PARCELS BENCHMARKING RESEARCH
A MULTI-CLIENT RESEARCH PROGRAMME
JANUARY 2015
—
UK PARCELS DISTRIBUTION
SURVEY PROGRAMME
2015
UK DOMESTIC B2B PARCELS
UK DOMESTIC B2C PARCELS
UK DOMESTIC PARCELS
DELIVERY REPORT
SURVEY PROGRAMME 2015
BACKGROUND
For almost three decades, Triangle’s UK Domestic Parcels Distribution Survey programme has been the industry standard benchmarking survey for the UK express parcel industry.
Although keeping a consistent format and content, the surveys change in line with developments in the marketplace, and 2015 will see Wave 17 of the UK Domestic B2B Parcels Distribution Survey in its latest format and Wave 8 of the UK B2C Parcels Distribution Survey.
SECTOR ALIGNMENT
Recognising that the market perceives increasing alignment of the business and residential delivery sectors, Triangle now produces a combined survey which consolidates the results of the B2B and B2C sector surveys, in order to represent the UK domestic parcels delivery industry as a whole. The UK Domestic Parcels Delivery Report will be Wave 5 in 2015.
The two individual sector surveys, B2B and B2C, focus on regular parcels shippers within the UK. In each sector they track changes in service usage and customer perceptions of the leading carriers and their performance levels.
For many senior executives in the express industry the studies set independent KPIs for internal management initiatives and provide invaluable competitor benchmark comparisons which can work alongside in-house research data, such as carriers’ own customer satisfaction surveys, for example. Every year the contents of these surveys reflect developments in the marketplace and allow for confidential questions from programme sponsors. In effect, Triangle’s three major UK Domestic Parcels Distribution Survey Reports provide bespoke research at multi-client prices.
STUDY SCOPE
Triangle has incorporated a number of refinements and additional features to the surveys in recent years, which will continue in 2015. These include quotas on primary carrier used, a minimum of 50 parcels a month for respondent qualification, Carrier Net Promoter Index, Share of Wallet and the facility for a subscribing carrier to ‘boost’ their quota size.
Triangle expects the 2015 sample sizes to be as per the table on page 4.
EVERY YEAR THE CONTENTS
OF THESE SURVEYS
REFLECT DEVELOPMENTS
IN THE MARKETPLACE AND
ALLOW FOR CONFIDENTIAL
QUESTIONS FROM PROGRAMME
SPONSORS…. PROVIDING
BESPOKE RESEARCH AT
MULTI-CLIENT PRICES.
The core quota ranges for 2015, by carrier, reflect overall usage patterns encountered through interviewing in recent years (the final total may vary slightly depending, for example, on sponsoring carrier quota boosts or market conditions).
The surveys are conducted via in depth telephone interviews held in accordance with the Market Research Society Code of Conduct. The core sample is selected from a large database of known users of parcel distribution services.
Triangle’s interviewers are experienced market researchers who have been involved with these particular studies for many years, supported by CATI software. The fieldwork for both sector surveys is continuous, although the B2B interviews are started first, in order to meet the publishing schedule.
METHODOLOGY
The surveys are based on minimum/maximum quota ranges for Primary Carrier usage (i.e. carrier used most often), in order to guarantee robust results for each of the main carriers. A rating for the next most often used carrier (Secondary Carrier) is also captured, but no quota by carrier is set for them, i.e. these are random.
TRIANGLE EXPECTS THE 2015 SAMPLE SIZES TO BE AS FOLLOWS:
360-450 B2B Primary carrier users, with around 600-650 benchmark ratings when secondary carrier usage is included.
360-450 B2C Primary carrier users, with approximately 600-650 benchmark ratings when secondary carrier usage is included.
The combined UK Domestic Parcel Delivery Report will, therefore, have around 720-900 primary respondents with approximately 1,200-1,300 benchmark ratings.
2015 QUOTA RANGE TARGETS AND ESTIMATED NO. OF TOTAL RATINGS Carrier B2B B2C Combined Total No. Ratings as Primary Carrier (Quota) No. Ratings as Primary & Sec-ondary Carrier
No. Ratings as Primary Carrier
(Quota)
Est. No. Ratings as Primary & Secondary Carrier No. Ratings as Primary Carrier (Quota)
Est. No. Ratings as Primary & Secondary Carrier APC Overnight 30-40 50-60 20-30 40-50 50-70 90-110 DHL Express 10-15 20-30 10-15 20-30 DPD 30-40 40-50 40-50 50-60 70-90 90-110 DX Freight 20-30 20-30 20-30 20-30 40-60 40-60 FedEx 40-50 60-70 30-40 40-50 70-90 100-120 Hermes 30-40 30-40 30-40 30-40 Interlink 30-40 30-40 20-30 30-40 50-70 60-80 Parcelforce W’wide 40-50 60-70 40-50 70-80 80-100 130-150 Royal Mail 40-50 70-80 40-50 70-80 TNT Express 40-50 70-80 20-30 30-40 60-80 100-120 Tuffnells 20-30 20-30 20-30 20-30 UK Mail 30-40 40-50 20-30 30-40 50-70 70-90 UPS 40-50 60-70 30-40 40-50 70-90 100-120 Yodel 30-40 40-50 40-50 60-70 70-90 100-120 TARGET TOTAL 360-450 600-650 360-450 600-650 720-900 1200-1300
QUOTAS BY CARRIER
Carrier subscribers may boost their Quota Size at a ‘nominal’ cost, if included in the main report. Boosts are achieved through the provision of client-supplied customer sample (100 records x additional interviews required). Initial boost is to a maximum of moving a carrier up to the next quota group, e.g. 20-30 to 30-40, subject to a quality control mechanism. Where carriers boost their sample size their quotas are targeted to achieve the top of the quota range, i.e. where 40-50, target will be 50. Additional interviews can also be conducted for bespoke reporting purposes (separately priced).
SURVEY CONTENTS
THE MAIN CONTENT FOR EACH SECTOR REPORT IS AS FOLLOWS
Shipping profiles (average volumes, weights, products sent)
Carrier usage (most often used, others used in last 12 months/last 3 years, lapsed usage) Carrier awareness (for carriers not used, spontaneous and prompted)
Importance of carrier selection criteria Pricing changes experienced and expected Carrier Performance Ratings on Overall level of service plus five core attributes such as Price, Customer Service, On Time Delivery etc. (a)
Carrier Descriptors (Yes/No assessments) on 12 key statements (a)
Likelihood of recommending the primary carrier used (which provides a Net Promoter Index Benchmark for the industry) (b)
‘Share of Wallet’ Total spend and percentage of total spend with main carrier
Service level usage Website usefulness Sales and marketing recall
(a) For the top two carriers (most often used and second most
often used in volume terms).
(b) Based on the Net Promoter scoring approach.
NEW QUESTIONS IN 2015
In 2014 Triangle piloted a question about the influence of social media on shipper selections of carriers. This will be included within the core questionnaire for reporting in 2015.
The B2C questionnaire incorporates additional questions focussing on ordering methods, typical parcel contents and average parcel value. In 2015 Triangle will continue to develop questions around parcel returns levels and usage of alternative solutions for delivery and customer returns (i.e. parcel shops, parcel lockers, post offices and retail stores).
CONFIDENTIAL QUESTIONS
In addition, survey sponsors can add two confidential questions of their own to the questionnaire, which will be incorporated into the individual carrier’s confidential reporting pack. The core tracking elements included in the questionnaires are maintained so as to ensure consistent trend data.
PLANNED AVAILABILITY
UK Domestic B2B Parcels Distribution Survey Report Wave 17 - £12,450
UK Domestic B2C Parcels Distribution Survey Report Wave 8 - £12,450
UK Domestic Parcels Distribution Survey Report Wave 5 - £24,900
If purchased together with one report, reduced to - £10,000
If purchased together with both sector reports, reduced to - £5,000
Interview Boosts: Initial ‘boost’ (incl. in main report) - £600
Additional boosts/supplemental reporting at a cost to be agreed depending on sample size
and additional reporting requirements.
All prices exclude VAT.
REPORTING
Subscribers receive a reporting package comprising:
• Executive Summary
• Sample Base Description
• Main Findings: Results and Analysis – with over 70 charts in each of the three separate reports
• Trend Data, last 5 years for the B2B and B2C Surveys and the combined market study (a)
• Confidential Question Results
• Carrier Service Profiles
• Personalised Executive Presentation (optional) In addition, individual company summaries can be produced and supported by personalised presentations where desired.
DELIVERY TIMETABLE
Target report publication dates are as follows:
• The B2B Survey Report May 2015
• The B2C Survey Report Mid-July 2015
• The Combined Report End-July 2015
(a) Only customers that have subscribed to a study for
FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information, please contact Helen Daniels, Head of Research, via email:
helen.daniels@triangle.eu.com or by calling: Tel: +44 (0)1628 642 910
TRIANGLE SERVICES INCLUDE:
• Management consultancy
• Market research
• Conferences and exhibitions
• Specialist publishing
PUBLISHED RESEARCH
• UK Express Carriers Digest
• UK Express Pallet Networks Digest
• UK Express Salary Survey
• European Express Networks Digest
• Cross Border e-Commerce
THE TRIANGLE TEAM
Lead consultants include John Modd, Director Mail and Editor of Mail & Express Review, Triangle Management Services. John has extensive knowhow in international postal strategies gained at Royal Mail and Spring Global Mail.
Helen Daniels, Head of Research at Triangle, has over 35 years’ experience in business research and consulting, half of which has been focussed on the mail, parcels and freight world. Triangle’s specialist team
draws together decades of industry experience from across the postal, express and logistics industry.
Triangle’s specialist team draws together decades of industry
experience from across the postal, express and logistics industry.
ABOUT TRIANGLE
Established over 30 years ago, Triangle is an independent high quality provider of a range of value added specialist services to the global mail and express industries. These include strategic consultancy, market research, recruitment, publishing and high-level conferences.
Triangle publishes two leading industry publications: the quarterly Mail & Express Review and the digital PostandParcel.info newsletter, which are received by mail and express executives worldwide.
Annual events include the UK Mail & Express Delivery Show, the World Mail & Express conference series (Europe, Americas and Asia-Pacific), as well as the prestigious World Mail Awards.
