Manama: The region’s leading international express and logistics service provider, DHL Express MENA, has taken further steps to enhance its last mile delivery solutions by enabling customers with more ease, convenience and control over pick-up and drop-off of their eCommerce parcels.
The company has signed a partnership with FODEL, the first Pick-up and Drop-off (PUDO) network provider in the GCC that, through an advanced PUDO technology platform, signs up and manages local merchants from across the region as alternative pick-up locations to home delivery. FODEL connects eCommerce and logistics companies with local merchants, allowing for online customers to pick up their parcels from their preferred local stores, ranging from coffee shops to supermarkets and retail stores, at their convenience.
DHL’s customers will benefit from these delivery points by choosing them as pick-up options for their shipments. The partnership with FODEL consolidates last-mile logistics and provides a more convenient delivery solution for DHL MENA’s customers that is faster and more cost-effective.
“eCommerce in the MENA is on an upward trend and we anticipate that it will continue on its double-digit trajectory in the foreseeable future. As such, enhancing our B2C solutions, and especially our last mile delivery service, is of strategic business importance to DHL Express as we seek to continuously improve the customer experience and boost efficiencies through seamless delivery. Our partnership with FODEL will enable us to overcome any delivery challenges, particularly last mile, by building on its extensive network of PUDO locations for both collections and eventually returns,” Nour Suliman, CEO of DHL Express MENA, said.
The partnership will drive operational and cost efficiencies for DHL, as well as consumer convenience and choice, while also tackling a range of environmental and operational challenges associated with online shopping and failed deliveries.
“With booming e-commerce demand, it’s becoming critical to offer more convenience, choice and control to customers, while managing the logistics challenges of volume variance and returns. Thanks to the partnership between DHL and FODEL, we are improving the service level for customers across the GCC, offering them more options and better control on their deliveries. We are proud to partner with the leading logistics service provider of the region and looking forward to expand to the rest of the MENA region,” Soumia Benturquia, CEO and Founder of Fodel, said.
There are currently more than 200 active locations across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain while Oman will follow by the end of March 2021, alongside Qatar and Egypt later on in May. DHL will also capitalize on Fodel extensive PUDO network of +2,500 locations to further expand the reach to every residential area in MENA.
