KTSM Technologies

Author: Michelle

Brainstorm how to build the optimal locker capacity feature.
In times when new technologies such as self-learning optimization software and AI are leading innovation, we wonder how we could use similar intelligence to transform our industry—especially seeing that while Lockers are great for future-proof OOH delivery, they have challenges of their own. Lockers have limited space, and especially shared lockers are unpredictable. As a result, couriers cope with parcel overflow, which causes inefficient re-routing of parcels, resulting in higher CO2 emissions and increased costs. For customers, full lockers are also frustrating. Space for in-door lockers is also not endless. We have to look at how we can optimize the locker space and use each compartment best. It got our R&D heads spinning; could we expand our software with an intelligent locker capacity feature?

In this article, you get a glimpse into our thought process. A well-thought-out reservation feature that maintains the agnostic nature of the system can lead to a future of truly smart capacity optimization.

The base for a locker capacity feature lies in empowering smart capacity booking

Let’s start our brainstorming from a simple base: What if we developed the ability to reserve compartments? One of the biggest advantages of reserving is the ability to plan what to deliver. By allowing couriers to announce their parcels ahead of time and reserve part of the locker space, they know exactly which parcels to take where before departing from sorting centers. By securing reservations, we can prevent instances of overflow. This means fewer instances where parcels need to be redirected to different locations, thus streamlining the entire delivery process.

Moreover, when we use lockers efficiently through the capacity reservation, it can prevent out-of-route kilometres. Couriers can plan their deliveries with certainty, ensuring that they do not waste time and resources on unnecessary detours. This optimized route planning reduces the carbon footprint of the entire delivery process, leading to lower CO2 emissions and a positive impact on the environment.

How to maintain the agnostic nature of a locker when developing a locker capacity feature

For agnostic parcel lockers, maintaining their neutral nature is the most important. In developing a reservation feature for agnostic lockers, we have to make sure that it does not compromise the shared nature of the system and treats all connected partners fairly. Here are some key considerations for our design brainstorm.
1. The reservation feature should follow industry standards to ensure compatibility with all major courier services.
2. The announcements of parcel loads should be timed fairly, or we should realize a type of split within the system set to a maximum amount of compartments reservable per operator.
By following widely accepted protocols and levelling / partly restricting reservation freedom, we can protect the agnostic nature of the lockers, allowing seamless integration with diverse courier networks.

What else?
1. Data security, of course. The software should have the ability to set up clear data separation and a locker space split. Not only to uphold GDPR standards but also to ensure innovations in retail or sustainability can continue to be part of the locker ecosystem. In a way, we have to allocate a suitable amount of space and compartments per service or feature.
2. The reservation feature should be designed to accommodate future advancements in technology and capacity optimization. A scalable and adaptable design ensures that the system remains relevant and functional as the delivery landscape evolves.
Last of all, what about consumers? If all compartments are reserved and thus blocked for use, customer experience plummets.
1. Compartments reserved yet empty should be categorized per courier company. The empty compartments should remain accessible for customers’ returns or shipments. Reservations should also be kept for only a limited amount of time.
With the base considered, let’s add a dash of innovation.

The integration of capacity reservation in agnostic lockers is just the beginning of our journey toward smarter capacity optimization. As the technology evolves, our R&D heads are already spinning up a 2.0 version of our capacity feature that considers various factors for an even better ecosystem. What could we have our system learn and track to optimize itself over time?
1. Predicting consumer behavioural patterns: Setting up advanced machine learning algorithms to analyze consumer behaviour and predict peak usage times. By understanding when lockers are most likely used, the system can allocate capacity accordingly, reducing the risk of overflow. It could also send timely suggestions for a better split of reservation requests.
2. Inter-ecosystem communication. Instead of looking at locations in isolation, we should approach capacity management as a network tool. Having locations share capacity updates dynamically. The system could come up with alternative distributions of parcels to create the optimal level of capacity guarantee. These suggestions could incorporate consumer feedback either given in advance at check out or requested in real-time.
3. Courier schedules: Integrating real-time courier schedules enables the system to optimize the delivery routes based on courier availability and workload, further streamlining the delivery process.
4. Integrating traffic updates and route planning: Incorporating live traffic updates and intelligent route planning can help couriers avoid congested areas, reducing delivery time and CO2 emissions.
5. Weather forecasting: Imagine we could protect our customers from biking through the rain. Systems could suggest the best time frame to pick up parcels with the lowest chance of needing an umbrella.
6. Overselling capacity especially optimized around the peak season: A truly smart capacity optimization system can ideally oversell capacity based on historical usage patterns and predictive models. This approach minimizes instances of unused capacity and maximizes locker utilization, benefiting both courier companies and locker operators. Especially during the peak season, we have to use our machines the best we can.
Will it be worth it? Benefits of launching capacity reservation or optimization features across an ecosystem of agnostic lockers

Having a network of agnostic lockers across a city, all utilizing the same technology and capacity reservation feature, offers huge advantages:

Seamless capacity sharing: A network is stronger when connected. With capacity data sharing among lockers, an overflowing locker can automatically suggest forwarding overflow to nearby lockers within the ecosystem. This ensures that no parcels are left stranded, providing an unmatched reliable service.

Resource optimization: Shared data enables better resource management, allowing locker operators to allocate resources efficiently and cater to varying demands in different areas, for example, retail solutions.

Optimal revenue potential: By implementing capacity intelligence across a network, the network can reach its highest capacity potential, and so increase the revenue of network operators.

Enhanced user experience: There is nothing more frustrating than having your parcel re-routed to an inconvenient location or postponed for delivery. If we part-eliminate these events and, where impossible to eliminate, notify the customer in time, maybe even ask for their preferred re-direction location, we can achieve unmet customer satisfaction, encouraging more consumers to use these smart lockers for their deliveries.

All in all, with the proper consideration, a deep understanding of how locker networks work and are used, and a dash of tech brilliance, we could build a better ecosystem.

Do you have some final words? Well… yea

Developing a locker capacity feature in agnostic parcel lockers is the next best step towards smarter capacity optimization in last-mile delivery. It pushes beyond the boundaries of lockers (something we love doing at Smartmile). By reducing parcel overflow, re-routing, and CO2 emissions, the reservation feature could bring undeniable benefits to courier companies, consumers, and the environment.

We are thrilled to share that we have secretly started on this journey. But this is, of course, incredibly secret stuff;). Learning lots from our Courier partners, we started out developing unique system capabilities for our secret sauce. With this article, you get a glimpse of what is going on inside our magic minds.

Let’s join forces and embrace the power of modern technology, break free from the constraints of the past, and create a future where delivery is a true asset to us all. Follow our updates on Linkedin or read our past blog posts to bridge the time!
September 13, 2023
Building ecosystem-inspired software solutions for the last mile

In a rapidly evolving world, e-commerce has changed how we shop, bringing convenience to our fingertips. Yet, with this rapid growth comes the last-mile delivery challenge. Caught between many delivery stakeholders and the need for environmental responsibility, the agnostic parcel locker system made it to market. The software behind these lockers overcomes carrier boundaries and technological limitations, making it an essential asset for global delivery. At Smartmile, we rock agnostic systems. Yet we ask ourselves: can we push further? Could our locker software come to re-design the full foundation of delivery? And in doing so, could we transform delivery into an ecosystem-inspired software solution?

The need to change begs for deeper questioning, especially with the push for regulations to focus on eco-friendly practices and enhanced efficiency in the last mile, a trend observed not only in Europe but across the globe.

Regulation pushing delivery toward environmental solutions

In Europe, environmental concerns have taken center stage. As a result, the region is increasingly committed to sustainability and eco-friendly solutions. As e-commerce continues to boom and parcel deliveries increase, the delivery industry has set off Europe’s environmental alarms. Especially its traditional last-mile delivery methods, heavily reliant on gas-guzzling vehicles and frequent stops, causing increased carbon emissions and traffic jams. To push the industry to change, European governments and regulatory bodies have been actively pushing for more sustainable solutions. Agnostic parcel locker systems are one of them. By encouraging the adoption of agnostic parcel lockers, Europe gets to change the last-mile delivery process into an environmentally responsible process, aligning it with the region’s ambitious sustainability goals.

To top it off, the standardization and integration that agnostic parcel lockers cause align with the EU’s focus on creating a single digital market. See, agnostic locker solutions realize system compatibility between many stakeholders serving the same customers; this breaks down barriers and empowers interoperability- a true example of the EU’s vision of an efficient and unified digital economy. This regulatory push toward agnostic parcel lockers shows a bold step forward in harmonizing the fragmented delivery landscape and ensuring that all players – from retailers to courier services – operate on a level playing field. As Europe takes the lead in changing the last mile, other regions worldwide closely observe these developments. But lockers are just one part of the delivery landscape.

The key to tackling delivery’s root challenges: an ecosystem-inspired software solution

While agnostic parcel lockers bring promising improvements to last-mile delivery, they can only solve part of the industry’s challenges. The delivery landscape is a complex web of stakeholders, each operating on different systems, many of which are outdated and rigid. Integrating agnostic parcel lockers into this complex ecosystem is undoubtedly a step in the right direction; for one, it creates a simpler structure. However, lockers are one part of out-of-home delivery. In order to address the entire last mile, we have to expand to incorporating PUDOs, locker systems, drones, robots, and retail solutions to address the problem at its root. Taking a comprehensive approach that modernizes the technological foundation of delivery and manages competitive stakes equally is essential to foster seamless collaboration among all players, from retailers to couriers and e-commerce platforms.

We want to break down the barriers of disparate systems and replace them with a unified, modern infrastructure. We want to give all stakeholders the peace of mind of having a neutral balancer to consider competitive stakes fairly.

In doing that, the delivery industry can unlock its full potential, offering an efficient, eco-friendly, and customer-centric experience for the future. Embracing a new era of technology-driven logistics will meet regulatory demands and transform how we deliver parcels, leaving no stakeholders behind and positively impacting the planet we all share.

The new age of delivery

It is time for a delivery revolution. The current state of the delivery industry is no secret – it is rigid, outdated, and incredibly challenging to change. The complexity is mind-boggling with so many stakeholders involved, from retail giants to courier companies and e-commerce platforms, each operating on different systems. No wonder delivery seems close to impossible to improve!

But no need to plan your move to Mars to start your self-sustaining space farm just yet, because the solution lies in one powerful idea: unifying and modernizing the technological foundation of delivery.

Imagine a world where the delivery process is seamless, efficient and a true asset to the planet and customers. Picture a unified system that connects retailers, couriers, and e-commerce services on the same platform, effortlessly sharing data and streamlining operations (while adhering fully to GDPR). No more confusion or delays – just a well-oiled delivery machine working harmoniously.

The key to this transformation is investing in cutting-edge technology that fosters uniformity and modernity across the delivery landscape and a company able to balance competition. By breaking down the barriers between stakeholders and creating a cohesive platform, including all services, we pave the way for revolutionary change. Collaboration becomes effortless, and information flows like a well-choreographed dance, benefiting everyone involved.

This technological overhaul is not just a dream; it is the key to unlocking a new era of delivery efficiency, to transform delivery into ecosystem-inspired software solutions, and a key that we at Smartmile are working on daily. More importantly, it is our ticket to becoming a force for positive change in the world.

A modern, unified delivery system means optimized routes, reduced carbon emissions, and a smaller environmental footprint. It means less waste, fewer missed deliveries, and happier customers. It means having the basis ready to innovate and taking our responsibility to the planet seriously. We have realized we cannot make these changes without designing an ecosystem-inspired software solution encompassing the full last mile. So our roadmap will expand.

Let’s join forces and embrace the power of modern technology, break free from the constraints of the past, and create a future where delivery is a true asset to us all. Follow our updates on Linkedin or read our past blog posts to bridge the time!

September 13, 2023
The Power of Agnostic Parcel Lockers and Smart Software
E-commerce has experienced insane growth, and this trend shows no signs of slowing down. Yet, with the boost in e-commerce comes the challenge of handling a truckload of packages. As a result, the traditional last-mile delivery system, involving delivery vans and couriers, has been strained to its limits. In major European cities, congested traffic, parking difficulties, and strict environmental regulations further complicate the timely delivery of packages and the current method of doing so. Cutting to the chase, the traditional way we deliver cannot continue as is. Luckily, new innovations such as agnostic parcel lockers made it to market. But what makes them succeed?

Delivery Efficiency through Agnostic Parcel Lockers

Agnostic parcel lockers entered the stage as an effective solution to optimize the last-mile delivery process in Europe. Lockers are designed to accept parcels from any courier, irrespective of the courier company. Their versatility and accessibility (aka 24/7) make them a practical alternative to traditional delivery methods, especially in urban areas with high population densities.

The key advantage of agnostic parcel lockers is their ability to integrate multiple couriers into a single delivery point. With a unified platform, customers can receive packages from different e-commerce platforms and courier services in a single locker. This integration streamlines the delivery process, reducing the number of stops for delivery personnel and minimizing overall delivery time. The logic is simple: four orders could either be four visits to different PUDOs or just one to an agnostic locker. Agnostic lockers respect our complex lives, understanding that we have better things to do than wait around for our parcels to arrive. Placed at convenient spots like grocery stores and malls, these metal or wood wonders make your package pickup a smooth part of your shopping spree. Especially in mature markets, like Finland, where lockers are “normal,” customers prefer picking up everything at one location. To them, it does not matter whether there is an agnostic locker nearby or a PUDO that accepts multiple courier parcels. What matters is convenience, control and, for some, the environment. We expect that with increasing consumer awareness, similar behaviour will show across the globe.

Lastly, and one of the reasons why we focus our software platform on limitless integration, truly agnostic parcel lockers can optimize delivery routes and minimize failed attempts, cutting costs for courier companies, especially if we develop technology to push the capacity of lockers. Fewer delivery trucks on the road mean a smaller carbon footprint. An efficient process also has a higher potential to reduce costs. Mother Earth approves!

The must-haves agnostic parcel locker software providers should strive for

While agnostic parcel lockers have great potential, their success heavily relies on implementing a sophisticated software solution behind the screens. The software is the locker system’s backbone, managing critical processes, machine operation, data, and user interactions. Let’s delve into the crucial aspects where great software could play a pivotal role:
1. Lightning-fast user interfaces that even your three-year-old can navigate with ease,
2. Real-time tracking and notifications keep customers in the loop. This feature enhances transparency and lets recipients plan their pickups conveniently, increasing the ability to combine trips and reduce their footprint.
3. System flexibility to be able to connect an endless amount of (courier) systems
4. High-level security with encrypted data and rock-solid authentication is essential to protect both customers, partners, and packages.
Besides its impact potential in e-commerce, we believe that agnostic lockers should play directly into emerging trends, like the new frontiers – Customer to Customer (C2C) retail and re-commerce. With the rise of platforms enabling individuals to sell and buy from each other, lockers are stepping up to create smooth and secure transactions. So, anyone developing locker software would have to extend its software capabilities to host services beyond parcel exchange. Imagine selling that vintage jacket you thrifted online, and instead of worrying about leaving it on your porch, you pop it into a nearby parcel locker. The buyer gets a unique code, and voilà – they grab their new statement piece from the locker without missing a beat. It’s the future of C2C retail and changing the game.

A limited number of winners on stage

But here is the deal: not every company out there has what it takes to nail the software game. It is a tough nut to crack! It requires a blend of tech wizardry, creative brilliance, and a deep understanding of customer needs to cook up the perfect software solution / secret sauce. The key to success is to have software able to connect any locker type, any delivery or commerce stakeholder, and have all touchpoints for OOH delivery and customer work together. Only a handful of trailblazing companies possess the software capabilities to succeed in this competitive arena. If you stumble upon an agnostic parcel locker system backed by killer software, we advise you not to hesitate and dive deeper into the software wizards behind it. If it comes with a team looking already beyond agnostic lockers into fixing the outdated technological base of delivery itself, you know you have hit the jackpot.

In a world where customer convenience is king, the pressure is on to deliver packages faster and more efficiently. Agnostic parcel lockers, empowered by advanced software, are a huge part of the secret sauce to this delivery revolution. With seamless integration of multiple couriers, 24/7 accessibility, cost-efficiency, and environmental benefits, these lockers are leading a new era of delivery convenience. As we look ahead, the potential of parcel lockers should be leveraged, especially in the realm of C2C retail, impact services, and re-commerce; however, the full solution of the last mile lies in the hands of companies that see agnostic lockers as the first step in their plan to change the world. By embracing the power of agnostic parcel lockers and staying ahead in the tech game, Europe can become a delivery ecosystem that can thrive and delight customers across the continent. Feel free to contact our team for an introduction to our software solution.

To end, we want to beg the question: Should we do more and fix delivery at its technological foundation? That is a read for next week. Follow our updates on Linkedin or read our past blog posts to bridge the time!

TLTR
- E-commerce has experienced insane growth over the past decade, and this trend shows no signs of slowing down.
- Agnostic parcel lockers entered the stage as an effective solution to optimize the last-mile delivery process,
- The key advantage of agnostic parcel lockers is their ability to integrate multiple carriers into a single delivery point, but they also have great potential in emerging trends like C2C and re-commerce if the software allows.
- The success of agnostic systems stands and falls with the software behind the screens. Only a handful of trailblazing companies have quality software solutions and a future-oriented design.
- We spark a new perspective to fix delivery at its foundation for next week’s read.
September 13, 2023
How to turn parcel machines into ecosystems connecting the last mile

Before diving into how we turn parcel machines into ecosystems, we would like to start off with a quote.

A wise wizard once told the creatives from Smartmile:

“We are only as strong as we are united and as weak as we are divided.”

– Albus Dumbledore

(Yep, some of our members quote him daily)

Even though these are words by a fictional character with no concrete standing in the last mile, they hold a wicked truth.

The last mile includes several stakeholders worldwide: multiple courier companies, locker networks, local retailers, online stores, and billions of e-shoppers. They all make choices that affect the last mile and its footprint, inefficiency and costs. But don’t worry; all stakeholders also hold a part of the solution.

At Smartmile, we share one core belief: because so many stakeholders are involved in the last mile, we can only change it by getting every stakeholder to connect in a shared solution.

Our founders: Aku, master of the parcel lockers, and Steffen, king of software, combined their strengths, found a team, and set out to build the first neutral basis for the last mile. Turning parcel machines into ecosystems with software to integrate any last mile stakeholder worldwide and make it easy for them to collaborate.

How did we create this core technology? What makes it such a tricky business? And what will we do next?

Step 1: The magic of turning any parcel machines into ecosystems— our hardware-independent software platform.

At the core, we are sustainable and made this mindset part of our solution design. When we developed our software, we wanted to ensure we could work with local machine suppliers across the globe, sourcing our hardware with minimal footprint while overcoming supply chain challenges.

Our team created an “abstraction layer” that takes the essential software running on any parcel machine, all machine software setups being inherently different, and abstract it to run our software without any problem.

This means we can run our full technology on any machine provider and all their machine types, from small indoor (wooden) lockers to huge, fully automated robotic devices.

Little did we know, there are even more upsides to hardware independence. Imagine expanding by 100 machines in two months; finding a supplier with the same amount of machine stock readily available can take time. This level of agility, however, was a must for us. By working with any machine supplier, we get to minimize dependency on single players and find the best machines or combinations of machines to get the job done.

There is a third advantage to hardware independence laying at the heart of our customer experience. We mix and match machine types across our ecosystems, but by launching the same system on all of them, we create the same user experience and integrations anywhere. If any parcel machine worldwide had the same user interface and easy experience, customers would only have to get used to one way of navigating parcel machines instead of making customers deal with numerous different ways of operating.

More recently, we have been exploring the potential in being able to run our software on existing networks.

With hardware independence, how any network worldwide is built up becomes almost irrelevant. We can abstract the hardware and run our software easily.

Welcoming new providers to our machine portfolio takes approximately a day, depending on the readiness of the partner technology and documentation. So far, we have integrated eleven manufacturers and fifteen different machine models.

Step 2: Chameleon powers activate to integrate any courier, retailer, or impact partner. We all have great solutions to combine.

To turn parcel machines into ecosystems with connected stakeholders getting a hold of the footprint and flows across the industry, our lockers must be able to connect any system—the core challenge in solving the last mile. Any courier system, e-commerce setup, or retail system is different because there are a million roads leading to the Rome we call software development.

We, as creatives, like to describe our system as a magical chameleon or a superhero translator able to understand any accent, language, or slang you throw at it and communicate back with ready-made, multi-language responses. We talked it over with Fabian, and this creative description is close to the truth.

Our system can abstract partner systems and distill the required information set to create a flexible communications bridge. Because of the abstraction, it does not matter which system or language any partner tools run. By being this flexible in understanding and communicating, any collaboration or function between our’s and our partner’s systems is possible.

We are pretty thrilled we get to keep our magical chameleon metaphor and even more thrilled to find out that this chameleon cannot only talk to any system, but Fabian and the team also equipped it with a special toolbelt. This toolbelt comprises a template language and a low- to no-code development flow. In short, building integrations for our team is almost as easy as playing Tetris.

To build a new integration, we first meet with our partners, discuss how to exchange data best, establish system communication, and determine the user flows and functionalities to offer. We simply have to configure templated actions, events and triggers through this toolbelt. After that, we roll out a pilot on a set of hubs or a smaller area. Once the pilot runs smoothly, we push it nationally or internationally.

Because of the Smartmile system, creativity is limitless; our partner ecosystem can design any service just like a chameleon, changing to any necessary colour pattern to fit into its environment.

Step 3: How we make designing new services easy.

Building new services can be a part of integrations, so we made it easy and low-code. We can add new service flows to any of our integrations. Communication between systems is already established, and our templated low- to no-code approach makes creative service design barrier-free.

It is, again, only a matter of configuring the right pre-templated actions, triggers, and events. For example, couriers loading parcels, customers picking up, scanning return labels, or logging in using QR codes.

But we can also realize more innovative services through our parcel lockers, such as opening compartments for collecting donations, exchanging products directly between a local retailer and a customer, returning reusable packaging, building a locker-based marketplace, and more.

Any of these types of services comes down to a configuration, and all required parts are templates available in the toolbelt of our chameleon. By making development this easy, we lower the barrier of expansion and competition for smaller market participants. Smaller players can innovate based on our existing ecosystem which could be the starting point for their scaling to national or international success without having to pre-invest in the whole infrastructure. So in a way, we minimize development time by mostly configuring to change the world.

Step 4: How the Smartmile ecosystem connects the last mile and prepares it for the EU-wide Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

The last mile, as it is, is the most costly and high-emission part of delivery and e-commerce. We establish a direct connection between last-mile stakeholders and invite them to collaborate. Design new services as one system, which will be a lot more effective at changing the industry as a whole; a direct first step to report on. Our network allows partners to impact the footprint of the last mile and to serve communities surrounding the machines.

Today is not the time to continue siloed thinking but to introduce platform thinking in e-commerce and delivery. That is why we have the technology to realize a delivery ecosystem where any partner process can allign with other stakeholders. We can get a hold of the industry and make the process enjoyable and efficient.

– Smartmile Founders

We designed our tools and system with the lowest possible technological barrier to ensure partners can create new services and re-think their processes regardless of size. Experimenting and developing new services together does not require huge budgets, lots of time or extensive technological knowledge with Smartmile at the core.

Our ability to lower development barriers spans different complexity levels, from the simple web-form-based integration to the large-scale national use case with e-commerce, SAP, warehouse automation and automated fulfillment integration for devices with serial number tracking capabilities. We have already built these types of setups and made them accessible.

Our system makes building new ways of running last-mile processes easy to implement. This ease of design also means we can offer connected partners a platform to collaborate and, most importantly, experiment.

Not one of us knows what exactly has to change to make the last mile footprint-free but to get closer to understanding this and reporting on the progress; we have to be able to experiment and collaborate risk-free—implementing platform thinking and knowledge sharing at the core of changing the last mile. Imagine if we would connect the world through Smartmile technology and put all of our brilliant ideas together in one ecosystem.
What a magical world that would be.

Step 5: How can we turn parcel machines into ecosystems securely across the globe.

We are nearing the end of our deep dive into the magical world of Smartmile technology. As one beautiful end note, we wanted to shine some light on how we manage to turn parcel machines into ecosystems worldwide because, you guessed it, we planned for scaling from the start. To quote our wizard Fabian:

“We developed the Smartmile technology with scalability as a core pillar from day one,”

– Fabian Head of R&D at Smartmile

meaning that from our architecture through to how we expand our functionalities, we developed all to scale. On top of that, we are in the process of getting our ISO-27001 certification to ensure our systems adhere to the highest security standards.

Step 6: What is next for Smartmile?

We hope you had a great journey through the magical world of our technology. New spells are constantly in the works to push the boundaries of our Hubs further. To prove it, we already have four Patents pending combining machine functionality, user verification, capacity optimization, repurposing returns and more. All from that same magical set of minds: our Tech herd.

Writing this piece, we uncovered that while technology can feel like novel-inspired magic, it is actually magic that exists in the real world. Our technology is a concrete and powerful part of our company and essential in changing the last mile.

For now, we part ways, but stay tuned to learn more, and check out our LinkedIn for the upcoming in-depth interviews with Fabian! We sure are excited to share them with you. For more post, head back to our Blog.

March 29, 2023
A look Behind the screens.

What happens behind that smooth and functional User Interface?

We’ve created something new, and you might have to use it.

And even though you didn’t explicitly ask us to upgrade our system, we still picked up on concerns, feedback and conversations we received. From you, your neighbour or maybe even a family member of yours. We want to ensure that using the Smartmile hubs will be as easy as possible.

Even though the biggest visible change is our machines’ design and looks, much more has changed. So let’s look at the ‘behind the scenes or actually ‘behind the screens’ since that’s even more accurate.

Let’s start with why we felt it was important to change our current User interface. In the years that we’ve existed, we have been improving the front and back end to ensure our systems run conveniently on a day-to-day basis. Last year we made big changes to our back end, and this year, we focused on finalising the front end. You can use the hubs to collect, send or even return your parcels, and couriers use the hubs to deliver or pick up parcels. And we hope to create a pleasant experience for you while using our machines.

Step 1: “Stop, look & listen” – Donna Summer

The User Interface worked and looked okay, but we don’t want to be told ‘you’re looking okay.
Who doesn’t want to be called stunning and good-looking? That is why we wanted our new User Interface to sweep you off your feet and make you fall in love with us a bit more.

Secondly, we wanted to listen to you. No matter if that ‘you’ is a consumer, supplier, courier or even a potential future partner or investor.

So after launching our previous User Interface, we started to listen to all the given concerns and write down any feedback we received to develop our front-end 2.0.

To do so, we had to work as a team. Sounds logical, but have you ever thought about the complete process of optimising a consumer experience? We didn’t just change a few colours and buttons.

We asked our customer service, the heroes you might have spoken to on the phone or in an email, to give us a clear insight into all the feedback and concerns they have collected over the years.

This combined gave us a good start, so we could focus on specific aspects and pain points to improve.

“We’ve received some calls over time concerning the customer journey. Some customers found it unclear what to do when they picked a compartment that was too small and got confused by the interface.”
– Laila, our Customer Service queen.

So in the flow design, we focused on making the interface self-explanatory, keeping instructions minimal and instinctive yet effective. We compared all flows against repeated customer feedback. So step one, optimising flows and simple directions done.

Step 2: Getting that interface looking and feeling all fly

This is where our marketing and brand team came in. To make sure that we could improve our current user experience, they designed a new and improved interface that would clear up any potential confusion and put the focus on the task at hand from the user. So they developed a design to make every process as clear as possible.

“I wanted to keep the design simple, cutting down any visual clutter. When it comes to flow and experience, we played with instinctive more than directive design. We tested different versions many times in different cultural contexts, supported by the information we received from the users themselves.”
– Michelle, Head of global Marketing and Brand.

Apart from even better looks, which we improved on our machines, there is a lot of functionality behind it. To ensure that any consumer or courier has the most efficient User Interface, we designed a clear button that sets the interface apart for couriers and consumers. If you’re a courier, you click on the button for couriers, and you’re on your way to fill in your credentials and start loading the parcels in the machine.

Are you a consumer? Just click on the action you want, and the machine will do the rest. Pick up your parcel? Just click the button. Return your package? Click Return. Are you sending a parcel to a new owner? No problem, just click send.

Any screen that follows will show you clearly what to do and how to do it.

We need our amazing tech team to make this beautiful design usable on our machines. Because looks aren’t the only thing that matter.

After finishing the design and incorporating all the collected information, the tech team started to develop design mock-ups to practice.

Before I reveal any of our tech secrets, keep in mind that the following paragraphs will contain a lot of technical information. If that is not your cup of tea, feel free to skip to the section with the subtitle ‘Step 4: Showing off a little’ to continue reading about our newest development.

Step 3: Nerdy talk…

For those still with me, welcome to some nerdy talk!

Because optimizing and developing a system that has the flexibility to integrate any hardware or future partner into its ecosystem, isn’t built in a day.

The tech team has been working on a system that removes most of the machines’ weight. By stripping internal functionalities and abstracting API functions, they took some pressure off the system processes, speeding up the useability of the machines. This way, we can load the next screen faster and easier, offering the user a better experience.

Next, we changed the skeleton of all our software to improve our possibilities in the future to optimize the Smartmile machines. With this new skeleton, it will be even easier than it already was to add new initiatives, partners, other hardware manufacturers or even new courier companies to our ecosystem. Not only is this faster for the user, but it’s also a lot smarter behind the screens, abstracting API functions and simplifying the process of adding these new features for our tech team.

Allowing innovations, green initiatives and even new future tools to be even easier implemented into our systems whenever we need to.

“Tech will always keep changing; that is also why we need to be ready for any changes in the future.”
– Morris, Project manager on the new UI, team tech.

As Morris already said, we are making sure that we are ready for any future innovation in tech. Connecting drones to our parcel hubs? Click, click, POW! We can integrate it. Do you want us to offer click-and-collect for online and offline stores? We will have the supporting tech ready in no time.

Besides that, Morris emphasised that the updates are necessary for overall security. If the software and hardware aren’t up to date, it could become a cybersecurity issue.

Our machines are secure because of active support and ensuring all the software is up to date.

With the new software, we can show the operator any problem with the machine, no matter where our operator might be on the planet. No matter the location, our team can and will ensure that all operations go as smoothly as manageable/ possible.

Step 4: Showing off a little

What are some other improvements we implemented into the new user interface?

One of those is a new favourite from Maarten:

“When our machine freezes in the middle of a loading screen, it will reset itself in a minute. This way, the courier doesn’t have to call us to fix it cause the machine fixes itself.”
– Maarten, Operations manager NL.

Maarten is one of our operations geniuses, so this software will make his job easier. Instead of getting a call from a courier that is losing valuable delivery time, the machine will restart itself, ensuring that the courier can quickly continue his job.

In that valuable time, our customer service unicorns and operational heroes can focus their efforts on other affairs, like helping others out.

A few of our unicorns presented our new UI to potential partners, giving them a sneak peek into their possible future partner interface. What they came back with; was many feathers and excitement.

“They loved our new design, which is easy to follow. Apart from that, they found it very advanced and believed it would be a valued addition to the customer experience.”
– Seda, Head of Sales.

As we’re getting closer to entering a new market, it gives us a lot of confidence to hear such positive feedback from, hopefully soon to be, a new partner.

Altogether, this project was only possible with the hard work of many different departments. We’ve created something beautiful by working together and including all the various departments. Just like we hope to work together even more with other companies, partners and investors to build a brighter future with strong delivery ecosystems.

December 12, 2022
The story of the NL model and DHL parcel.
“DHL takes over the 85 parcel machines from Smartmile in the Netherlands.”

– Emerce.nl/ paketda.de & Duurzaam ondernemen

You might have seen this title cross your screen in our newest press release. This release tells the tale of our renewed partnership with DHL Parcel. Of course, there might be some (or lots) of questions on your mind, so let’s dive into the finer details of this spectacular tale and analyse why we’re taking on this new role.

To kick things off, let’s start with the base; Smartmile.

1. Who or what is Smartmile?

Since you are on our website, chances are you know Smartmile a little. We’re a start-up aiming to revolutionise the delivery industry by optimising the current infrastructure.

In case you didn’t know us yet, a small summary to help you out.

Smartmile is a software company that puts the focus on building sustainable and optimised infrastructures of parcel machines. We continue to place parcel machines at key locations, empowered with our smart software. This software allows every delivery service or partner in the area to connect at one clear place, forming a so called ‘ecosystem’. Building these ecosystems is the key to an optimised infrastructure. It decreases CO₂ by reducing the amount of unnecessary driven kilometres. It also saves time for consumer, retailer and courier. All while maintaining a user friendly experience for every party involved.

By connecting companies around the same set of parcel machines, we can design truly sustainable services as one, covering the last mile, together.

A realistic example from the future:
You ordered your new favourite snuggy online; the perfect lazy item for which you had no intention to make any effort of getting it yourself from a store or other place far far away. So you select a parcel machine near you. It gets delivered by an electric car to the parcel machine, and you get the notification on your phone.

Your snuggy is so close by, ready to be picked up. But you glance outside, to the rain and suddenly your snuggy doesn’t seem as close anymore. Are you going to take a car?

Then you see the option to deliver it home by bike courier with just one click in the app. Immediately behind the scenes, our software connects your request to our partner, the local bike couriers start-up. You select your preferred delivery time, the doorbell rings, your friendly neighbourhood biker hands over your new snuggy, and you’re ready to slouch on the couch with your favourite show.

And best of all, the whole process did not produce unnecessary CO2, and you could stay on your lazy a$$.

To bring this example to life, you need a parcel machine, a courier, and a bike courier and their systems have to be able to communicate. That’s only possible with Smartmile.

2. DHL and Smartmile

Let’s start from the beginning; Smartmile entered the Dutch market about three years ago, ready to revolutionise the industry. We kicked off our open and shared network in the Netherlands with Lidl, and DHL Parcel as our launching partners.

To understand what happened next, first some background information.

The Dutch market is very different from the Finnish market, the market where Smartmile’s journey began. In the Netherlands, two players hold the majority of market share; PostNL (65%) and DHL (35%) (Statista, 2020). Since this market is mainly dominated by PostNL and DHL, there isn’t an equal division of delivery volumes.
When a market is mostly divided among two major- and a few smaller logistics players, it is necessary to work together with at least one of the big ones.
During one of our meetings with DHL Parcel in Q2, they shared their ambition to expand their own parcel locker network. Since they have been a long-term partner and with us from day one, we had to come up with a solution that would benefit all of the involved parties.

At first, we saw only two obvious choices;

First of all, working together with all the small players in the Netherlands to continue our open and shared network without DHL Parcel integrated.
But operating an open network with all the small players would have taken us too much time, money and resources. Offering a solution that didn’t show a strong enough guarantee for a sustainable business model to continue with.

The second choice was to work together with DHL Parcel on a closed system.
With this option, we would get distracted from our mission to build open and shared networks.

Both of these choices would either be extremely time consuming and/or potentially spread our resources, all for a market that in its market shares does not reflect the split for an open and shared concept.
So after thinking long and hard about our choices, we put on our innovative head, and found an unexpected option.

Introducing the unexpected;
A temporary experiment with DHL Parcel for 12 months.
Offering us:
- Another 12 months of running our software with DHL in a different way, improving the product and taking the ultimate test.
- Feedback and insights on the integration of our software, user interface and direct interaction. All from one of the biggest logistical players in Europe.
- A temporary financial boost which would strengthen our market position, but even more importantly, providing us a head start for our German entry.
- Keeping all our rights to our own magical software for ourselves, by licensing it to DHL for a matter of 12 months.
- Freeing up time in our herd, which we can refocus on the German entry. Because DHL parcel will takeover the operational management of the 85 parcel machines in the Netherlands.
For DHL this meant that they would get:
- All our 85 parcel machines in the Netherlands, so they could add this to their current infrastructure. Preventing unnecessary machines getting built at same locations.
- A 12 month software license, to empower these 85 machines with our Smartmile software. Handing them all the flexibility and capabilities that we have designed for the ecosystems that we’ve built.
- Extra preparation time (12 months) to ready their own closed network software, to run on these different types of machines after the experiment.
- The partnership with Lidl. To maintain the 85 locations, DHL Parcel will continue our collaboration with Lidl, giving them access to al the connected machines.Second level consultancy and support from our operational unicorns in the Netherlands to keep everything smooth with our Smartmile parcel machines.
Pretty cool solution, right?

3. What will the future bring?

Since we’re an international company focused on building these ecosystems around the globe, one delivery at a time, we’ve expanded to several countries. We’ve got offices in Finland, Germany, The Netherlands and Kenya, filled with a team of passionate entrepreneurs with different backgrounds.

Continuing our mission means focussing on launching the Smartmile ecosystems in more and more markets around the globe. Connecting partners, start-ups, consumers and other great companies together in one ecosystem.

One of our next steps is to enter the German market. Here we’re already talking about possible cities to start up, different companies to work with, and durable partnerships. The German market is very suitable for our open and shared network, because the German market consist of many different players without an overwhelming monopoly. This means that the market is quite equally divided over several players, whom we’d like to connect together to optimise their current system.

For future content, you can follow our social media channels to stay updated with our developments. Topics that will be coming back in the upcoming time are our future plans, our amazing herd and some in-depth information about our magical software. Stay tuned!
September 5, 2022