Last Mile Logistics Innovations in the Courier-Express-Parcel Sector Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

• Published in: Sustainability 2022-07, Vol.14 (13), p.8207
• Main Authors: Sułkowski, Łukasz, Kolasińska-Morawska, Katarzyna, Brzozowska, Marta, Morawski, Paweł, Schroeder, Tomasz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Computer applications; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Customer services; Electronic commerce; Impact analysis; Innovations; Logistics; Research methods; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Shopping; Sustainability; Virtual reality; Viruses
• ISSN: 2071-1050; 2071-1050
• DOI: 10.3390/su14138207

The development of the e-commerce market worldwide, which was already dynamic, was accelerated by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Millions of incoming orders required analogue support from the CEP sector (courier-express-parcels sector) to provide the desired “customer experience”. In the context of whether the habit of shopping in virtual reality will become permanent, it is worth considering what shape the logistics services will take in the last mile after the pandemic? Or, will customers return to shopping in the real world? A subject for these considerations was an analysis of the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic on the technologization of last mile logistics services, resulting in an increase in the level of “customer experience”, with Poland as an example. The research methods used were participant observations and critical analysis of collected materials. The obtained results made it possible to conduct a descriptive and explanatory nomothetic study based on an Internet questionnaire. The authors formulated a diagnosis about the possibilities of using the potential of customer experience for the development of enterprises based on technologization of last mile deliveries. The recommendations can be used by scientists and managers in the CEP industry to redefine business models based on the technology of logistics customer service processes.