Why did DHL’s employees need Reliance Protect?
Whatever the size of DHL customers, from global to local, their operating philosophy is to draw upon their local insight in combination with their global experience in order to deliver best value.
One of DHL Supply Chain’s core directives is to provide a sustainable competitive advantage for its customers, not only by getting their products to market faster but also more efficiently. The renewal of a national high street retail contract held by DHL Supply Chain held many challenges to the company. This contract primarily involved making deliveries outside of normal working hours and always requiring a two-person team. The contract renewal involved changes set to rationalise costs for DHL’s client, without comprimising the excellent service supplied. Changes included the introduction of single-manned deliveries, yet DHL recognised the safety risks this proposed.
DHL needed to care for its driver’s safety and well-being when they are alone, driving at night, and/or in potentially vulnerable environments.
Reliance Protect ticked all the boxes
Paul Johnson, Regional Health and Safety Manager for DHL Supply Chain, was, at the time, talking to Reliance High Tech about the viability of lone worker solutions for other areas within DHL. The renewal contract for DHL Supply Chain represented the perfect opportunity to introduce Reliance Protect in practice. The potential risks of intimidation or threats to personal security are magnified by that fact that most deliveries are made at night and often to locations within town centres where pubs and clubs would be open late. Other health and safety concerns included the possibility of injury by accident such as a slip, trip or fall whilst unloading, road accidents or even vehicle hi-jacking.
In consultation with Unions and drivers, it was acknowledged that the Reliance Protect device and the back-up support services of the Monitoring and Communication Centre provided the necessary assurances to enable single-manned deliveries. Drivers now feel comfortable in the knowledge that their health and safety is being monitored 24/7/365, and that ultimately a guaranteed Police response can be called upon if required.
DHL Supply Chain was subsequently enabled to offer their client considerable cost savings by providing single-manned deliveries. As a result of this cost saving measure, and in combination with a number of other performance related initiatives by DHL, the contract was not only renewed but extended by a further two years.
You are never alone with Reliance Protect
Reliance Protect is a service that can either utilise your existing smartphone or specialised personal safety devices that are supplied as part of the service and worn about the person. With either solution the lone worker can discreetly alert our remote monitoring centre to a threat with a single press of a button ensuring no suspicion is raised.
By listening to and capturing everything that takes place during the incident, our trained specialist monitoring staff can respond appropriately depending on the severity of the situation including calling out the police, alerting colleagues/supervisors and archiving recordings as evidence for any subsequent legal action.
Our range of Reliance Protect devices and services feature a number of different functions and designs, depending on the particular requirements.
Our priorities centred on the well-being of our drivers followed by maximising benefit for our client. The Reliance Protect lone worker solution is operationally very impressive and allowed us to fulfil both of these objectives. Additionally, the cost of the service is far out-weighed by the value of the contract and a safe workforce... it really is a win, win solution.
DHL Supply Chain
