DHL Express Launches On Demand Delivery For Sub Saharan Region

DHL Express, the international express services provider, announced Tuesday (Feb. 21) the launch of On Demand Delivery for the Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) region.

In a press release, DHL Express said the new service enables shippers and receivers around the globe to select from a range of delivery options that are standard. The new service is currently available in six markets across South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mauritius and Tanzania, with plans to roll out to further countries in SSA throughout 2017, DHL said in the release.

According to DHL Express, the On Demand Delivery service offers shippers the choice to activate specific delivery options and have DHL Express proactively notify their customers via email or SMS about a shipment’s progress. What’s more, DHL said customers can then select the delivery option that best suits their requirements via the On Demand Delivery website. The service is specifically tailored to international eCommerce deliveries, where the majority of shipments are addressed to residential addresses.

“Globally, we have seen the share of eCommerce deliveries grow from about 10 percent in 2013 to more than 20 percent of the international volumes of DHL Express in 2016,” said Hennie Heymans, CEO of DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, in the press release. “This has primarily been driven by the strong demand for high-value and premium goods in the global marketplace, as well as the emergence of startup retailers who are growing beyond borders and therefore require a worldwide door-to-door delivery service. Our On Demand Delivery service was developed with the needs of our customers at the very core. E-tailers and their customers continue to evolve, and we needed to ensure that our services continue to exceed customer expectations.”

The executive went on to say the service isn’t simply a new customer interface, but it also marks an enhancement to its worldwide delivery network.