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 Staying global. Embracing local. Or both?

Return to sender. Postman unknown Dedicated employees • To foster openness

We hear about it every day. The world is getting In the service industry, the conduct and attitude of em- • To act according to clear priorities
smaller. We live in a global village. The global, 24-hour ployees determine the success of a company’s business. • To act in an entrepreneurial way
economy has arrived. Love it or hate it, there can be The company therefore devised special training • To act with integrity internally and externally

no doubt that we are more in touch with the remo­
test parts of the world than ever before and goods’
transport has increased accordingly. Of course, several
companies have sprung up over recent decades to
address this increased demand for distribution. Vari-
ous large-scale firms are now capable of getting a
package from one corner of the world to the other
within timeframes it used to take a parcel to travel a
few hundred miles.
Yet with the history of postal operators, we have all
been used to the local postal incumbents delivering
our goods. Now that various companies are on the
scene, they are just as anonymous, or at least in­distinct
from one another. Or are they? Is there a difference
between all these contemporary postmen? DHL
believes there is, and is taking on stiff competition by
doing its utmost to point out its distinctive capacity.
Moreover, it has purchased several local goods experts
around the world, each with local knowledge and local
reputations. Yet, DHL is clearly a global operator. How
can DHL manage to capitalise on the local benefits,
certainly part of the purchase price and brand value
when acquiring its former local operators, as well as
leverage its global strength? Global? Local? Both?
Coolbrands: Maarten & Anouk in discussion with Jean Paul Duurland and Marc Visser
programs for all employees aimed at stressing the • To accept social responsibilities
aspiration of not just meeting customers’ expectations,
but actually exceeding them. Alongside intensive Yet, organisational change is all very well, but if
training courses, the program includes a group-wide nobody knows about it, it’s not much use. Furthering
rewards and incentive system. its drive to address both the business and consumer
markets, it has taken on a high profile partner, visible
Global networks to both target groups: Formula 1 racing. Market analy-
As a leading logistics service provider, the company sis was thumbs up all round. It perfectly addresses the
believes it can achieve benefits for itself and its 20-49-year old target group, offers global exposure
customers by bundling volumes. The resulting eco­ (prior to each race, television broadcasts show DHL
nomies of scale benefit its customers with shorter transporting the invaluable machines to the track)
transit times and lower unit costs. and yet can be used for relations marketing in local
settings. Global and local. It also stresses four features
Organic growth that hold true for racing and for DHL: speed, personal
Globalisation is the growth driver in the logistics indus- commitment, delivering the extra­ordinary and preci-
try. Thanks to its strong presence in intercontinental sion.
trade as well as in emerging economies - including Asia,
Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Latin America With this raised profile, DHL is now concentrating on
– the company aims to fully utilize its networks to gain positioning itself further in the consumer market. DHL
market share. is probably the most recognisable of all the transporters
with its yellow and red logo, and even without the logo,
First Choice initiative most people will recognise the brand. It is ‘smashable’,
In this project, which in total will include some 5,000 an excellent branding method as described by Martin
individual projects, the company systematically in­ves­ Lindstrom in his book Brand Sense. The campaigns, with
tigated questions such as: ‘Are our customers really a local touch and often using local celebrities, stress the

Taking the fast lane
Differentiation, believes DHL, will come from strength-
ening its values by working together with others in
partnerships – others who have developed their local
expertise over decades. It will also come from address-
ing consumers and continuing its highly successful
activities in the business markets. To do so, it purchased
market leaders in 20 countries, with the final objective
of a single brand yet with distinct positioning for the
local and the global.
But adding this many different companies in such a
short period is an organisational nightmare and called
satisfied with what we offer? Are we aware of the local expertise of its new acquisitions. For example,
main criteria applied by our customers in selecting a the campaign entitled ‘Time Definite Reloaded’ used
service provider? Don’t we already know from customer national celebrity pop star Frans Bauer. They are also
feedback that there are many areas where improve- setting up local service points - In the Netherlands, for
ment would be welcome?’ By being critical in matching example, the company now has around 500 shop-in-
its customers’ requirements to its services, and then shop points of call, from where consumers can send
defining and realising improvement initiatives, the their packages - and greatly enhancing their visibility.
company feels it will truly improve its customer service In January 2007, the company celebrated its 500,000th
over the long run. shipment from a service point. Plans are to increase
numbers into the thousands in the Benelux.
These four main points were underpinned further with
the company-wide introduction of seven corporate Finally, DHL is getting ready for at least one more huge
values that should apply to all the company does: event. In 2009, the postal markets open up, promising
an exciting time for all logistics experts. DHL is getting
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CEO Klaus Zumwinkel | Number of
employees 285,000 | Company turnover
€60b | Brand values personal com-
mitment, local knowledge, proactive
solutions | Brand promise ‘We keep
your promise’ | Target group business
(20-49-olds), full spectrum consumer
market | Primary advertising media all

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for action, including a new strategy based on three • To deliver excellent quality itself into pole position. Expect much from the red and media, TV (Formula 1), reduced printed
pointers and a ‘delivery’ programme: • To make its customers successful yellow. media volumes