The Courier Conundrum: When a Few Bad Apples Spoil the Bunch
Couriers need accountability: How data and automation transform last-mile delivery
Couriers have an accountability issue they need to address. The fact is that the majority of issues—missed deliveries, damaged parcels, or customer complaints—stem from a small subset of underperforming couriers or routes.
According to Ofcom, 67% of UK parcel recipients reported delivery issues in the past six months, with significant dissatisfaction linked to a handful of courier firms. This aligns with the 80/20 rule, where 20% of couriers or routes often account for 80% of delivery problems. These problems—whether late deliveries, lost parcels, or poor customer communication—don’t just impact end customers. They affect every stakeholder:
Retailers see customer complaints rise, loyalty dip, and brand reputation tarnished.
Couriers face operational inefficiencies, escalating costs, and strained partnerships.
Yet, identifying these weak links has historically been an uphill battle. Manual processes, fragmented data, and a lack of transparency have made it nearly impossible to pinpoint the source of recurring issues. That’s where the power of insurance-backed automation and data-driven insights comes in—a transformative approach that doesn’t just uncover the problem but actively solves it.
The Solution: Combining Insurance, Automation, and Data
To break this cycle, companies need more than anecdotal evidence or one-off fixes. They need a system that turns every delivery event—especially the problematic ones—into actionable insights. Here’s how Anansi’s approach tackles the challenge:
1. Insurance that creates accountability
Courier coverage hasn’t just been letting down the retailers, it’s also not supporting couriers. By not incorporating a regulated approach and not collating the data that comes when the right solution is implemented they’ve missed the opportunity to leverage valuable insights
Anansi’s regulated, embedded insurance flips the script by integrating claims resolution into the logistics process itself.
Every claim filed becomes a data point tied to a specific courier, route, or delivery event. This creates a clear trail of accountability, making it possible to identify patterns and assign responsibility.
For example, if one courier consistently generates a high volume of claims for damaged parcels, the data doesn’t just settle the claims—it highlights a performance issue that can be addressed at its source.
2. Automation drives efficiency
Manual claims management is slow, inconsistent, and error-prone, often obscuring the true scope of courier performance issues. Automation changes the game by:
Streamlining claims resolution, ensuring accuracy and speed.
Generating clean, standardised data that’s easy to analyse.
Reducing labour costs, freeing teams to focus on growth and customer engagement.
When claims are processed automatically, you don’t just resolve them faster—you capture the data needed to track performance metrics in real-time.
3. Data unlocks insights
Data is only as valuable as the insights it provides. Anansi’s platform aggregates and analyses claims data alongside operational metrics like delivery times, parcel condition, and customer satisfaction scores. This creates a holistic view of courier performance, enabling businesses to:
Pinpoint underperformers: Identify the specific couriers, routes or even types of packages responsible for recurring issues.
Proactively address problems: Implement targeted training, process improvements, or renegotiations with problematic partners.
Drive continuous improvement: Use data to refine logistics strategies over time.
The result: Transparency, accountability, and better outcomes.
By combining these three elements, businesses achieve what has long been elusive in the last mile: true accountability. For example:
Retailers gain the tools to hold couriers to higher performance standards, improving customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.
Couriers can use the data to identify and address inefficiencies within their operations, enhancing reliability and competitiveness.
End customers receive a seamless delivery experience, reinforcing their trust in both the retailer and the courier.
Why this matters now: Don’t let the 20% define your business.
The stakes in last-mile delivery have never been higher. UK consumers expect fast, reliable service, and failure to meet these expectations can have lasting consequences for retailers and couriers alike. With ecommerce growth showing no signs of slowing, the need for proactive, data-driven solutions is only growing.
Whether you’re a retailer managing multiple courier partners or a courier firm aiming to improve your service, the message is clear: you can’t fix what you can’t see. By integrating insurance, automation, and data, Anansi provides the tools you need to uncover and address the small problems that cause big headaches.
