Jersey Post has teamed up with Skillweb to streamline customs clearance for time-critical and urgent deliveries using the Skillweb Deliver item-tracking software to automate the processing of shipments and speed up clearance times, avoid unnecessary delays, and enhance the last-mile experience.
The technology integration has already supported the roll-out of a new contract with HelloFresh UK for the delivery of fresh meal kits to residents on the island.
“The customs integration will enable Jersey Post to create frictionless clearance for time-critical work – such as the contract with HelloFresh – and support business development moving forward,” explained Niall McClure, managing director of postal and logistics at Jersey Post. “Our aim was to create a seamless and rapid advice process, so our retail customers have complete peace of mind that we can meet their exact delivery requirements. This latest development has resulted from our desire to operate quicker and more effectively for the benefit of our clients and the island’s residents.”
Jersey Post is required to advise on all postal items entering the island, so customs can determine if any tax is due. Previously, files had been uploaded manually, but this potentially put fast-moving goods at risk of missing strict delivery deadlines, as well as causing delays for recipients when tax is due or an issue exists. With the customer integration, submission times will be reduced to a matter of minutes, so incoming goods can be processed – and where necessary held, duty paid and released – before they arrive on the island.
HelloFresh UK will be able to send requests for delivery using the Jersey Post system and print off labels, with all details electronically submitted via Skillweb Deliver to the States of Jersey Customs. The rapid transfer of high-quality data will be critical to achieving a prompt decision and speeding up the overall clearance process. This will ensure HelloFresh UK meets the next-day delivery requirement from its distribution center in Banbury, Oxfordshire.
Paul Ridden, CEO of Skillweb, commented, “With this capability in place, Jersey Post is yet again at the forefront of cross-border logistics by helping a growing range of online retailers to deliver the best possible customer experience to Jersey’s 160,000 residents. We were able to respond quickly to their needs and – in line with the demands of the new HelloFresh delivery operation – implement this latest innovation in just four weeks. We are a long-standing technology partner, developing an advanced parcel management solution that provides the infrastructure to better manage the end-to-end movement of goods.”