Digital Commerce & Logistics Support

One country = one designated postal operator. Until we stepped in.

We established our client – a parcel delivery service – as the first ever fully operational, second designated postal operator (DO) in a member State of the UPU. The project included establishing offices of exchange (OE), extra-territorial offices of exchange (ETOE) and full integration into the UPU’s IT backbone system IPS. Our client now enjoys all the preferential rates and conditions enjoyed by other DOs, paving the way for other major CEP stakeholders to follow suit.

A European postal operator came to us needing help to re-engineer their domestic and international service.

After analysing the financial and strategic benefits of becoming completely independent and globally active, we helped them become fully operational, including setting up postal IT infrastructure and integration into the IT ecosystems of the Universal Postal Union (UPU). Today this DO is an equal partner in the international global postal network, actively leveraging the benefits of seamless access to the European single market.

We have worked with a range of clients to establish International Mail Processing Centres (IMPC) and Extra-Territorial Offices of Exchange (ETOE) in Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, the Czech Republic, The Netherlands, and Kazakhstan. These additional nodes for the international exchange of commercial items are increasing competition, making delivery networks more efficient, and allowing our clients to improve their levels of customer service.

A state-owned investment fund asked us to investigate the sustainability of investing in a qualified trust service offering e-delivery and e-clearing services within the EU. We analysed leading e-delivery services according to the current EU service directive, work done under the European standards CEN/TS 15121-1 & CEN/TS 15121-2 and related UPU IPR and e-delivery standards, and the status of their competitors.

Our client is now confident that their investment strategy is based on solid facts and a clear understanding of the business environment.

Ecommerce consulting for this provider of network services helped them understand how digital commerce & logistics is turning item-driven business models into data-driven ones.

A data-driven model allows ecommerce and e-tailing businesses to retain their customers, commoditize last mile delivery, and exclude competitors from accessing their customer basis. This company now has the advantage of knowing how to shape its products & services, building on its leading market position to add delivery and secured communication services.

Investment decisions must be based on solid data.

We regularly provide background information on the European commerce & logistics market for capital investors anxious to base their investment decisions on a sound footing. We explain national and regional differences, identify key players in each industry sector, outline the impact of technological developments & regulatory changes, analyse competitors and business models, so our clients can be confident their investment will bring the returns they seek.

The new fuel powering digital commerce and logistics is data.

Personal data belongs to individuals who decide what, when, how, and by whom goods & services are delivered. But organizations in the delivery chain – CEP operators / governmental authorities / transport security – only need access to specific elements of this data. Ensuring adherence to regional and global data protection standards at each step of the process has become an essential consideration for any commerce business. We have provided logistics support to several clients, developing new business models which leverage the opportunities offered by a sector-specific data protection framework for commerce logistics.

Postal services transitioning from item-driven to data-driven operations need to make strategic investments in new sorting and sequencing equipment.

We supported one of the world’s leading sorting equipment manufacturers during the tendering process, providing them with the information and insights they needed to win a ground-breaking, multi-million euro, postal tender.

Working closely with legal specialists in our network, we have supported clients pursuing competition law cases in European and non-European countries. Our expert assessments on downstream access, tariffs and European Postal law & regulation strengthened our clients’ position, helping them win their cases and secure compensation for their losses.

We have also helped many clients in EU markets in their dealings with national regulators, establishing the level playing field they needed to achieve their objectives.

We’ve helped several clients by designing & managing tenders for contracts in cross-border shipping and postal & parcel volumes. After an initial cost analysis, we create service level-based models, establish tender procedures according to the customer’s requirements, draw up documentation, ensure participation of suitable suppliers, and provide active support during the subsequent negotiations.

Our clients benefit from cost savings in cross-border shipping of +20%. They also appreciate our success-based approach, with no fixed fees and remuneration as a % of realized cost savings.

From initial brainstorming to the first revenue streams, we help turn visionary ideas into reality.

We’re the brains behind a new European multi-carrier facilitator, advising on their IT & partner management, regulatory affairs, tariff & product management, operations, and logistics. By mapping the global UPU/WCO data model and the EU customs data model to the UN/EDFACT model, we’ve created the blueprint for a harmonised, seamless cross-border ecommerce ecosystem.