The face of consumer delivery has changed drastically in just six short months. Before the pandemic hit, customers of varying companies across the nation would openly choose to have face-to-face interactions with team members from their business of choice. Customer service has traditionally thrived on the interaction between a customer and service member, consisting of friendly banter, information exchange, and product data relay. Unfortunately, that candid and safe consumer interaction is no longer a reality. Customers of any business are not only looking for alternative purchase methods but also alternative pick-up methods; mailrooms are no outlier. Many mailrooms across the country aim to decrease their human-to-human interactions in any way possible, even when it comes to how they deliver packages. For that reason, SCLogic developed a workflow for curbside pick-up.

What is the Curbside Pick-up Workflow?

Curbside pick-up is now an almost ubiquitous product purchase option for retailers and service providers alike. Curbside pick-up for mailrooms is a relatively newer workflow that allows for a contactless delivery process from mailroom staff to clients, employees, or students. This workflow applies to universities, larger companies, and even independent businesses.

How Does it Work?

The overall process is relatively simple: clients remotely request the curbside pick-up option for a mail item or package, and mailroom staff delivers said item outside of their facility (i.e., their curb). Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the contactless curbside delivery process:
• Users (i.e., clients, employees, or students) scan their ID at a kiosk and select the pick-up option. Mailrooms can also implement an option where users use their phones or tablets to choose their delivery options to keep the process truly touchless.
• Once the user submits the pick-up request, a pick ticket prints in the mailroom.
• The staff member handling the pick ticket retrieves the package and brings it outside the mailroom facility for pick-up.
• Rather than collecting a signature, the process remains completely touchless by having the staff member scan the user’s ID to confirm their identity.

Why Is This Important?

As the nation navigates the ongoing pandemic, it is of paramount concern for each business, university, or government organization to operate in the safest way possible. The key to staying safe is a decrease in face-to-face human interaction and social distancing. Small changes to a mailroom’s workflow can result in a process that allows for this distancing without over-burdening employees or significantly reducing their capacity. Both staff and clients are safer when mailroom customers wait outside. There are so many ways any mailroom can customize the curbside pick-up experience for their client population. Whether it is a mobile ticket integration or a remote drop-off location, each mailroom can make the choices that best fit their operation and their clients’ needs.

Is your mailroom interested in implementing the curbside pick-up workflow? Let us know in the comments below or visit us at our contact page.