Being “boringly consistent” was the standout line from eDelivery’s interview with Neil Ashworth, the CEO of CollectPlus and chief commercial officer at its parent company Yodel.
Ashworth explained the continuing value of click and collect as an “ingredient” in the retailer proposition well as addressed questions over Yodel’s reputation in the sector.
Approaching the sector from a different perspective is Whistl, which has been upping its activities in ecommerce with several acquisitions. In another exclusive interview, CEO Nick Wells talked about the company ‘s interest in the sector and its strategy.
This week also saw John Lewis’s head of operations, Dino Rocos, announced he would step down after 43 years at the company. His ingredients for success in transitioning the company from a department store to a have included technologies such as automation, backed up by rigorous testing.
Automation is clearly emerging as a key ingredient for a number of logistics companies. While this week saw major brands Starbucks and Dunkin’ (of donuts fame) launching deliveries via robots on a US university campus, it is behind the scenes where much of the important work is done.
DHL, for example, has invested in automating its hiring processes and plans to extensively use automation at its new hub at Copenhagen Airport.
Elsewhere, we have the story of ZigZag Global, which has received investment from major Silicon Valley firms as it looks to balance the returns side of the equation.
Image credit: Sodexo
