E-PICKING, THE AUTOMATED LOCKER DEDICATED TO THE DEPOSIT AND WITHDRAWAL OF BULKY PARCELS

Startup

Pauline CHOSSEC, Manager at E-picking
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Meeting with Pauline Chossec, Manager at E-picking, the startup created in 2020 that develops an automated deposit solution dedicated to parcels >30KG

Who are you ? And where does your entrepreneurial spirit come from?

Pauline Chossec, 28 years old this year, and Brestoise. I graduated from ESC Brest and EBS Paris in business and international relations. I started my career in Paris as a recruitment manager/consultant, where I developed and managed the real estate and Supply Chain departments.

In spring 2019, the family group (specialized in the distribution, warehousing and logistics sectors) was in full development, and shared its evolution with me.

I am lucky to have a family of entrepreneurs, who have always fueled this desire in me to create my own company and who offered me at that precise moment the possibility of adding a new complementary activity to the group.

It was the time for me to embark on this adventure.

So I started my departure, and left Paris to return to my roots!

In September 2019, I joined the family structure with the mission to ensure the development of an innovative service in the automated locker market dedicated to bulky items.

How was your business born?

During 2019, one of the group's companies, to complete its service offering and at the request of its professional customers, sought an automated solution allowing the deposit and collection of large and bulky parcels (to accommodate the equivalent of 2 European pallets).

After carrying out a sourcing study, we have not identified any players on the European market and we therefore made the decision to create our own product in 2020 to meet this need.

At the same time, retailers and carriers asked us to test our solution, which allowed us to validate the technology and the market.

This is the beginning of E-Picking.

Who are your clients ? And what need are you meeting?

Our clients are initially private companies: logisticians, manufacturers and retailers.

For them, the short-term objective is to increase the distribution networks of relay points and distribute the number of crossing points in order to optimize the costs linked to the last mile.

You should know that the delivery of the last km represents 30 % of urban congestion, 25 % of greenhouse gas emissions and can represent up to 50 % of the total cost of logistics.

Today, for the delivery of packages >30Kg there are several problems:

  • No known long-term solution: To date, there is no profitable solution for end operators that allows the long-term development of a network of relay points for parcels > 30 kg.
  • Constraints linked to demand: They are all the stronger as the products are voluminous (rental of a utility vehicle, need for technical assistance, handling, etc.)
  • The turnover of relay points: The lifespan of a relay point is approximately 6 months. Operators are not paid for the time spent and the resources implemented.

Our solution allows you to reduce operational and last mile costs.

They can thus offer a differentiating service, give back accessible 24/7 their product, while maintaining a high level of security (our lockers are designed to accommodate products with a high unit value) and customer satisfaction (clients are independent and no longer have time constraints).

And since 2021, we have also been working with communities. We are a signatory of the Rennes Métropole sustainable urban logistics charter where E-Picking strategically participates in relieving congestion in city centers, by offering a solution that allows flows to be pooled at the start and end of the chain.

How can your solution improve the existing Supply Chain?

Our solution meets the needs of both logisticians and decision makers:

  • For logisticians: Our solution allowsto increase the number of shared deliveries accessible 24/7.
    On a tour, the carrier drops off 8 packages in one go, and the average delivery time is currently 3 minutes/package VS 10 minutes for home delivery. In this sense, carriers integrate a global ecological approach : reduction of carbon impact of the delivery of the last km and an implication.
    Economically, E-Picking reduces “no shows” and allows you to eliminate redelivery costs, delinquencies and therefore reduces restocking costs and costs related to after-sales service.
  • For order givers: Our instructions allow them to optimize tours, and reduce costs linked to the last mile (the most expensive and the most challenging today given the constraints in urban areas). They present a innovative delivery service : Increase in customer conversion rate and customer satisfaction.
    A consumer satisfied with their purchasing experience is a consumer who will recommend after a positive delivery experience. They meet expectations on the terms and conditions of delivery and offer a differentiating service.
    Users and customers have 24/7 drive-thru access to their order and produced on a secure place.
    And on the “security and traceability” aspect: The access codes are unique and ephemeral and allow real-time traceability of each participant.

Where are you today in the development of your company? And what is your action plan?

To go over the steps, 2020 was for us the year of proof of concept, followed in 2021, the commercial development phase with distributors and transporters, and since 2022, we have had our first orders to establish our sites nationally.
Our vision : become the leader on the XXL automated locker market

Regulations on the management of furniture waste (DEA) have reached a new level since the 1st of January 2022. Since its creation in 2012, any natural or legal person who manufactures, imports or introduces furniture elements into the market (DEA) must ensure the management of waste from said products. However, since the 1st of January 2022 and within the framework of the objectives set, the minimum recycling rate now increases to 50%.

As a Supply Chain professional, how will you transform this constraint into an opportunity?

We knew the problems was linked to the last mile (the most expensive), today there are constraints linked to the first mile for the reverse logistics and thecircular economy.

It's a gymnastics to carry out from now on from the purchasing journey of the customer to anticipate the application of the recovery (one for one) or (one for zero) which implies perfect management of routes and flows.

On the financial side, distributors, manufacturers or delivery people are looking for solutions to consolidate flows from different players and delivery providers.

And it will be important to quickly identify the possibilities of integrating into their physical store recovery areas, and study additional costs linked to operational (handling assistance, site security, etc.) but also those linked to M² (valuable on tense areas).

The benefit of E-Picking instructions is linked to time management (24/7 accessibility) ; the cost (vs LAD, last mile/first mile, no show…), the so-called “buffer” storage, and some security (traceability).

E-Picking is THE effective solution for logisticians who pool flows “at the end and at the beginning of the chain” and brings the consumer or an external service provider to the point of delivery. The solution is accessible 24 hours a day and is implemented at strategic locations.

And today we also offer our services to companies looking for the implementation of solutions for the subjects of DEA.

THE STARTUP MINUTE Visuel vignette Youtube La Minute Start-up avec E-picking pour le blog de SprintProject

To know more : www.e-picking.com


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