At a leading European logistics company, I witnessed firsthand the diverse, often competing interests at play in a seemingly simple delivery process. Business growth, operational efficiency, recipient expectations, and the realities faced by staff are all parts of the same system - yet they don’t always point in the same direction.

The business objectives of parcel delivery are generally quantifiable:

• How long does it take for a shipment to arrive?

• What is the cost of delivering a single parcel?

• How many issues are resolved via self-service interfaces?

• How many stops does a courier make?

But what about the things these metrics fail to capture?

• The uncertainty experienced by the recipient.

• The extra trip required to reach a parcel locker.

• Unresolved service issues.

• The physical and mental strain placed on the courier.

This is where the perspective of Sustainable UX (SUX) becomes truly vital. It does not reject growth or efficiency; rather, it takes design thinking a step further, creating a new layer of value. It asks not only whether a service functions, but also: for whom it works well, what impact it generates in its environment, and who bears the consequences.

I have observed several common business goals in this industry that clearly illustrate this dilemma.

Q1. Is “faster” always “better”?

Business goal: Delivering a package to the recipient in the shortest possible time.

Speed ​​is one of the most compelling promises in parcel delivery. It is easy to communicate, easy to measure, and even easier to turn into a competitive advantage.

Dilemma: Does the recipient see it the same way?

Does the user truly perceive a service as “better” if the package arrives sooner—or is it the service they can reliably count on? In a 2024 U.S. survey, speed dropped from the top priority for delivery to fifth place compared to 2022. Participants deemed timely arrival more important than sheer speed. (Source: McKinsey & Company)

This does not mean that fast delivery is a poor business goal. The dilemma arises when speed becomes the primary metric, causing everything else to fade into the background.

It is a fact that speed can come with an environmental "price." Urgent delivery may limit the potential for consolidating packages and efficiently planning routes - though the actual impact always depends on the specific network, the vehicles used, and local operational practices.

Therefore, the primary design objective is not necessarily to minimize delivery time under all circumstances. Fast delivery, more affordable options, consolidated shipments, or deliveries with precise scheduling can each offer the right solution for different life situations.

Q2. Where does the delivery journey end?

Business goal: To reduce the cost per parcel and deliver as many shipments as possible in a single stop.

The business advantages of parcel lockers and pickup points are clear. Multiple parcels can be handed over at a single location, the number of failed delivery attempts can be reduced, and recipients gain greater flexibility in choosing where and when to collect their items.

Dilemma: Does the delivery process truly end at the locker?

For the courier, yes - but for the recipient, it is only just beginning.

The impact of parcel lockers depends on their location, the density of the network, and how recipients travel to reach them. If a person collects a parcel on foot, by bicycle, or as part of their daily routine, the locker can be a convenient and efficient solution. However, if a dedicated car trip is required, it could - in extreme cases - negate the environmental benefits "saved" by the courier. Fortunately, in most instances, service providers carefully assess this factor when installing lockers.

Yet, it is important to recognize that distance is not the only factor. Other issues regarding accessibility and responsibility also arise. Can the compartments be reached from a wheelchair? Is the interface usable by someone with a visual impairment? Does the process require a compatible smartphone, mobile internet access, or digital literacy? And is there a truly viable alternative for those for whom a locker is not easily "accessible"?

At this point, the Sustainable UX (SUX) approach goes beyond traditional route optimization. It examines not only how much the courier’s journey has been shortened, but also the extent to which the burden of travel, time, and responsibility has been shifted onto the recipient.

A high-quality locker network is defined by more than just a high density of locations; it must be situated in the right places and remain accessible and convenient in a variety of ways. While automated parcel lockers can be a more sustainable option, this holds true only when the entire journey is considered - rather than just the portion visible to the company.

In Hungary, this topic is particularly relevant due to the rapid expansion of locker networks. The networks of major service providers now cover nearly the entire country. For example, according to the NMHH (National Media and Communications Authority) report for the second quarter of 2026, Foxpost and GLS separately operate more than 3,000 automated lockers.

Q3. When can automated customer service be a solution?

Business goal: To resolve as many inquiries as possible through self-service.

Tracking, automated notifications, and self-service options can serve the interests of both the business and the user. When functioning accurately, they reduce uncertainty and alleviate the burden on customer service teams. Users do not need to contact the service provider regarding an issue for which they could obtain a reliable answer immediately.

Dilemma: What happens when the process deviates from the norm?

Just a few simple examples: a package remains at the same status for days, a parcel locker is not visible, a pickup code is invalid, or the interface repeatedly displays the same information, causing the process to stall...

In an audit conducted by a U.S. regulatory body, it was found that for 318 out of 500 packages examined - that is, 64% - the tracking messages did not accurately reflect the package's actual location, timing, or delivery date. (Source: uspsoig.gov)

Other investigations have similarly documented inaccurate tracking messages, malfunctioning automated processes, unresolved complaints, and customer service that is difficult to reach. In October 2024, the NMHH (National Media and Infocommunications Authority) launched a comprehensive inspection of several major postal service providers. The reports included issues such as unreachable customer service, unanswered written complaints, incorrect pickup codes, and a lack of substantive information regarding the location of a package or its expected arrival.

For a designer, therefore, the most critical question is not whether to automate, but rather how the system recognizes its own limitations. Does it detect when the standard customer journey is interrupted? Can it suggest a next step? Is human assistance available when the automated process is no longer sufficient?

The success of self-service is easily measured by the number of avoidable contacts. From the user’s perspective, however, the proportion of issues actually resolved is more important. The true value of automation lies not in concealing human assistance, but in connecting the user to it at the right moment.

Q4. Does what the system fails to measure become invisible?

Business goal: To effectively control the courier delivery process, enabling more packages to be delivered in less time.

Managing current parcel volumes would be difficult without digital route planning and performance measurement. Such systems can reduce unnecessary travel, support operations, and make deliveries more predictable.

Dilemma: Whatever the system does not measure can easily become invisible.

The courier app tracks addresses, stops, timestamps, and completed deliveries.

But what does it fail to see?

Unexpected road closures. Buildings that are difficult to access. Oversized shipments. Extra time spent with the recipient. The effects of extreme heat or fatigue - or the fact that a break is necessary to ensure safe working conditions.

According to a European industry analysis, higher parcel volumes and heavier shipments increase physical strain, while geo-routing, digital performance tracking, and other monitoring tools can impose additional stress on workers.

At the same time, there are positive examples: some systems account for hazardous road sections and implement limits on the number of tasks assigned. (Source: ela.europa.eu)

The problem is not algorithmic optimization itself, but rather what is defined as the value to be optimized, what constraints are built into the system, and what is left out of consideration.

As a designer, therefore, it is worth examining not only how precisely a courier follows the system’s instructions, but also whether they can flag an erroneous route, overrule an unrealistic decision, and whether their feedback actually influences future operations.

Beyond productivity, factors such as safety, the even distribution of workload, the frequency of overrides, and the level of trust employees place in the system can also be measured.

What We Don’t Measure

The future of parcel delivery does not hinge on whether we must choose between business results and a sustainable user experience. The real question is whether we can manage both within the same decision-making framework.

Speed, cost-efficiency, self-service, and productivity are important business objectives - and the goal is not to design in opposition to them. Rather, it is about identifying the points where optimization also weighs and accounts for burdens that fall outside the scope of the company’s formal measurement system.

In my view, one of the most critical tasks of SUX is precisely to uncover these blind spots - not merely to observe the process, but to understand its full impact.

Because someone, somewhere, inevitably has to bear the consequences of everything the system fails to measure!