hold. To mitigate the volumes and relieve the situation, Omniva has opened so called parcel points in Tallinn, where parcels are issued similarly to parcel machines – with an SMS, outdoors and contact free.

According to Head of Operations at Omniva Kristi Unt, one parcel point helps to deliver nearly 700 parcels to clients in a day, which would otherwise be waiting for a parcel machine slot to open. “By opening the parcel points,” Unt explained, “we ensure that people’s parcels will not be put on hold if the parcel machines are full. We opened the first point at the beginning of the week in Õismäe, today we added one in Kristiine and points in Viimsi and Laagri are also planned.”

Unt also asks everyone to consider the longer than usual delivery times when ordering things online because the closure of shopping centres has created an even greater burden for parcel machines. “To ensure delivery speed in the state of emergency,” Unt added, “we have implemented several new measures and are putting in maximum effort to deliver all parcels quickly to clients. Our couriers fill the parcel machines several times per day and also on weekends. We ask for patience and also quick pick-up once the parcel arrives. We recommend contacting customer support if the arrival of the parcel to the parcel machine is delayed for more than 5 days.”

Additionally, to manage the increasing parcel volumes, Omniva has expanded the capacities of the most popular parcel machines, opened temporary contact free parcel points and hired additional workforce. From the record volumes, 85% of parcels reach clients within 3 days, the rest of the parcels are mostly delivered at the latest within 5 days.

Omniva parcel machines are open regardless of the date and time. The majority of Omniva parcel machines are located outside, where there are fewer people and the risk of infection is lower. The parcel machine touch screens are regularly cleaned, but the machines can also be used without having any contact with the publicly used surfaces: Omniva parcel machine screens can be used wearing gloves and it is possible to use contactless payment at all parcel machines. The same concept is also used at the parcel points in Tallinn, where parcels are issued similarly to parcel machines – with an SMS, outdoors and contact free.

Source: Omniva