Students and faculty call for campuses to improve technology, flexibility and safety when handling packages

STAMFORD, Conn. - Pitney Bowes Inc., a global shipping and mailing company that provides technology, logistics, and financial services, today announced a new study developed in partnership with Morning Consult on campus parcel management and smart locker solutions.

According to the study, 54% of students reported having a package lost, stolen, or delayed because it was misplaced. About 2 out of 5 students had a package delivered to campus that was lost or stolen, and 1 in 3 students have experienced a delay because the package was misplaced. Overall, 66% of students wished they had a more secure means for package delivery.

Modern technology matters to students
86% of higher ed students reported having modern, up-to date technologies and facilities was important to them when choosing a school with 55% of students wishing their school had more modern technology and facilities. 74% of students wished they were able to pick up their packages on their own time with 44% claiming to frequently miss operating hours of key campus facilities due to hectic schedules.

Both students and faculty expressed high interest in smart locker functionality with commuter populations especially interested in having a place to store items while on campus. Higher ed students are most likely to use smart lockers to accommodate busy schedules outside of mail room operating hours while faculty are most interested in avoiding porch piracy while working. Both groups still express a desire for flexibility with 80% of students reporting they would use smart lockers to pick up bookstore orders off-hours and 76% of faculty would use them to pick up packages outside of mailroom hours.

Beyond campus life, 81% of students were reported interested in having access to smart lockers when they graduate and begin work in an office environment.

“People are still receiving a high volume of packages – according to our Parcel Shipping Index, 58 million parcels were shipped in the US each day in 2022 – totaling around 674 parcels per second, but unlike the days of the pandemic, schedules have resumed, and people are largely no longer home to receive them,” said HD Rhee, Senior VP, Global SendTech Product & Strategy. “Implementing smart lockers across college campuses is an easy and innovative solution that accommodates the new ways people live and work. We are proud that our suite of products gives students and faculty the peace of mind that their packages are where they expect them – when they expect them.”

Smart locker innovations address the growing demand for safe, secure and flexible parcel and storage management in today’s dynamic hybrid work and educational environments.

The expansion of the Pitney Bowes ParcelPoint Smart Locker suite aligns with the evolving post-pandemic hybrid work/life model, while also addressing the challenges faced by campuses and institutions dealing with the surging volume of inbound packages. ParcelPoint Smart Lockers provide safety, security and convenience, offering reliable point-to-point parcel and asset management for various industries.

ParcelPoint Smart Lockers features and benefits:

Pitney Bowes Outdoor Smart Lockers systems are built with durability, offering protection against moisture, heat, cold and wind, so that packages and assets are kept safe and secure. The outdoor lockers provide improved real estate flexibility and offer the added convenience of 24/7 package pickup, eliminating the need to extend mailroom hours or hire additional staff, ideal for educational campuses.

Workplace Day Use for ParcelPoint Smart Lockers enables employees and guests to store personal items temporarily, through a user-friendly, self-service workflow. Designed to meet the needs of the modern hybrid workforce, it offers a secure storage solution at a time when many offices are eliminating assigned workspaces.

Contactless delivery: Smart locker solutions offer convenient, contactless package delivery and pickup, ensuring the safety of both staff and recipients.

Complete chain of custody: Seamlessly integrate delivery lockers with PitneyTrack™ Inbound, receiving software, facilitating easy tracking and management of packages for efficient delivery.

24/7 self-service access: Recipients receive automated alerts of incoming packages and assets, providing them the flexibility to retrieve their items at their convenience.

Flexible options: Choose from pre-configured, customizable and outdoor intelligent locker options that are designed to fit specific volume, space, layout and workflow requirements, providing a tailored solution for your needs.

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This poll was conducted between April 4th – April 12th, 2023 among a sample of 2259 US Adults, comprised of 2009 Higher Education Students (Margin of Error +/- 2 percentage points) and 250 Faculty (Margin of Error +/- 6 percentage points).