Accelerate the digital transformation of commercial and logistics engine to improve customer experience and efficiency
PostNL is accelerating its digital transformation across its commercial and logistics operations to enhance customer experience and drive efficiency. A key component of this transformation is the integration of advanced data analytics and automation into our logistics processes. By leveraging real-time insights, we are optimising delivery routes, improving parcel tracking accuracy, and enhancing inventory management. This allows customers to enjoy more reliable and timely deliveries, while reducing operational costs. The expansion of digital platforms, such as the PostNL app and online tools, has also provided consumers with greater control and flexibility, enabling them to easily manage deliveries, track parcels, and communicate with us through a seamless, user-friendly interface.
In addition to enhancing customer touchpoints, we are focusing on the digitalisation of our back-end systems to improve efficiency. This includes automating key logistics tasks, such as sorting and fulfilment. Through the implementation of digital solutions, we are able to offer tailored services to our various customer segments, from small businesses to large e-commerce players. By streamlining these processes, PostNL not only increases operational efficiency but also creates a more robust and scalable logistics network, positioning ourself to better respond to market fluctuations and evolving consumer demands.
Progress business service channels
Digital channels and interaction
At PostNL, digital channels and interaction (DC&I) plays a pivotal role in enhancing the customer experience, driving operational excellence, communicating propositions, supporting ESG targets, and engaging with communities to strengthen brand performance. Aligned with PostNL’s strategic goals, DC&I aims to create seamless, valuable digital interactions that foster customer loyalty and brand advocacy.
In 2024, DC&I strengthened digital engagement for customers and consumers, achieving significant progress across key milestones and delivering a meaningful impact on the business. For example:
- We made significant updates to the business portal, supporting the transition of 80% of customers to PostNL’s digital customer domain. Designed to empower business customers with insights, self-service tools, and seamless interaction, leading to improved tNPS (a form of NPS linked to customer feedback after a specific transaction or interaction with a company).
- We launched a beta version of the Business Customer app, targeting SME customers with real-time insights and greater control. Early feedback also yielded an improved tNPS. The app’s official launch in 2025 will include new features based on SME user feedback.
- We established a robust API landscape to ensure proactive and consistent communication. By 2025, these APIs will provide dependable, actionable information, empowering customers to manage and grow their businesses confidently.
- We redesigned the onboarding journey for SMEs, improving the Customer Effort Score from 4.3 to 5.4 and reducing onboarding from 1.5 weeks to 15 minutes.
- A new chatbot platform introduced dynamic, user-focused conversations integrated with voice and agent assist, resolving 68% of service requests—a 10% improvement.
- The SME full funnel marketing team adopted Agile methodology, emphasising data analysis and conversion rate optimisation. This outcome-focused approach has yielded measurable success, reinforcing its value for future initiatives.
Providing real-time insights
During the year, we continued to focus on customer service and operational efficiency by refining recently introduced customer dashboards. For our Extra@Home customers, we have introduced a dashboard that is integrated within the My PostNL platform. The dashboard enables customers to retrieve essential data anytime, for example to monitor processing quality or stock levels.
Additionally, we launched an external dashboarding option for our Fulfilment customers through the MyFulfillment portal, featuring both a general dashboard and an export dashboard. The general dashboard provides customers with insights into processing quality, including real-time updates on orders processed versus forecast targets and visual indicators on unprocessed, postponed, or backlogged orders. Customers can delve deeper into specific stock-keeping units (SKU), reviewing stock levels, storage duration, and sales trends over time.
The export dashboard enables data exports across seven distinct tabs, offering detailed information on orders, SKU-specific stock, and replenishments, empowering customers with deeper operational insights and customisable reporting capabilities. Through these innovations, we continue to enhance the customer experience, supporting them with tools designed to meet their evolving needs efficiently.
“Digital channels and interaction plays a pivotal role in enhancing the customer experience”
Advancing through AI and agile transformation
At PostNL, we are committed to maintaining our position as a technical frontrunner by building a modern, future-proof, and robust service architecture. As part of our Faster IT programme, we have adopted a set of principles that enable modularity and flexibility in our systems.
Key initiatives include the development of a modular service layer architecture that simplifies the integration and replacement of services through API bundling. We have also laid the groundwork for our event broker platform, which translates logistical events into commercial actions and notifications, enhancing efficiency and customer experience. Additionally, we are transitioning from Google/Dialogue Flow chatbots to the conversational AI platform from Cognicy, while continuing to enhance our digital experience platform.
Generative AI and advanced analytics
To further strengthen our AI capabilities, we have established a Generative AI Community of Practice, focusing on implementing advanced AI algorithms to enhance the customer experience, boost revenue, improve employee engagement (eNPS), and reduce operational costs. One example is an algorithmic planning initiative implemented across our transport services, enabling optimised route scheduling and resource allocation, which aims to drive transport efficiencies, leading to cost savings and helping to reduce our environmental impact.
Our AI foundational platform now supports the development and management of AI algorithms, and we have successfully migrated 26 algorithms to this platform. In addition, we have developed three generative AI proof of concepts in the service, HR, and finance domains, and secured key tools such as ChatGPT language models and licenses for GitHub- and Microsoft Copilot.
Maximising efficiency for a faster time to market
In 2024, we adopted a DevOps way of working, incorporating tools such as AI co-pilots to streamline our development processes. This approach has accelerated our speed to market while enhancing delivery quality.
Agile Next
We introduced portfolio management and an agile mindset, resulting in a streamlined and focused portfolio. This reduced time to market, improved predictability, and enhanced employee productivity. By initiating strategic portfolio management across the organisation, we improved alignment with our strategic goals, enabled value-based prioritisation, and streamlined the number of initiatives underway. We also redesigned and implemented an agile operating model, organising design and DevOps teams around customer journeys and strategic priorities. This increased delivery efficiency and allowed us to scale down our DevOps budget.
Anti-phishing code to secure data
At PostNL, safeguarding customer data is a key priority, especially given the rise in phishing attempts, where fraudsters try to trick people into giving personal information, such as passwords, by pretending to be a trusted organisation.
To combat this, in 2024 we introduced an anti-phishing code, a simple yet effective tool to help customers verify the authenticity of our emails. Noah Neuman, information security officer, explains: “Criminals often send fake emails claiming to be from PostNL, aiming to steal personal information. To counter this, we’ve implemented the anti-phishing code. It works like a personal password linked to your account. Whenever we send you an email, your unique code appears at the top, providing a clear signal of authenticity. This initiative has been well-received, and we strongly encourage all users to set up their anti-phishing code. By doing so, you’ll take an essential step in keeping your information safe and secure.”
