Evri has invested £1.5 million in customer service improvements ahead of the Christmas rush, adding around 240 customer service colleagues and three new support channels. The parcel delivery company announced the spend as part of a wider £32.2 million package to boost operations during the festive season.

The three new channels are an expanded escalation system, with Tell Us Straight available for serious concerns, priority access to live agents through the Evri app from early November, and direct email support that uses intelligent triage technology to route each enquiry to the most appropriate team member. Evri says customers receive a response within one hour during operating hours.

The structural driver is customers wanting greater choice in how they contact the company. Evri says around 85% of customers already get the answer they need first time through its digital channels, but some want the reassurance of speaking to a real person.

“Our technology is already helping customers get fast, effective support, with around 85% of customers getting the answer they need first time through our digital channels,” said Chris Ashworth, chief customer officer at Evri Group. “But we recognise there are times when technology alone isn’t enough, and we’ve listened to customers who want the reassurance of being able to connect with a real person.”

Evri is also increasing delivery flexibility through its network of more than 14,000 ParcelShops and Lockers, with about 94% of the population living within two miles of one. If a home delivery cannot be completed because of unforeseen disruption, eligible parcels can now be redirected to a nearby ParcelShop, and customers are notified of the diversion.

The changes form part of broader customer experience improvements, including better parcel tracking, enhanced delivery notifications and more control through the Evri app.

Evri Group is headquartered in Leeds and delivers more than one billion parcels a year following its merger with DHL eCommerce UK in October 2025. It reported revenue of £2.38 billion and adjusted EBITDA of £402 million for the 52 weeks to 28 February 2026, and acquired Irish customs clearance specialist Coll-8 in May 2025.

For the sector, the investment reflects parcel carriers pairing automated support with more access to live advisors as peak-season volumes put pressure on customer service.

Source: The Gazette / Evri