Ecommerce companies now have the ability to eliminate imprecise addressing
Emeryville, CA, Dec. 13, 2022 – The global ecommerce landscape is rapidly increasing. Still, companies worldwide face a challenge regarding delivery: imprecise addressing, and consumers are taking notice. Today, AxleHire, which provides ecommerce companies with expedited, urban, same- and next-day deliveries, announced its collaboration with innovative location technology company what3words to address this issue head-on. AxleHire is what3words’ first last-mile delivery partner in the United States.
A what3words *survey revealed that nearly three-quarters (73%) of U.S. residents say that deliveries or services struggle to find their homes, and over two-thirds (68%) say they’d benefit from a more accurate addressing system. Moreover, the problem is so widespread that over one-third (35%) of residents say they’d be willing to adopt an entirely new address system.
what3words provides a straightforward solution to imprecise shipping issues, solving problems created by street name changes, large buildings with multiple access points, rural locations, and much more. It divides the world into a grid of 10ft x 10ft (or 3 meters x 3 meters) squares and gives each square a unique combination of three random words: a what3words address. So, for example, you can find the front of the Statue of Liberty monument at ///darker.highs.pans. Likewise, every door, building entrance, delivery point and even parking space on the planet has a unique address.
With this collaboration, AxleHire’s clients will be able to collect what3words addresses from customers and share them within AxleHire’s last-mile delivery app, allowing drivers to deliver more efficiently than ever before, minimizing the risk of lost packages and unhappy consumers.
“A typical driver might spend 10 minutes driving around an unfamiliar apartment complex, trying to find the right building and then the exact unit number, wasting time, fuel, and patience,” said Evan Robinson, VP of Engineering at AxleHire. “With what3words, the driver can see the exact 10-foot square they need to go to, allowing them to find the right drop-off location much more seamlessly. With a home delivery, the driver will be able to see exactly where the customer wants their package left, whether it be in front, at the back door, near the garage, etc.”
AxleHire has already begun to build systems to make it easier for ecommerce businesses and their customers to identify a doorstep’s location.
“Using a what3words address has been shown to significantly reduce delivery times for our partners and ensures parcels arrive exactly where they need to go,” said Chris Sheldrick, Co-Founder and CEO of what3words. “Accurate addresses also mean fewer time-consuming phone calls to customers asking for directions and a better customer experience. AxleHire is leading the way in thinking about what the world of digital delivery looks like. We’re excited to work with them as our first last-mile delivery provider in the U.S.”
Around the world, what3words is being used by thousands of businesses on a daily basis whether that’s logistics and ecommerce businesses ensuring goods are delivered exactly where they’re needed, or helping travelers to find the right hotel entrance or a hard-to-find restaurant. The technology has also been built into in-car navigation systems by automakers like Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar Land Rover, Subaru of America, and Mitsubishi, enabling drivers to enter any destination with just three words. Emergency call centers are also embracing what3words at a rapid pace, with control rooms in the UK, US, Australia, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Singapore, Canada, India, and South Africa. The technology is available offline and in 54 languages to date.
*Survey results based on analysis from a survey of 1,000 motorists across the U.S. age 18+.
About what3words
Co-founded in London in 2013 by Chris Sheldrick, what3words is the simplest way to talk about location. The system covers the entire world, never needs updating, and works offline. A what3words address is a human-friendly way to share very precise locations with other people, or to input them into platforms and machines such as ride-hailing apps or ecommerce checkouts. It is optimized for voice input and contains built-in error prevention to immediately identify and correct input mistakes.
The free what3words app, available for iOS and Android, and the online map enable people to find, share and navigate to what3words addresses in 53 languages to date. Millions of what3words addresses are in use around the world, with thousands of businesses using them to save money, be more efficient and provide a better customer experience. what3words is integrated into apps, platforms and websites, with just a few lines of code. Products are available for free or for a nominal fee for qualifying NGOs. Its partners include Mercedes-Benz, Triumph Motorcycles, Premier Inn, the AA and many emergency services across the world.
what3words has a team of over 150 people, across offices in the UK, USA, Germany, India, South Korea and Mongolia. The company has raised over £100 million in capital from investors such as Intel, Ingka (Ikea), Mercedes-Benz, Aramex, Deutsche Bahn, Subaru and Sony Innovation Fund.
About AxleHire
AxleHire is an expedited urban last-mile delivery service, providing customers with a superior same- and next-day delivery experience. AxleHire leverages purpose-built modern technology and a gig driver fleet to drive transformative outcomes that catalyze customers’ brand growth. Logistics teams can now provide a differentiated delivery experience at a competitive cost, overcoming the limitations of legacy delivery providers. AxleHire operates in 17 of the 25 major U.S. metro urban areas across the U.S., enabling high-volume shippers to consistently cater to the rising needs and expectations of their customers.
For more information, please visit axlehire.com.
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