Couriering with carbon in mind

GreenFleet caught up with Jeremy Thompson, managing director of couriers Absolutely to discuss the firm’s 150 year history, its recent re-brand, and how a mixed fleet – including cargo bikes and hybrid vehicles – is helping to keep emissions down

What does your company do and how did it get started?

Our heritage goes right back to 1865 when our founder, George Thompson who had been Station Master of St Pancras Station, started a transport business using horse drawn vehicles. In 1984 the business began to move into the courier sector and within two-three years it was the dominant part of the group. Subsequently the business became a company specialising in couriers.

Since our first acquisition in 1994 we have acquired on average one company a year to a total of 21 before our re-brand. This year for instance we acquired two companies, Destinations Green and Creative Cars and Couriers. This acquisition strategy has been very successful and we are now one of the leading courier companies in London. We have four divisions that handle different specialist areas of our work.

These include our same-day delivery operation based in Holborn, executive car service based in Kentish Town, overnight delivery service based in Park Royal and an international business based in Heathrow. In early October this year, we took our unique offering of our 21 companies and these four specialist sectors, and re-branded the entire offering as Absolutely (formerly the Mach 1 Group).

What type of fleet does the company operate?

Our courier fleet stands at over 250 vehicles. We use a whole range of vehicles, including push bikes, small vans, large vans, and a whole range of cars for the car service. Essentially, we use the vehicle which is best suited to the needs of that particular client on the day. The Toyota Prius is the most commonly used car which is green, comfortable and reliable.

Does the company have an environmental fleet strategy, and if so, what is involved?

Push bikes are used for local deliveries which is pleasing for our more environmentally conscious clients. We also make use of cargo bikes which offer enlarged transport capabilities. We use cargo bikes especially in the City and West End because in these areas they can fulfil the jobs that are usually required of a van.

Our key vehicle of choice for passenger transportation is the hybrid Toyota Prius which is very environmentally friendly. All of our alternative vehicles are no more than a couple of years old ensuring that emissions are minimised.

Do you have any plans to use alternatively-fuelled vehicles?

We are constantly keeping up to date with new developments in the industry to see what areas we can incorporate into the business. It is certainly something that we are particularly conscious of. The challenge you have with alternatively fuelled vehicles is the low mileage range they achieve which simply isn’t practical within the same-day market at the moment.

For our other vehicles, their life span tends to be between two-three years old and therefore are as modern and fuel efficient as we can get. This provides us with a continuous current and up-to-date fleet, which has greatly reduced Absolutely’s emissions. We are proud to use newer vehicles with modern approaches to emissions and we will continue to keep up with developments in the wider automotive sector as it progresses. This approach goes hand in hand with our attention to using the latest technology and supplying the best customer service.

Does the company use any technology to improve operations?

This is another key USP of our business. We have an investment in DA Systems, the principle suppliers of technology to the courier industry, ensuring that we are always at the forefront of technological developments in the sector. A whole range of technologies have been applied to our vehicles. In fact, we often carry out beta test developments for the industry.

Day-to-day, one of the main applications is the use of mobile data to keep us in touch with our drivers and customers. Our entire fleet is GPS tracked so we can direct them to the correct address if necessary to 10 metres. When we allocate a job to a driver all the details are sent to his mobile device and when the delivery is made, we can pass the signature on to the client within 10 seconds of delivery. We also have on-board cameras on most vehicles.

The company recently had a re‑brand – what was the thinking behind this?

As we have grown the multi-brand approach has become no longer appropriate for a company of our size. We consulted with a branding firm who came up with the brand Absolutely. The branding will help us in standing out from among our peers and will give us a much greater presence on the streets of London. We also wanted a brand which differentiated us apart from the others – it wasn’t a name which indicated ‘speed’ or ‘courier,’ but instead reflects the ethos of our business.

The alternative branding with images of lobsters and crocodiles indicates that this one company will deliver Absolutely anything. As you can see there is a clear heritage to our company dating back to 1865 but our branding demonstrates our modern approach to the industry.

Where do you stand on autonomous vehicles – is there a place for them for delivery firms?

We will always keep up to speed with market technology developments, however, customer service excellence is at the crux of our business and the interaction between the customers and drivers is something we truly value. It’s this interaction which gives us the reputation for providing an outstanding, high quality service.

What advice would you give to other fleet managers about lowering fleet emissions and improving operations?

My advice to other fleets is to be responsible as the decisions we make do have a genuine impact on emissions and the decisions of our clients, peers and customers. Possessing a fleet with responsible green credentials is, much like our technology offering, another way in which Absolutely is pleased to lead our peers. Decisions such as this really add value in providing a unique customer service with every task no matter what the job is.

Businesses under Absolutely are: A to Z Couriers, Ambassador, Bonds, BPH Services, City Bikes, Creative Cars & Couriers, Deliverence, Destinations Green, Falcon, Fleet Street Flyers, Goldstar International, Pink Express, Quickstar, Reuter Brooks, Spot the Courier, Streetwise, The Courier Group, The Warwick Group, West End Couriers, Wharf Logistics and Wizz.