Yello! #18 - DHL Employee Magazine

Yello!

EYE EYE!

MEET THE CODE CRACKERS

THE SITE VISIT THAT BROUGHT NEW FOCUS TO A LONG-STANDING PROBLEM P5

INSIDE: 7 WAYS WE’RE CHANGING FOR THE BETTER P6

AND: THE JUGGLER, GENTLE GIANT AND HEARTBEAT - ANNUAL WINNERS ASSEMBLE P11

Welcome to your Autumn edition of Yello! It’s hard to believe that the summer months are behind us and we are now heading towards the busiest time of the year with Peak. I’m stepping into Peter’s shoes just this once to let you know what's coming up in this edition.

As an Ambassador for the DHL UK Foundation, it’s great to see how we’ve been giving something back to our communities by supporting young people through work placements and mentor programmes.

You can read all about the wonderful work DHL eCommerce UK colleagues are doing on pages 9 and 18.

I really enjoyed attending this year’s Employee of the Year event in the summer (below) – why not take a look at the feature on pages 12 and 13 to see if you recognise any of the dozen well-deserving winners?

Contents

04 It’s all in the name

How will our new title make us even stronger? And other questions answered.

05 Postcode lottery

Not any more… thanks to some First Choice good fortune.

06 The magnificent 7

Our site focus this month is on Norwich, where the team give customer service a very personal touch. And there’s an easy-to-follow update on our transformation programme on pages 6 and 7.

Yello! is written for you and by you, so please get in touch at internalcommunications_ecsuk@dhl.com and tell us your story or share your team’s successes!

Enjoy your copy of Yello! and Peter will be back for our final edition of the year in December.

Paula Gardiner, HR VP – DHL eCommerce UK

Payroll Lottery winners

That’s the number of key steps that are set to power our Limitless Growth.

09 Changing lives

The placement that gave four young people hope… and our team a whole new outlook.

11 All different, all great

Do you know any of this year’s Employee of the Year winners?

15 Thicker than water

The devoted daughter keeping her father’s blood pilgrimage alive through volunteering.

16 The personal touch

One site’s friendly approach and how it’s winning and keeping customers old and new.

18 Knowledge waterfall

The project helping disadvantaged youngsters…  and the people inspiring them.

19 Tanks for your time

Long-server Tim’s stressbusting secret to success.

20 Win… A luxury break for two nights anywhere in the UK for you and a guest.

QR codes

Don’t forget! Whenever you see a QR code, scan it with your smartphone camera app to view additional content or videos here and online.

Congratulations to our Payroll Lottery winners: The Payroll Lottery is just £2 a month to enter, with half of your contribution going to the monthly winner and the other half to charity.

June: Mariana Magurean – Operations Clerk, Enfield – £560

July: Francesca Earley – Client Production Manager, Mail – £570

August: Mariusz Szymanski – IT Service Desk Team Leader, Ryton – £579

To be in with a chance to win, email payroll_ecsuk@dhl.com with your name, location and payroll number.

DIDN’T REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT I WAS DOING – IT WAS JUST THE RIGHT THING TO DO

Brave driver Simon helps driver in lorry crash horror

who crashed his lorry on a busy road after suffering a heart attack at the wheel was kept alive thanks to the bravery of a DHL colleague.

Aman

Simon Morris was following the 44-tonne artic when it veered onto the hard shoulder before swerving back and coming to a stop on the central reservation.

Reassure

Our Sheffield-based Linehaul Driver and another driver pulled to a halt alongside the stricken vehicle and tried to stop the A1 northbound traffic near Doncaster.

“There was a slight gap and incredibly some cars were going through it and driving on, but we managed to stop the traffic so we could get out and help,” says the father-ofone. “I dialled 999 straightaway and ran to the cab. Me and the other chap tried to get him out but he was badly trapped, so I sat with him and tried to reassure him.”

The midday drama took a turn for the worse when the victim started to choke,

so Simon climbed further into the cab to make sure his airways were clear.

“He was semi-conscious but could hear me, so I kept talking to him and telling him help was on the way,” recalls Simon, 37. “I didn’t really think about it – I did it because it was just the right thing to do.”

Fire crews arrived and cut the victim in his 50s free, before he was taken by air ambulance to hospital.

Supportive

Simon, a Class 1 driver for five years, says: “I’ve heard nothing so I’m hoping no news is good news. By stopping him choking I gave him a chance, so if he pulled through, I’d like to think I played a small part.”

Simon reached the site two hours later to be met by his Site Manager who asked him how he was. “I just started crying, but the team were brilliant and said: ‘Go home.’

“It means a lot that we have such a supportive management at DHL who will always support us if we do the right thing.”

“Simon is such a genuine guy, one of our best. He was an owner driver but he trained up and we took him on full time. We’re so glad we did –he always goes above and beyond. His actions that day sum him up. Simon would stop for anyone. It’s great to have people in the team like him because he’s a credit to us… and to himself”

Craig Cunningham, Sheffield Operations Manager

“I

”

What’s in a name?

Quite a lot when it comes to growing our customer base

Theworld has kept spinning and we’re all continuing to work smart for our customers, just like we always have. But our new name has been in place for a month or two now, so we thought we’d bring you up to speed on the reasons for the change.

We caught up with Pablo Ciano, CEO of our newly named DHL eCommerce division (right), to find out more…

Why have we changed our name?

The new name reflects the fact that our division offers more than just logistics solutions to our customers and better showcases our range of reliable, affordable and sustainable e-commerce delivery services.

We’re moving from being a solutionsbased provider to having more standardised product offerings so a single name means we can simplify how we communicate to our customers, which will help us continue to execute the strategy.

Does this mean DHL eCommerce oversees all e-commerce logistics at DHL?

E-commerce is a key sector and growth enabler across all DHL divisions which service different parts of the e-commerce value chain and customer needs. DHL eCommerce will be responsible for offering non-time definite domestic, cross-border delivery, and returns services in selected Europe, US and APAC markets. Other DHL divisions will continue to offer services for the e-commerce sector that fit within their profitable core. Examples include e-fulfilment for DHL Supply Chain, TDI for DHL Express, or inbound logistics for DHL Global Forwarding.

Does the change impact contracts with customers and suppliers?

No, there’s no impact on contracts or contractual obligations with key stakeholders including customers, suppliers and other partners.

GET YOURSELF CONNECTED…

FIRST CHOICE

LEEDS Operations

Clerk Alice

Broderick with her First Choice Bronze award. Find out what her team had to say about her on the social wall.

Does the name change impact employee contracts?

No, but all new contracts will contain the wording DHL eCommerce UK. We are also going to change our legal entity in the Autumn, so look out for communications on this in the next few weeks.

Are there implications for branding, signage and physical or digital touchpoints?

Yes. Touchpoints and signage with the old DHL eCommerce Solutions name will be updated, unless they feature pure DHL branding. This includes physical and digital customer-facing material as well as internal ones.

Will product names change and how long will the transition last?

Product names stay the same for now. The transition will be done in phases for each project stream and the initial assumption is that the entire transition will be completed by the end of next year.

FINAL

COUNTDOWN

Operations Manager

Lisa Davey got her Aldershot team in the footie spirit ahead of England’s Lionesses World Cup Final clash with Spain. It didn’t end well, but her team were still proud.

FROM THIS TO

THIS!

CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW THE CODES ARE BIG

First Choice visit ends small print headache

Warehouse colleagues squinting as thousands of parcels rumble down the rollers are about to find a new focus – thanks to some eagle-eyed visitors.

When one of the First Choice panel visiting our Manchester site spotted service partner drivers writing numbers on some of the packages, they asked why.

The drivers told them the postcodes on the parcels were too small to read quickly, so they were using marker pens to write them large on the boxes, to reduce the risk of missed deliveries.

Collaboration

That got the team thinking, and after some lightning-quick collaboration the process was rapidly made smoother.

Tracy Hodges, Head of Product in our Customer Experience team, was approached by the fact-finding party to see if she could find a solution to the small-print headache.

After a call with Operations Support Manager Stephanie Keats and our IT team, new easy-to-read labels in larger font and shaded areas were designed and the template sent through to Manchester.

Site Manager John Fulton says: “It was

identified as an issue in the morning, and we’d heard back that something was going to be done to resolve it before the end of the day. That’s an outstanding turnaround and one which really shows what can be achieved when we work As One to get the job done Right First Time.”

Drivers and the DHL warehouse team started using the new templated labels within seven days of the First Choice visit, and saw a 20% reduction in mis-sorts inside three weeks.

Matt Notere, the site’s AM Manager, says: “When you’ve got lots of parcels to be sorted quickly on the night shift, anything that slows you down or creates a mistake can hurt you the next morning.

“Those mis-sorts mean drivers were hunting for parcels before they could leave the site. If they miss them or can’t find them, we have to go out again, which costs us time and money.”

The new label design has been rolled out across the network, but John jokes: “It was an idea born in Manchester and we’re quite proud of that. It’s a great working example of how the simplest of changes at your site can make a huge difference in terms of time, money and convenience.”

Claire Duffin, Head of Continuous Improvement, insists there are many areas where we can improve. “The Manchester walk-through was to look at a First Choice project, so we found out about the small print along the way. It seemed obvious, so we went back to the root cause of the problem and addressed it –with fantastic results.”

Claire wants all our sites to look into the processes they do to see if there are better, more efficient ways of doing them. “Warehouse colleagues and drivers do things every day, so they are best to say if there’s a better way of working.”

Claire adds: “No idea is a bad idea as a quick win like this postcode print one shows.”

Share your smarter working ideas with your line manager or via the First Choice Ideas section of Smart Connect.

WE

Site for sore eyes? Not now for Operations Manager Roger Hughes, who has been with the business for more than 30 years

The steps to success and happiness

Whenonline shoppers order a T-shirt or trainers online, we want to be the company that gets it to them fast and at the best price.

The boost in volume and capacity at the Coventry Hub will be a driving force in achieving that as we double the capacity, but that’s just one part of a two-year programme to increase our offering, grow our share in the business and e-commerce market – and boost our income.

Project Delivery Director Julia Hoskins is working with teams in Operations, IT, Customer Services and Marketing (see p14) to pull the Transformation Programme’s strands together. “All the work

1

Coventry Hub and network expansion

Julia says: “We’ve had a great vote of confidence from the Group in terms of significant investment to broaden our infrastructure and increase our volumes to allow us to grow.”

2

International presence

happening now is to support the Limitless Growth strategy which starts with happy employees and ends with happy customers who want to do business with us.

“We want to be the highest rated e-commerce provider for people ordering something online to be delivered the next day.” A key part of that means growing our market share.

Julia adds: “Our vision is to allow optimum opportunity for growth that has customers at its core, all driven by strong engagement with our employees around the UK.

“I’m overseeing the Programme, but ultimately this is very much a team collaboration that includes every single person who works for DHL across all our Operations teams and functions.”

Our mission – to grow market share and business profitability supporting the DHL eCommerce Limitless Growth strategy.

“The Coventry Hub will allow us to grow our cross-border import with a specialised customs bonded area. Having an in-house solution will enable us to reduce costs and enhance transit times, making us more attractive to European partners and sellers.”

3

The price is right

“We are reviewing our commercial and international pricing policies. This will allow us to grow our share of the market place.”

4

Out of home

“To ensure we have a best-in-class out of home offering, we’re enhancing a number of existing features, including offering same day collection and pricing for our Direct to Store product ‘ECO’ and adding lockers as a Pick Up and Drop Off option.”

Any other questions?

Who are we up against?

5

6 HR performance

“Performance and digitalisation is focused on streamlining and automating our processes. By adapting technology and using data analytics we’ll be more efficient and adaptable to business needs and help deliver a greater employee experience.”

Customer service transformation

“We’re digitising our contact strategy to make it easy for our customers to contact us in whatever way they want, whenever they want.”

7 Site refresh

“An integral element of our Transformation Programme revolves around the strategic investments made in our sites. The recently established sites at Rowley Road and Kidderminster have played a pivotal role in elevating our facilities, aligning with our Employee Opinion Survey Action Plan and our commitment to the overarching Great Place to Work agenda.”

Our strategy - to be a high growth, leading E-commerce Customer Centric company with employees at its heart. Our strategy – to be a high-growth, leading e-commerce customer centric company with employees at its heart.

“This strategic programme allows us to not only provide a superior service compared to our competitors, but also to present a cost-effective, premium-quality alternative that resonates with our customers. This applies across businessto-business and businessto-consumer, enhancing our position in the market.”

How will the new Coventry Hub drive the transformation?

“By expanding and increasing our capacity to process greater volumes through advanced automation that can deal with different weights and sizes at speed.”

What green measures will it bring?

“Sustainability is a key part of the DHL eCommerce strategy and a major selling point for our new and existing customers. The Coventry Hub fully meets the construction BREEAM Excellence standard, featuring rainwater harvesting from the roof, electric charging points for more than 100 vehicles, solar panels and sensor-monitored external lighting. All of those attributes are great for the environment.”

How crucial is the Programme?

“It’s an incredibly exciting opportunity, and it comes at a perfect time for us in terms of our growth and the state of the market. It will ensure we grow as a business and as individuals. The Programme will also provide structure and governance to ensure we hit delivery dates, and will bring benefits to the business.”

Small is beautiful

From mobiles to bracelets, we’re all set to pick up the slack

Theword is out! There’s a new business on the block when it comes to sending the small stuff.

Our sales teams are reporting “very real traction” from a string of major high-end companies that are looking to spread their delivery load.

The increased volume that the new Coventry Hub will bring will make DHL eCommerce UK an increasingly important player in a fiercely competitive market.

That’s the view of Business Development Director Stuart Exall, who reveals interest in our service offering is already growing from potential new businesses.

“It’s been a tough market since the pandemic, the economic downturn and cost of living crisis, so attracting and retaining new business has never been more important,” he says.

But it’s our recent move to become more of an e-commerce business that is catching the eye of potential customers in the market place.

“Previously we’ve handled a lot of large products such as garden furniture and bicycles and those contracts with Halfords and Wayfair will always be precious to us. “Now the eCommerce name change and all that signifies means we can be more agile and flexible to handle those smaller products that

businesses need picked up at 1am and 2am or weekends.”

He adds: “As our volume increases and we increase our flexibility and move more into the shoebox-size product market, word will spread further because we’re a trusted brand and we have a strong foundation to build on.”

Two other brands already signed up as part of our new business strategy are London Piccadilly-based luxury food store Fortnum & Mason and high-end clothing company Hugo Boss.

Stuart is also realistic, and adds: “A lot of the e-commerce companies we’re gaining traction with have logistics firms already, but we’re looking to complement that by helping them with a percentage of their workload.

“They are starting to move away from single carriers and that’s where the proposition offered by our brilliant Operations teams come in.”

We’re currently well advanced with tenders to potentially win contracts from:

popular high street customised jewellery chain

awardwinning luxury chocolate maker

One of the world’s largest manufacturers of mobile phones

supermarket chain handling thousands of technology items a week

“Our surge in capacity aligned to the Limitless Growth strategy makes us an increasingly attractive proposition for businesses and we’re well into tender processes with a number of well-known brands”

“A WONDERFUL SIGHT TO SEE”

Four young people with special educational needs gained a rare insight into the world of work in a pilot project at one of our sites.

The ThinkForward work placement is part of a DHL UK Foundation initiative to give under-resourced youngsters a glimpse of life beyond school or college.

Foundation Acting CEO Harry Wade says: “Few young people with learning difficulties get the opportunity to take part in meaningful work placements where they have the chance to learn real skills that will help them secure permanent employment.”

But our caring, thoughtful team at Sittingbourne gave Bailey, Leonard, Jake and Robert the experience of a lifetime on their three-week placement… and learned as much about themselves in the process.

Site Manager Peter Whittaker explains: “One day I stood and watched

a couple of people in my team talking to them, and it was a wonderful sight to see. Everyone they came into contact with grew as a result. It was phenomenal.

“The four youngsters were on time every day, got stuck in and listened to the clear instructions of my existing team, who visibly grew in stature as a result.”

Supportive

The placement was such a success Peter signed one of the participants on. “They all knew there was no promise of a job but they approached it with a desire to be disciplined and work hard which was refreshing. The unexpected part was how their presence brought even more out of my team. They were totally supportive and put themselves in the shoes of these people and grew in confidence.”

Warehouse Supervisor Dan Cook earned an Employee of the Month award for stepping up to arrange logistics challenges and Zoom calls.

Peter says: “He’s always been quiet and understated, but he showed a completely different side to himself.

Peter’s “all-action hero” Operations Supervisor Joe Hodges also grew: “He was taking the lead and it was brilliant to watch. I’d recommend ThinkForward to every site on so many levels.”

“They developed us, made us a lot more aware of how lucky we are and taught us never to judge people by the labels they might come with. It was a brilliant experience for us all”

Joe Hodges, Operations Supervisor

“You could see them grow more confident as we mixed with them and they got a lot out of it. It made me realise what I’ve got in terms of skills and knowledge in the job”

Dan Cook, Warehouse Supervisor

The small moments in work placement scheme that brought even more out of our people

Getting stuck in There was no slacking from our four very special guests

Team players (l to r) Bailey, Leonard, Jake and Robert fitted in perfectly

Having a whale of a time

Waine’s a class act on safety message

Waine Greenway will never forget the moment two young students spotted him at his son’s school sports day and thanked him for teaching them to stay safe.

For the Senior Business Analyst, more used to working with our Operations teams on IT projects, it was a chance meeting that left him with a warm glow.

Weeks earlier he’d hosted a truck and child safety lesson at his seven-year-old son William’s Beaver Scouts Colony as part of the DHL UK Foundation’s Go Teach programme. “I first got involved when I read about it on Smart Connect and discovered the Trucks and Child Safety course, so then I asked if I could present it at his school too.”

Amazing feeling

Waine found sharing information about our lorries and getting the youngsters involved in the interactive session so rewarding that he doesn’t want to stop.

He says: “I’d spent a day in the local primary school presenting the course to 172 children. Then after that at the sports day, two of the children I’d taught came

up and thanked me for the fun facts they learned (right), which was amazing. I’ve since arranged for them to get certificates as part of Appreciation Week.”

As well as raising awareness of safety, the course allowed Waine to explain his 35-year journey from school to a career in logistics. “I’ve never been academically minded and left school with no qualifications. Although I’ve only worked for a few companies I’ve worked hard in many roles, often working weird shifts.

“That has given me a great breadth of experience. I think it’s important for children to know that while a good education is important, we don’t all learn in the same way.”

He adds: “I now have a great career in a brilliant business, and what I said might just encourage some of the children to look at DHL as a potential employer.”

WAINE’S WORLD OF FUN

 Our lorries are 16 metres long – the length of a blue whale

 They’re the same height as an adult giraffe

 They weigh the same as seven elephants

A BIG THANK YOU…

… to all of you who completed this year’s Employee Opinion Survey. As you’ve seen in the business update video at our roadshows, your feedback shapes our people strategy to ensure we do all we can to make DHL eCommerce UK an even greater place to work. First results should be ready to share in October. We hope to have improved on last year’s so watch out for updates on Smart Connect.

Paula Gardiner, HR VP – DHL eCommerce UK

Dad’s the word Waine and son William

Everyone really is a

winner!

Every one of our sites across the country is made up of a team of individuals, each with their own strengths, characters, skills and abilities.

We invited 12 of our very best colleagues who went the extra mile in 2022 to this year’s glittering DHL eCommerce UK Employee of the Year awards ceremony.

Each has a slightly different talent that inspires and carries their colleagues with them. And every one of them shares the attributes on which our continued success is built.

There’s a good chance you’ll recognise yourself in some of them. Turn the page to find out what makes them stand out, and keep working As One, with Passion and a Can Do attitude to get it Right First Time – and next year it could be you.

The Constant Learner

Sintija Altane, Mail Sorter – Leeds

Sintija has contributed to

Leeds Sort

Centre’s success for 10 years and it’s down to her that every colleague there has attended our Certified Programme – an incredible achievement. She’s a true ambassador for our attributes and has real Passion for the business, our customers and our people. “I couldn’t be happier or prouder to be named a winner. It makes me feel amazing and grateful my work is being recognised. I love my job because no two days are the same. You learn and develop as a team through challenges working alongside creative, passionate colleagues. I truly believe Passion is the key to success.”

The “Can We Do it Better?”

Jane Buckland, Invoice Query Supervisor – Mail

Nothing’s ever too much trouble for Jane – that’s why she’s so highly regarded by colleagues who comment on how valued her advice is. She lives all four attributes to support customers and colleagues across the network. She takes the lead on improvement and has played a key role in driving positive culture change – she’s a perfect example of a colleague who goes above and beyond every day. “What an honour. I enjoy reviewing processes and stopping to think: ‘Can I do this better?’. It’s important to keep the job fresh so Passion is important to me. And willing, conscientious, committed, diligent and industrious are all linked to that.”

Sam McPhilomey, Driver Controller – Newcastle

Everyone needs a one-in-a-million Sam at their site. He’s the ECG rep and the site’s go-to colleague. Anything he’s asked to do is always greeted with a friendly smile and then performed to the highest standard. He’s no fuss, is always keen to take on any new tasks and his dedication to the ECG role is a credit to him. His lovely smile will cheer anyone up at any time of day. “I was shocked but happy to be named a winner, but my job is made so much easier by the laughs we have. I love the Passion attribute – it shows a desire to improve as a person and the processes.”

The “Heartbeat”

Marta Skinderowicz, Administration Supervisor – Ryton Hub

Marta is a shining example of all the attributes. In her 16 years at DHL, nothing has ever been too much for her and she helps everyone with professionalism and empathy. From helping new starters fill in forms to giving advice, Marta is the heartbeat of the hub thanks to her work ethic and attention to detail. “I’m privileged and humbled. It’s a great honour but things are never done by one person. I’m lucky to work with hard-working, talented and enthusiastic people. It’s about team success and this recognition will inspire us to achieve even more.”

The Organiser

Karis Gillet, Commercial Support Administrator Team player Karis has helped and supported training and development for new starters, as well as organising and arranging SharePoint folders for the Direct Sales department and Commercial Support. She always goes the extra mile to support others, recently pulling out the stops to help with time-critical audits. “I’m so happy to win and am so proud. I’ve been a part of Commercial Support for three years and have never been happier in a job because of the people I work with As One every day. It’s so important to me to feel part of something and belong. Working together to achieve is far better than going it alone.”

The Listener

Dan Beeston, Night Team Leader – Stafford

Dan has recently become Team Leader on nights and has grasped the opportunity with both hands – so much so he’s been nominated by his colleagues from various shifts. His passion to perform to the best of his abilities is a shining example to them and is inspiring others to be the best they can be. “There are so many hard-working colleagues in our business so I was surprised. As Night Team Leader I enjoy motivating my team and supporting them and listening to them. I always chip in and help on a busy shift because Right First Time is something I believe in, especially when we’re making sure all the trailers are done on time.”

The Juggler

Igors Avcinikovs, Transport Administrator – Ryton

Igors has only been with the team a year but showed genuine Passion by stepping into three other colleagues’ roles to fulfil our transport compliance. He has a real Can Do attitude and juggles lots of tasks to keep up the highest standard for the business. He worked As One with his team for a time-sensitive project and got it completed Right First Time. His grit and determination epitomise true DHL spirit. “I couldn’t believe I was a winner. I love supporting other sites, departments and people but I don’t have a favourite attribute – all of them are important.”

The Cheerful One

The Team Player

Aman Dhillon, Integration Project Analyst

The Customers’ Favourite

Emma White, Operations Clerk – Dartford

Emma is part of the family at Dartford and has gone from strength to strength – so much that the site now wonders how they managed without her. She took on responsibility for the Salesforce platform when it was a struggle to achieve 60% on-time response. Last year, the full year score was 99%. She’s been repeatedly commended by customers on how wonderful she is. “I was lost for words, which is unusual. I feel so humbled. It made me so proud I couldn’t stop smiling all day. I enjoy interacting with customers and Dartford is more than just a workplace – it’s somewhere I feel I belong, where I can be myself and look forward to my job each day as part of a brilliant team.”

Gina

McGuinness, Customer Services Advisor –Milton Keynes

Gina has worked in customer service at Milton Keynes since October 2020 and brings a wealth of experience and logistics knowledge. She takes a great interest in her colleagues and her cheery personality is infectious. She’s always smiling, nothing’s too much trouble and the team love her because of her positive and caring nature. “This is so special. I love everything about my role and to be the go-to person in the business is wonderful. All our attributes go hand in hand because combined they make a happier workplace which in turn leads to happy customers.”

The Gentle Giant

Andy Russell, Linehaul Driver (nights) – Bristol

Andy is always on hand to offer extra support. He’s a friendly ‘gentle giant’ who, in addition to his driving role, has become a yard marshal for C and D drivers at his site as well as helping sort parcels to support the night shift during Peak. He greets everyone with a smile and a friendly hello and is a great ambassador for Bristol. Every site he visits knows they can rely on him for his professionalism, dedication and As One attitude. “I get satisfaction from my job because of the customer interaction and being as efficient and safe as possible. Can Do is my favourite attribute as I always strive to do my job to the best of my ability.”

Aman’s knowledge of our IT solutions, skills, expertise and work ethic has contributed significantly to the success of his team. His commitment to the role is a great example to us all. He is a team player, and we’re fortunate to have him as a member of our team now and in a future full of achievements.

“I enjoy the variety of my job, from helping customers to providing input for our development team which again improves customer experience. My team are fantastic. My favourite attribute is Can Do – it’s what customer integrations and meeting their needs is all about.”

The Smart Connector

Charlotte Bowler, Digital Product Specialist – Ryton

Charlotte hit the ground running when she joined 18 months ago to take responsibility for the creation and launch of Smart Connect. Since then, she’s created an app we can all be proud of and has worked tirelessly to ensure desktop and frontline colleagues can access it to become truly connected. Her positive attitude has brought great results and earned her recognition for the fantastic work she’s done across eCommerce UK. “I was so surprised. Working with such a passionate team at Ryton has been great. Through my work on Smart Connect I’ve got to know and support so many people throughout the network, which has been really rewarding.”

The snowball effect

Convenience, premium service, trust and volume will take us to the next level

Andy White’s head was spinning after the baptism of fire that marked his first few weeks in the job. In that time, he’d been to a leadership forum and a strategy and sales conference, and presented our brand on stage… all while getting to grips with the new role.

“It was a lot to take in, but it did me a favour because I was fortunate to meet so many people so soon,” says our new Marketing and eCommerce Manager

He was still forming his first impressions – “everyone is really helpful and pulls in the same direction” – when he spent time with one of our drivers.

“That was the clincher,” says Andy (inset). “I knew that the growth we want to achieve can happen because of people like him. I couldn’t believe how many customers he knew and talked to. His knowledge was phenomenal. Our site teams are the same so we’ve got strong foundations.”

Online reviews

That solid base forms the bedrock of Andy and his team’s drive to take the new DHL eCommerce UK business to the next level using targeted marketing. “Our new name ensures we’re aligned with the whole business and makes our brand and different offerings clearer to customers,” he says.

Andy will work closely with our Sales and Customer Experience teams – then simplify and clarify the messages we send to different audiences through targeted channels. “If we try to market our products to all people using all channels it can get messy. But if we

Twin targets

gather data, gain insights from it and offer customers products tailored specifically to them, we’ll grow.” That means:

 Knowing who our customers are

 Being aware of their behaviours

 Understanding how we can reach them

“If we get to the root of those – and data helps us do that – we’ll have strong insights that will help us know how to talk to different customers depending on their needs. And also how to reach them.”

Andy says the instantly recognisable DHL brand is a big plus but won’t be happy until we’re in the top three ‘considered companies’ when it comes to sending parcels. “We need to be there.

We have great people with customer service at their heart who believe in the values, but we still need our proposition to be exactly what each customer wants.”

He adds: “It costs a lot to get new customers, so keeping them is crucial so we need to tap into ways of helping us do that. That means giving convenience and a premium service so customers trust us. If we deliver, there’s a good chance they become our advocates.”

Word of mouth and online reviews from happy customers are vital. “When people share good experiences of us it’s powerful, even if we get something wrong and then resolve it the right way.”

Andy, a father-of-two and keen cyclist, adds: “Our volumes will soar once the new Coventry Hub opens and as we increase volume, things will snowball. We have to be prepared for that in all areas.”

MAKING SEND SPECIAL

“Our capacity is going to grow by 40% in the very near future so we need to grow and market our Send website to every kind of customer. If we want to sell our service and promote our brand as premium we need to be premium everywhere, especially at our online touchpoints”

FOLLOWING THE LEADS

“We’re developing an engine for lead generation because business buyers now do their own research rather than calling a salesperson, so ensuring we’re in the top three for consideration is vital. When those leads come, we need to be ready to nurture them and support the sales team with the right material”

MAPPING

Anew operational structure that’s added two new regions to our map means we’re better prepared to handle increased volumes.

That’s the view of Head of Network Operations, Gary Hope, whose new blueprint came into force in July. “The last ops restructure was four years ago when volumes were stagnant and we needed to make changes. We thinned things down and then Covid saw a big boom and volumes soared.

Scan to find out more:

aliveKeeping Dad’s memory

Elisandra Zanfra’s dad used to travel for a whole day from their small village in southern Brazil so he could give blood. It was a pilgrimage that would ultimately give Paulo and his family hope when he fell ill and needed a blood transfusion later in life.

Now, years later, the daughter who missed her father so much each time he set off at dawn, is doing the same to keep his memory alive.

“He’d catch a bus early in the morning from our village of Catuipe and then another one to the donor centre in Ijui about 45km away. He’d be gone the whole day,” says Elisandra.

“It meant so much to him that when he died I was determined to carry on donating blood to honour his memory and save lives, just like he did.”

Elisandra, part of our Ryton control room Driver Despatch team, has given blood 22 times since coming to the UK from South America 17 years

ago – and has no intention of stopping.

And she’s keen to stress the health benefits of her three or four visits to the donation centre each year, which she hopes will encourage colleagues from around the DHL network to join her.

“Every time you do, they check your blood to ensure it’s as it should be, so as well as helping others you’re also getting a free health check,” she says.

“It’s just a small scratch and it’s all over in five minutes, but I always think of my dad each time I do it and it’s as if he’s there with me. Donating blood will always keep his memory alive.”

So far Elisandra, who is married to DHL Driver Roberto, has potentially saved more than 80 lives as each 472ml donation helps between three and four people.

She adds: “It would be great if my story encourages people to donate. What goes around comes around as my dad found out. He was my example.”

“We are now in a great place as the new Coventry Hub goes live in 2024 and our expansion plan will add new sites over the next five years.”

There will also be improvements to facilities and mechanisation, all with enhanced capacity at their core.

The new regions – Scotland (including Northern Ireland) and Central – have some new faces.

Brian Murray is the new Regional Operations Manager in Scotland with Carlisle Site Manager Simon Reay his deputy, with Central posts going to Lee Johnstone and Basildon Site Manager Phil Brown

Gary says: “Smaller regions allow us to focus on business as usual and site moves, which will support the network expansion. Having fewer sites in each region will make us more agile and increase the power of the support functions within each. The Coventry Hub and the extra capacity to grow that will give us means it’s a very exciting time.”

“I always think of him when I give blood”

Doing it for Dad Elisandra and her father and (right) making sure his legacy continues into the future

Hitting the sweet spot!

It’s chocs away for our customers at Norwich

When he started at his local parcel delivery depot, a fresh-faced Jon Wood can’t have imagined that two decades later he’d be running the show.

The school leaver, whose aunt and uncle owned the then franchised business, was thrown straight into the customer service team to get to grips with the basics.

They decided that teenager Jon needed to learn the importance of looking after the site’s regular customers. And although he’s a little more experienced now, keeping customers happy is still the Site Manager’s top priority.

Our Norwich site, part of the DHL family since 2018, is one of only a couple in the network with its own dedicated Customer Service team.

Great rapport

“It’s a bit of a legacy thing but it works really well for us, and our customers, many of them extremely long-standing, love having a single point of contact, so we decided to carry it on,” says Jon.

(l

r)

Angel Edwards, Dylan Baldeo and Linda Smith make up the three-strong team on the end of a direct line in case customers have any issues. Judging by the number of letters and boxes of chocolates from happy customers, their personal service goes down a treat.

Their Customer Services Manager Rob Reay says: “They’re a brilliant team and have built

to

Ashleigh Bunn, Kevin Hall, Nick Carter, David Parker and Ben Newson

Brew time Customer Service Advisor Dylan Baldeo takes five with team colleague Linda Smith

great relationships with senders we collect from and customers we deliver to. Being local they can offer a more personal connection, so if someone has an issue they can get it resolved quickly and the customer is happy and, as a result, far more likely to use us again.”

Anyone visiting the Norwich site to collect parcels who has negative feedback is handed the customer team’s phone number for any further comments as well as a clear escalation process to senior management.

Joined up

The troubleshooting trio sit alongside senior operations managers in a central control room so every aspect of customer care is joined up.

Many of the Norwich team, who cover a huge area from Hunstanton in north Norfolk to Lowestoft in Suffolk and inland to Peterborough, have been there for more than a decade, with some as long as 25 years.

Their 87 employee and 45 self-employed driver slots are almost always filled, which ensures it’s a tight ship when it comes to revenue leaving the business.

“Our Performance Dialogue boards mean we always have each other’s backs and communicate well to keep

“We feel like we’re looked after, and it always feels like we have someone we can turn to for advice. That’s camaraderie at its best”

morale high. Everyone in the team also knows there’s potential to move sideways and upwards,” adds Jon.

“Because of that and the fact we always try to treat people well, we have good colleague retention, which all in all means the team are happy to go the extra mile for our customers.”

Monthly pizza grabs, bacon rolls and Employee of the Month vouchers create an environment Jon insists is driven by the team. “I just create the framework. They’re the guys who actually make it happen.”

Smiling through (l to r) Mark Meredith, Travis Potter and Michael Simmonds

“We have a brilliant team with an amazing As One ethos, but it’s the personal service our customers love”

Rob Reay, Customer Services Manager

Mark Isaac, Operations Supervisor

Driving ambition Day Warehouse Operative Ashleigh Bunn at the wheel

BRIDGING THE GAP

How our people are cascading their knowledge to help others

Ascheme that helps prepare young adults at the start of their careers for the world of work is going from strength to strength – thanks to one of our team.

Mark Bailey volunteered to be a Bridge Builder mentor in an initiative led by the City Year UK charity, which is part of the inspiring GoTeach programme run by the DHL UK Foundation.

He was paired with a psychology undergraduate (pictured above) who took a work placement gap in her studies to help and inspire disadvantaged pupils at a school in inner London.

Extra support

The scheme recruits passionate and engaged young people aged between 18 and 25 to volunteer in schools, to help tackle educational disadvantage across Manchester, the Midlands and the capital.

“I was appointed my mentee’s Bridge Builder to support her leadership development and provide extra support if and when she needed it – and I got as much out of it as she did,” our International Sales Development

Manager reveals. “In her role as a student success coach she was given initiatives to run – setting up advanced reading sessions or lunch clubs –to guide children towards activities where they might benefit from extra stimulation.”

If any of the non-student Volunteer Mentors had questions on how to handle a situation at their placement, a network of mentors like Mark were always on hand to step in.

His dedication earned him the title Bridge Builder of the Year for London – as well as some glowing feedback from the undergraduate he helped.

He says: “We had regular meetings where I could be a source of advice, someone she could discuss ideas or talk things through with.”

Mark and the other Bridge Builders also offered a link to the real world of work, with advice on CV writing, interview techniques and addressing their mentee’s strengths and weaknesses.

He adds: “I shared some tips on communication skills, the importance

“Mark’s advice really helped my development. He always had a smile on his face and never made me feel like it was just something he had to do. That brought me out of my shell and allowed me to have great conversations I could apply to my professional working life. He was genuinely invested in my personal growth and how I would use these sessions”

of professionalism, positivity and teamwork, and I learned so much, I’ve already signed up for the next one.

“I had a mentor early in my career who helped me enormously, so if I’ve helped my mentee and can do in the future – she knows she can call any time for advice –then that’s a great use of my time.”

Scan here to see how to play your part as a GoTeach volunteer

Nimbley down the aisle!

Likemost brides-to-be, Rachel Pennington was determined to find the ultimate wedding venue as the big day approached.

The first potential location for our HR Business Partner and fiancé Gavin was Coombe Abbey near Ryton, where she handles site colleague issues for the North East, Scotland and IT.

“We really loved it but didn’t want to get our memories mixed up with the 2021 Employee of the Year awards there, so we decided to look for somewhere else,” she says.

After months of searching, they opted for the luxurious surroundings of Alveston Manor on the River Avon near Stratfordupon-Avon. “It was weird when we found out the 2023 Employee of the Year event had been held there the previous week. It was a complete coincidence,” she adds.

Rachel, who will use her new surname of Nimbley outside work only, was joined at the wedding by relatives from Australia. “We’d been together nine years so wanted everyone who mattered to be there. It was a fantastic day.”

peoplePride in our

Celebrating our loyal long-servers in style

Long-server Tim’s some-fin special

By night, long-server Tim Brown spends a lot of time gazing through a glass window as he oversees our lorries trundling in and out at one of our hubs.

And by day he does the same. Only this time he’s transfixed by the comings and goings on the other side of a different sheet of glass – as he watches his shoal of exotic fish.

Tim is an aquarist – an aquarium keeper – whose colourful or just plain fascinating collection keeps him calm after the stress of a long shift at our Ryton Hub.

“The day job can be tiring if things don’t go to plan. We try to make sure that doesn’t happen too often but some things like traffic and mechanical issues are out of our control,” says Tim.

The 37-year-old night Control Room Controller, celebrating his 15th year with

Long-servers

35 years

Steven Moore IT

30 years

Roger Hughes Manchester

25 years

Paula Lyons Commerical

20 years

Ian Edmondson Transport & Linehaul

Peter Hocking Newcastle

the business, says his experience of dealing with different scenarios helps keep things calm. “I worked in Wolseley Drive in Birmingham for Business Post and UK Mail unloading and loading trailers, so I know how important it is for lorries to leave the warehouse on time.

“That stood me in good stead when I moved to Ryton, and it goes to show that learning the basics of the business is important if you want to push your career forward.”

Tim and a colleague supervise a team of around 27, including 15 shunters, in the busy despatch area. “That’s what makes it fun. It’s always lively, we have good banter, and we get the job done.”

And when the work is done, he relaxes by watching his fish – talking catfish that squeal when removed from water and striped convict cichlids – glide around their tank: “It’s so relaxing just watching them weave their way around… a bit like lorries, but a little less organised.”

A very warm welcome to…

Jaspreet Lyall, our new Chief Financial Officer, who replaced long-serving Peter Krohn in September.

She was previously Head of Customer Accounting at DHL Express UK, where she led her team through the twin challenges of Covid and Brexit. Her promotion comes 10 years after she started as a Financial Reporting Controller, before moving into a Business Controller role. She was then promoted to Head of Governance and Accounting Compliance, where she built high-performing teams alongside a dedication to continuous improvement.

In 2020, Jaspreet broadened her finance experience as Head of Customer Accounting, and achieved a Centre of Excellence accreditation for the department and a successful system migration to SAP – despite the economic uncertainty.

It’s great to have you on board at DHL eCommerce UK, Jaspreet!

Derek Hollyhead Greenford

Michael Morris Dartford

Justin Rogers East Midlands

15 years

Tony Drew Mail Sortation Production

Rosemary Eglen Norwich

Brian Player Basildon

Paul Halpin B’ham Spitfire Road

Matthew Mclean B’ham Spitfire Road

Kieran Judge B’ham Stadium Point

Barbara Piotrowicz Stadium Point

Rizwan Hussain B’ham Stadium Point

Katherine Newton Commercial

Claire Webster Compliance

Massamba Mukoko Croydon

Stephen Palmer Croydon

Fariid Naasor Docklands

Robin Fleat Eastleigh

Terence Rich Exeter

Isaack Mbonea Greenford

Gary Gibson Leicester

Rwakasihi Marembo Leicester

Dean Tunnah Manchester

Helen Stevens Milton Keynes

Patrick Littrean Milton Keynes

Kevin Hussey Oxford

Donald Howie Reg Operations Manager

Anna Roman Runcorn

Tony Hammond Ryton

Irmina Brzuzy Ryton Mail

Mike Riley Teesside

Severino Rodrigues Thames Valley

Nicola Jackson York

Win!

A TWO-NIGHT HOTEL BREAK FOR YOU + 1

Answer the question below for a chance to escape to the countryside or explore an exciting new city.

Stay at one of hundreds of top-quality hotels in the UK or abroad from the list featured on this QR code.

To be in with a chance, answer the question: Which high-end clothing brand are we now working with (see P8)?

Send your answer and your name to yello_ecsuk@dhl.com, or by text to 07860 021367

BE IN IT TO WIN IT!

It takes seconds to enter –simply email your answer and your name to: yello_ecsuk@dhl.com or text 07860 021367

THE CLOSING DATE IS: 14 November 2023

Terms and conditions: Entry to our competition is free. To enter, you must be a DHL Parcel UK colleague. You can only enter the competition once and the first entry per colleague will be accepted. The winner will be selected at random from all eligible entries. The editor’s decision is final and no cash alternative will be offered. We collect your details, name, contact number and address solely for the purpose of processing and selecting a competition winner. The winner will be contacted and their name will be printed in the next edition. Your data is not shared with any third party and deleted after the competition has finished and the winner confirmed. Entries must be received by 14 November 2023.

AUTUMN WORDSEARCH

SKY BLUE STEWART’S ALL SMILES

Last year’s DHL Fantasy League winner

Paul Stewart celebrates with his prize of the latest Coventry City shirt.

But who will be holding the shirt of their choice in May? Paul is struggling in 27th, leaving the title-chasing pack, with some new faces off to a flyer in the first few weeks of the campaign.

Tom McCoy is leading the pack, but it’s tight at the top.

1 TOM MCCOY 299

2 MICHAEL POWELL 283

=3 MATTHEW PROUD 280

=3 ISFAHAN KHAN 280

5 SAM STEVENSOIN 275

Got five minutes to spare in your break? Keep your brain in top gear with this wordsearch just for fun.

We’ve hidden the 10 words connected with autumn and our business in the box below, so take a look and see who can find them fastest.

HARVEST LEAVES LIMITLESS PEAK AUTUMN PASSION EQUINOX ECOMMERCE

Congratulations to Akeem Adeyemo in our Operations team who won a Bose Soundlink flex water-resistant bluetooth speaker in last edition’s competition