The value of voice-picking technology in fast-moving operations has been given another huge endorsement with the news that parcel giant DPD is now depending on LYDIATM Voice for its UK sorting and routing processes.
Another innovation from supply chain software expert Ehrhardt Partner Group (EPG), LYDIA Voice is winning admirers all over the globe, partly because it offers a state-of-the-art hands-free, eyes-free experience for users. The long-term relationship with DPD, dating back to 2015, offers further concrete evidence of its competence; DPD delivers over 260m parcels a year in the UK, with roughly 2,000 LYDIA units helping to optimize parcel sorting and routing across five hubs and numerous depots.
Describing itself as the “UK’s favourite parcel delivery company”, DPD employs over 15,000 people at 84 locations. The company’s new £100m Superhub in Hinckley, Leicestershire, is now operational, and the 33-acre site, which is the largest of its kind in Europe, can sort up to 72,000 parcels per hour.
The Versatility of Voice
DPD managers judged that hands-free, eyes-free Voice technology had the potential to play a significant role at the new and existing hubs, because it enables staff both to move parcels and to close and tie bags much more easily and quickly.
LYDIA Voice is also playing a key role at DPD depots. The employee simply scans the parcel barcode, which immediately identifies its destination and relevant tote bin, the number of which the employee hears clearly via LYDIA Voice, allocating it accordingly and moving swiftly on to the next parcel.
The benefits do not end there. The scanning technology can trace down to minutes and seconds where and when a parcel was last scanned and by which device, which prevents mis-routes and brings demonstrable security benefits.
Easy To Use – No Training Required
DPD managers are also delighted that the solution requires no voice template training for new users – a significant win in a sector experiencing high staff turnover, particularly at seasonal peaks.
Further benefits include full autonomy for DPD over dialogue settings, without need to contact EPG technicians. LYDIA Voice can be accessed in all global languages, while voice commands can be adapted to suit prevailing regional accents or dialects to assist the recognition process. Eastern European and South Asian accents, for instance, are commonplace in DPD’s UK facilities.
“The implementation of the LYDIA Voice solution has been a huge success since its inception in 2015,” confirms Desmond Smith, DPD Executive Director Network Services. “LYDIA Voice is now a core component in our five hubs and over 70 depots across the DPD network. The benefits realised include improved sorting accuracy and traceability of parcels and the training of operatives is now easier and faster, giving us improved resource flexibility.”
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