Name of the respondent: Diego Asproso
Position in FedEx: Senior Sales Manager for South-East Europe at FedEx Express

Diego started his career in FedEx 27 years ago in Italy as Account Executive, few years later he was relocated to Brussels as Sales Training Facilitator responsible for the Sales education in Europe and Middle East. After his 3-year assignment, he returned to Florence (Italy) where he currently lives, and he spent more than 10 years in the Worldwide Sales Organization as Account Manager for the Fashion & Luxury Good Sector at EU Level. More than 15 years ago he started his sales managerial career being responsible for Italy and Turkey during the TNT and FedEx Integration process, and for the last few years he has been leading the Sales Organization as Senior Sales Manager for Eastern and South Europe with more than 20 countries under his remit. Diego carries a vast sales and supply chain knowledge and experience along with business acumen to support business growth.

Based on your expertise and the data gathered by your company, could you elaborate on the significance of comprehending the requirements of online customers? Additionally, how pivotal is the role played by the delivery partner in shaping the overall customer experience within an online store?

Successful international shipping is based on a profound understanding of the preferences of online shoppers, constituting a fundamental and primary element in any business strategy. Placing the customer at the forefront of operations is imperative. European consumers, in particular, prioritize various factors when making online purchases from abroad, such as delivery costs (90%), speed of delivery (78%), environmental impact (79%), clarity on import taxes (47%), estimated arrival time (68%), flexibility in delivery options (71%), and a robust returns policy (91%).

Additionally, last mile delivery leaves a lasting impression, a last impression that can ‘make or break’ the customer experience. What we know is that 38% of customers are saying that they would stop purchasing from a retailer because of a negative delivery experience. It is a big percentage not to take into consideration.

This is exactly why businesses should choose wisely their logistics partner, that needs to have the capabilities to be a growth enabler, that provides OPTIONS throughout the “touching” points of the delivery cycle and has a global reach and expertise in customs. FedEx is one of the few companies in the world that has the network and capabilities to keep commerce moving efficiently in times like these.  And of course, these are discussions we are having together with our customers as we build together a plan and agree on the support needed for their last mile deliveries.

What services do you offer for eCommerce businesses and their customers? Can you describe examples of delivery options you provide, including international shipping capabilities and express delivery services?

Our customers are at the heart of our story. Businesses here and around the world have access to the broadest portfolio we’ve ever offered in Europe. Customers have choice in delivery times for global shipments, giving them agility in how they run their own businesses. European e-commerce traders have access to our day-definite international shipping services that balance speed and attractive prices. And we’re offering customers a dedicated regional freight service to and from 22 countries for less urgent packages.

FedEx’s extensive range of services spans over 220 countries and territories globally. For those prioritizing fast delivery, our FedEx International Priority service ensures expedited international shipping with custom-cleared delivery. The suite of services extends to meeting the expectations of our customers’ customers, including convenient deliveries, simplified returns, numerous pick-up and drop-off points, and shipment visibility through automatic notifications.

To enhance control over deliveries, we’ve introduced new features in our delivery application. The FedEx Delivery Manager® solution allows recipients to customize delivery times, receive updates via SMS or email, and easily modify pick-up points, addresses, or delivery dates for added convenience. Our focus is on providing end-users with choices and ease of use, ensuring peace of mind and a positive reputation for their businesses.

How does your company integrate with various eCommerce platforms, and what kind of technological solutions do you offer to streamline the shipping process for online retailers?

As we continue to make significant investments in Europe to enhance our online shipping experience for our customers, we recently upgraded our application FedEx Ship Manager™ enabling customers to synchronize their Shopify, BigCommerce or WooCommerce store with FedEx Ship Manager™ at fedex.com.

The upgrade allows businesses to create shipments and paperwork from their online orders with just one mouse click, saving a considerable amount of time versus having to enter the required data manually, while remaining fully in control during the order-to-label process.

FedEx customers can now:

• Manage their e-commerce shipments in FedEx Ship Manager™ without the need for manual input to create shipping labels.
• Synchronize orders with their e-commerce platform, meaning tracking numbers and delivery details are automatically visible for their customers.
• Create shipments and print labels for multiple orders in one click.
• Instantly generate commercial invoices that guide them on the information needed for a smooth customs clearance process.

More time spent on the fulfillment of online purchases can mean businesses spend less time on other activities, including more strategic tasks. With the launch of these e-commerce features we strive to streamline shipping for our small and medium customers.

Additionally, last year we launched a four-hour estimated delivery time window in 47 countries globally, to keep customers updated about the date and estimated delivery time window of the package.

 

How can Fedex help our e-commerce companies on foreign markets penetration? What is your strategy for seamless cross border operations?

A decade ago, our industry primarily prioritized speed and cost considerations. In the present landscape, however, the focus has broadened considerably. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), often constrained by limited time and scale, face challenges in staying up to date with all the regulatory changes. This is where our assistance becomes invaluable.

Our role involves demystifying the clearance process, ensuring that SMEs can operate highly efficient and intelligent supply chains. Leveraging our profound expertise in this domain, we have established connections with a significant portion of the world’s GDP. The volume of shipments requiring clearance from the European Union has witnessed a notable increase of nearly 50% over the past five years.

We empower the establishment of flexible and intelligent supply chains, driven by the overarching goal of facilitating the success of our customers. This entails rendering supply chains adaptable and more intelligent, ultimately delivering an outstanding experience to our customers’ customers, who similarly demand flexibility and insight. As SMEs expand their avenues for selling, we equip them with tools for integrating international shipping directly into their business operations.

In response to the prevailing cost environment characterized by escalating expenses for goods and services and decreasing consumer spending, we offer a valuable choice. Our extensive road network allows us to provide Economy services for when cost is the most important factor.