Spar Willow Lane in Lancaster has introduced a new package handling concept under a freshly created Parcel+ brand, which owner Lawrence Hunt & Co believe could be a gamechanger.
For the first time, the new Parcel+ hub is entirely separate from the Spar customer counter, and the concept has been achieved after the adjacent unit next door was acquired and integrated into the existing store.
Parcel+ acts as a Collect+ and InPost location point, and it services all the major couriers including Amazon, Evri, DPD, DHL, UPS, FedEx, Royal Mail, Parcel Force, and Yodel.
With capacity to store large volumes of parcels and an alphabetical system to quicken the collection process, the Hunts’ team believe Parcel+ will better serve existing customers.
The range of couriers supported by Parcel+ also makes the concept instantaneously appealing to new customers who are seeking a secure alternative to home delivery when out during the day.
Kevin Hunt, managing director of Lawrence Hunt & Co. Ltd, said: “We are always looking for new ideas to improve the way we operate, and we very pleased with our finished Parcel+ concept.
“It is fully operational now with the services and couriers all set up, and we have a vibrant brand that we think customers will grow to recognise.
“Parcel handling has become a key segment of business for our group, and to sustain the considerable growth we have enjoyed in recent years, we felt that we had to adapt the way we operated to enhance customer experience.
“Prior to Christmas, the months of November and December were exceptionally busy for parcels, and it highlighted that the direction we were going down with the development of Parcel+ was the right one.
“The expansion has resulted in no loss of sales space within the store, and with the acquired additional space, we have even been able to improve the store’s existing Deli by providing a larger kitchen and preparation area.
“We are genuinely excited to see how Parcel+ performs and we look forward to taking learnings from both the customer feedback we receive and from the experience of our retail team operating Parcel+ day to day.
“Our thanks go to the team at James Hall & Co. Ltd for the refit and partners at Paypoint for the systems support – it has been a fantastic collective effort to get Parcel+ off the ground.”
Lawrence Hunt & Co. Ltd is a fourth-generation family business operating 22 Spar stores across the North West of England. The business has been associated with the symbol since opening their first store in 1957.
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