Dean Page, Sales Director at Parcel SafePlace, shares his thoughts on how changing delivery patterns are reshaping the demands on residential and office buildings, and why smart parcel rooms are no longer a luxury, but a necessity.
Speaking with many clients and colleagues across both the office and residential sectors, one challenge keeps coming up: how do we future-proof our buildings to manage the growing volume of parcel deliveries in a secure, efficient, and resident-friendly way?
This isn’t just a passing conversation. Having spent 12 years as a postman and the past 4 years developing and growing parcel room solutions with Parcel SafePlace, I’ve witnessed first-hand how dramatically delivery patterns have evolved.
In the early days, most deliveries to offices were typically limited to a few business-related packages. Now with the changing nature of modern life, delivery volumes have exploded. Residential buildings have seen an equally dramatic shift. What used to be an occasional letter or parcel has become a daily flood of online orders, Amazon deliveries, and personal items. Everything from 70-inch plasma screens to last-minute essentials arriving daily..
“From my years of delivery experience, I know that couriers face unique challenges in dense city environments.”
– Dean Page, Sales Director of Parcel SafePlace.
The rise of e-commerce and hybrid working has transformed both office buildings and residential complexes into delivery hubs. At Parcel SafePlace, we’ve tracked over 6 million parcel movements, and a typical 400-unit BTR building now handles over 12,800 additional parcels annually post-pandemic and this is continually rising, leading to more than 50,400 parcel interactions a year when accounting for both drop-off and resident collections. This surge in delivery volumes has transformed buildings, especially in urban areas, into bustling points for both personal and business deliveries.
Traditional mailrooms and reception areas, designed for much smaller volumes, are now overwhelmed and this creates a series of daily challenges:
- Lost or misplaced parcels
- Security risks in unmonitored drop-off areas
- Cluttered lobbies that create a negative first impression
- Increased workload for staff, pulling them away from other responsibilities
- Frustrated tenants who expect a seamless, modern experience
The Urban Delivery Challenge
From my years of delivery experience, I know that couriers face unique challenges in dense city environments, including:
- Limited parking and access restrictions making it hard to complete deliveries efficiently.
- Failed first-time deliveries mean repeated attempts, increasing costs, time, and emissions.
- Traffic congestion and narrow delivery windows complicate even short routes.
How Automated Parcel Rooms Help
Automated parcel rooms offer direct benefits for couriers and your residents:
- Couriers can securely deposit parcels without waiting for recipients, reducing time spent at each stop.
- No need for multiple delivery attempts, parcels are safely stored until recipients can pick them up.
- Streamlined drop-offs help couriers complete more deliveries on fewer trips, cutting emissions and vehicle wear.
The Building Owner Advantage
For building owners and operators, automated parcel rooms deliver tangible benefits, including:
- Secure, 24/7 Access: Tenants retrieve parcels on their own schedule, reducing disruptions.
- Streamlined Operations: Eliminates clutter in lobbies and mailrooms, creating a professional environment.
- Reduced Workload for Staff: Reception and mailroom teams can focus on higher-value tenant services.
- Data-Driven Insights: Automated systems provide real-time data on delivery volumes and patterns, supporting smarter decisions.
- Improved Resident Experience: Residents see automated parcel rooms as a premium, modern amenity that sets your building apart.
Future-Ready and Sustainable
Automated parcel rooms also align with sustainability goals and operational savings. By reducing failed deliveries and consolidating drop-offs, they help lower emissions and support green building initiatives. Fewer staff hours are required for manual parcel management – one of our clients saved 3,523 staff hours in 2021, increasing to 12,244 hours this year, that’s an impressive 247% increase, and the equivalent of £208,148 in operational cost savings based on today’s minimum wage rates.
At Parcel SafePlace, we currently service over 99,000 units across the UK, Ireland, and Spain, and continue to expand our reach across Europe. Our technology seamlessly integrates with existing building systems, providing a secure and efficient parcel management solution suitable for both residential and commercial buildings.
After 16 years in the delivery industry, one thing is clear: buildings must evolve. Automated parcel rooms aren’t just a convenience anymore; they’re an essential feature that meet today’s delivery challenges, supporting sustainability and enhancing resident satisfaction.
