How it works

What we do and how it works

We offer a nationwide network of PickUp DropOff (PUDO) points that allow businesses to get parts out to, and receive parts back from, field personnel. This saves your business lost man hours, fuel and time as it means your field personnel spend much less time on the road - less travelling back to base or to distant delivery company depots to get parts and the maximum time possible at your customer sites doing their job and earning your business money.

Our PUDO network is made up of independent newsagents and convenience stores that are generally open from 6am till late in the evening.

We have 366 PUDO’s in our network, but if we don’t already have one where you need it, then we invite you to challenge us to get you one within a week. Click here to find out more.

You don’t need any barcodes or specialist equipment to use our service, so you can start using Parcel Holders as soon as you have signed up.

Our process relies on a simple alphanumeric code that changes with each consignment of parts you send. That way each delivery can be tracked. We call this code the ‘Label Code’, and you add it to the address of each consignment of parts to be picked up or dropped off, to or from our PUDO’s. The address and ‘Label Code’ can be written on your consignment with a pen if you wish - perfect for engineers out in the field.

How to ‘Arrange a PickUp from a PUDO’ in our network

The first thing you need to do when you sign up for your free trial is to tell us who is going to collect your consignments of parts. Under the title ‘User Management’ click on ‘Add a field engineer’ and follow the onscreen instructions. To help get you going, we add £3 credit to your account for each field engineer you submit with a valid mobile phone number in your first 7 days. We then give you 14 days from the day you originally signed up to use these credits.

When you add field engineers to our system we text and/or email them to let them know how the system works and what to expect.

When you want to send a part, login to your account. Under the title ‘Book a Consignment’ click on ‘Arrange a PickUp from a PUDO’ and follow the onscreen instructions. You will then be issued with the addressing details for your consignment of parts.

You can now send your consignment of parts to our PUDO using any delivery company you wish. Alternatively, you can save further time and delivery costs by having your suppliers use this addressing information to deliver to our PUDO direct!

We want to ensure that the correct field engineer collects the parts intended for them. So when your consignment arrives at our PUDO, we issue a unique eight digit ‘Smart PickUp Pin’. The ‘Smart PickUp Pin’ acts as two signatures in one. Firstly, it ensures only your field engineer can pick up the consignment for them and secondly, it proves that your field engineer has collected the consignment from our PUDO. The ‘Label Code’ and corresponding ‘Smart PickUp Pin’ are sent to your field engineer via sms text and/or email when your consignment arrives at the PUDO.

Our PUDO staff attach a sticky note with the appropriate ‘Label Code’ and four digits of the ‘Smart PickUp Pin’ to your consignment. When your field engineer arrives to pick up the consignment of parts, our PUDO staff will ask your field engineer for the ‘Label Code’ and the corresponding eight digit ‘Smart PickUp Pin’. Our PUDO staff will then note down the missing four digits and check the other four digits against the ones they already have and, assuming all is in order, hand over the consignment to your field engineer so they have the parts they need to get on with their job!

How to ‘Arrange a DropOff to a PUDO’ by a field engineer

Login to your account. Under the title ‘Book a Consignment’ click on ‘Arrange a DropOff to a PUDO’ and follow the onscreen instructions. You will be asked to select the following: a PUDO for the DropOff, the field engineer to make the DropOff and the address you intend to have the consignment delivered to. Your field engineer will then be sent an sms text and/or email containing the ‘Label Code’ included in the addressing details.

Your field engineer uses this information to address the consignment and can now take the consignment to the PUDO.

When the part has been dropped of at our PUDO, we email your account administrator to let them know that the consignment is waiting at our PUDO to be collected by your delivery company. When you contact your delivery company to collect the part from our PUDO, make sure you inform them of the address with which your field engineer has labeled the consignment. When the delivery person arrives to collect your consignment they will asked the delivery address to ensure they are given the correct consignment.

Handling insurance and fees

It is normal procedure for a delivery company to request a signature from a recipient as proof that they have taken a consignment. We hold responsibility for your consignments from the time our PUDO staff sign for them on delivery until the time they are released to your field engineers. We automatically cover the first £100 worth of each consignment. For goods worth more than £100, we charge a handling fee on the excess. The handling fee is 3% of the excess value charged against your account credit and is therefore subject to discounts or bonuses you have taken advantage of. In the event of loss or damage to any of your parts consignments in our care, we may require proof of delivery from your delivery company.

Please note that we cannot take delivery of goods worth more than £5000 and that we do not take responsibility for any additional cost to you or your customers. Where adequate proof of delivery has been provided, we will reimburse you the cost value of your parts and delivery cost within 28 days.