Triangle Consultancy provides new customer satisfaction survey for all main service providers in the German parcels and express market

(London/Tübingen, 10th October 2005) Although competition in the German express and parcel services market is fierce, carriers still managed to raise their prices in the last twelve months - and customers fear those price rises could virtually double in the coming year. This is the main conclusion to be drawn from the latest edition of Triangle Management Services’ German Domestic Parcels and Express Distribution Survey, believed to be the only survey of its type into the German CEP market.

The report is based upon more than 400 in-depth interviews with decision-makers within companies sending more than 100 parcels per month within Germany; 40% of respondents sent in excess of a thousand parcels per month.

During the last twelve months, users of parcel services reported an average price increase of 1.2%, while users of express services (those with guaranteed delivery times) saw their rates go up slightly more. Increases of around 2.5%, more than the current German rate of inflation, are expected by both sectors of the market in the next year. Price was seen as the main reason for changing a carrier, even more so than had been the case in the equivalent survey twelve months previously. More than half of all respondents said that they would change their existing carrier if they were offered a price reduction from a competitor, whereas these were in the minority in 2004. Price sensitivity has increased significantly compared to the 2004 survey, possibly a response to the latest price increases and the general economic situation.

On the other hand, this year’s survey reveals that there is still a strong element of brand loyalty in the German parcels and express market. More than 60% of all customers have been with their carrier at least five years, while many carriers can report that they have customers who have been with them for more than ten years.

Although price is an important element, quality of service appears to be a more significant factor in the choice of express carrier, and Triangle’s survey goes into some depth on customers’ perception of quality of the operators. In terms of overall level of service, shippers felt that TNT is the quality leader whereas DHL/Deutsche Post are seen to have room for improvement in the customer service area. Apart from price reductions, the service improvements most respondents would like to see included faster delivery, later collection and pro-active problem notification (a common theme across Triangle’s express surveys across Europe including the UK, Spain and France).

The 2005 survey, for which the fieldwork was completed during June and July 2005, focuses on the domestic express and parcel market, but looks also at international shipping. The report presents detailed results and analysis for each of the more than fifty questions in the survey, including selection criteria, awareness, service levels, service improvements and media recall. It allows for benchmarking of the results, enabling carriers to measure their customers’ perception of their performance against that of their competitors. In addition to the main results and analysis content, the report also gives an overview of the CEP market and its main developments, presenting a profile of every carrier including data on its history, market strategy, domestic and international services and IT solutions. The report is written in English and German, and can be obtained from Triangle by calling Robin Parr-Davies on +44 (0)870 950 7900 or by email to Robin.Parr.Davies@triangle.eu.com.
 

Notes for Editors:

• This new Triangle report (The German Domestic Parcels and Express Distribution Survey) has been based on the long-established (19 years) UK Parcels Distribution Survey, which is today the benchmark for the express parcels industry in the UK. This edition of the report (the second annual German study) provides a customer satisfaction survey for all of the main service providers in the parcels and express market, and presents the survey results to enable individual carriers to measure their performances against their direct competitors based on customers’ perception.

• Studies using similar methodology also include the UK Parcels Distribution Survey, the UK Pallets Distribution Survey, the French Domestic Express Customer Survey and the UK International Express Outbound Survey. These surveys are conducted annually.

• The German report is available for purchase at a cost of €25,000 + VAT (twenty-five thousand Euros plus VAT).

• For more information, contact Robin Parr-Davies on +44 (0) 870 950 7900 or by email: robin.parr.davies@triangle.eu.com.

• For inquiries in German, contact Ludwig-Michael Cremer on +49 (0) 7071 64 03 15 or by email: l.m.cremer@t-online.de.

Triangle Management Services Ltd., founded in 1984, is today the pre-eminent independent specialist management services company within the global mail, express, and logistics sectors. As well as market research surveys, UK based Triangle also offers the following services to clients: Recruitment, Consultancy, Mergers & Acquisitions and Conferences - all of which focus on the mail and express industry sectors. For further information please go to www.triangle.eu.com.