Singapore, 28 October 2022 – Singapore Post Limited (SingPost), in partnership with the Singapore Standards Council (SSC) overseen by Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), will launch a new standard for last mile delivery of parcels at the Transport and Logistics Industry Day 2022 on 31 October 2022.
The COVID-19 pandemic saw an accelerated growth in eCommerce activities. To meet this demand, new eCommerce platforms, payment services and last mile service providers (LSPs) emerged over the past two years during the pandemic. This growth of eCommerce and last mile deliveries (LMD) also raised several challenges, including data protection, condition of physical items delivered, turnaround time for LSPs and standardised communication between merchants and end consumers.
The new standard will provide guidance to the eCommerce industry, including online marketplace operators and last mile delivery service providers, to standardise processes and practices to improve the overall eCommerce experience for customers, as well as raise operational efficiencies for all stakeholders across the value chain.
Technical Reference 105 on Guidelines for last mile delivery of parcels
Technical Reference (TR) 105 guidelines for last mile delivery of parcels provides guidance to eCommerce players and LSPs to standardise processes and practices to improve the workflow and experience for LMDs. Appointed by the SSC, the Working Group led by SingPost comprises a wide range of industry stakeholders including logistics partners, eCommerce players, retail associations and academics (see Annex A for full list of Working Group members).
Targeted at eCommerce merchants, marketplaces and sellers, as well as LMD service providers, TR 105 provides guidance on areas such as packaging, labelling, data collection and transmission, communication content and operational practices. The standard aims to establish industry-wide consistency of LMD services for the benefit of consumers and retailers.
TR 105 aims to improve the end consumer’s experience in four key areas:
- Improve productivity of LMDs by standardising packaging and labelling guidelines, which reduces delivery failure rates and optimises storage and delivery schedules.
- Enable data exchange and harmonisation across marketplaces, sellers and LSP platforms to safeguard data and reduce delivery failure frequency for end consumers.
- Align datasets between marketplaces and LSP platforms and standardise information conveyed to end consumers. This will allow end consumers to better track the status of their parcels and communicate with LMD stakeholders at critical touchpoints.
- Enhance operational processes and practices in LMDs through guidelines on delivery logistics, instructions, and authorisation across key modes of delivery. This will facilitate more efficient and punctual contactless deliveries.
Ms Neo Su Yin, CEO Singapore, SingPost, said: “We have seen a fundamental shift in how retailers and customers respectively sell and shop since the onset of COVID-19, giving the eCommerce industry a big boost. While the world today settles in the new normal, one thing for sure is that the purchasing habits have shifted for good and eCommerce will continue to be a significant part of our lives and businesses.
“Along with it, we have also seen some challenges associated with this growth, and it is heartening to see the industry coming together to develop this standard, which will elevate the experience for customers and merchants alike,” added Ms Neo.
Mr. Venkat Shankar, Head of Logistics at Lazada Singapore, said: “Shipping and delivery play a crucial role in eCommerce, and can make or break the online shopping experience. Every little step taken to improve the buyer's experience, from providing timely updates, to shortening delivery time, to offering more delivery options suited to both buyer and seller, adds up to the experience. Lazada is a trusted eCommerce platform and has served millions of customers in Singapore over the past 10 years and we are constantly working to set new benchmarks for buyer experience. We are glad to be part of the Working Group to provide insights to improve the standards of logistics in Singapore.”
Ms Choy Sauw Kook, Director-General (Quality & Excellence), EnterpriseSG, said: “TR 105 is part of a series of standards developed by SSC to further optimise operational eff iciency and increase the service delivery in the logistics industry. We encourage the relevant industry stakeholders to adopt this new standard to standardise processes and practices and improve the operations and customer service for last mile deliveries. We would like to thank the Working Group for contributing their resources and expertise to develop this standard.”
Please refer to Annex B for a summary of TR 105’s key guidelines and best practices. TR 105 is available for purchase at the Singapore Standards eshop at www.singaporestandardseshop.sg.
- END -
About Singapore Post Limited
For more than 160 years, Singapore Post (SingPost), as the country's postal service provider, has been delivering trusted and reliable services to homes and businesses in Singapore. Today, SingPost is pioneering and leading in eCommerce logistics as well as providing innovative mail and logistics solutions in Singapore and around the world, with operations in 15 markets.
Building on its trusted communications through domestic and international postal services, SingPost is taking the lead in end-to-end integrated and digital mail solutions. The suite of SingPost eCommerce logistics solutions includes front end web management, warehousing and fulfilment, last mile delivery and international freight forwarding.
About the Singapore Standards Council
The Singapore Standards Council (SSC) facilitates the development, promotion and review of Standards and Technical References in Singapore. This work is done through partnerships with the industry, academia and government organisations, under the national standardisation programme overseen by Enterprise Singapore
