Five years ago, three Munich-based entrepreneurs had the vision to fill a significant gap in customer experience. Their aim was to transform the post-sales phase, arming brands with the tools to create an unforgettable operations experience (OX).
Today, the start-up has exceeded expectations through a combination of robust data and technology, their strong ability to envision the market needs and a team of exceptional talent that make it happen. And its growth story is only set to evolve further as it eyes further expansion, not just in Europe but in other key e-commerce markets around the world.
Where it all began…
In 2014, Tobias Buxhoidt, CEO, and Julian Krenge, CTO, were introduced through the matchmaking of EU promotion program “SpeedUp Europe”. A classic job ad on the start-up scene saw Anton Eder, COO, come on board and parcelLab’s founding trio was formed.
Combining their experience in the field of logistics, the three founders recognised that there was a need to shake up the e-commerce market. The trio offered brands a fully transparent outstanding experience centred around customers’ needs and wants – from checkout to shipping and returns.
“We found a solution for a very pressing issue that retailers didn’t know they had,” said Tobias Buxhoidt, Founder and CEO of parcelLab. “We succeeded in making post-sales customer experience a cornerstone of digital strategy, we drove significant cross-selling and we enabled brands to make millions of customers happy,” adds Buxhoidt.
“As this was our first company, we needed to be flexible to adjust to market needs,” adds Anton Eder, Founder and COO. “Setting goals in the beginning for more than six months is tough. We learned to listen and therefore found the right path to follow. It is just great to see how this all developed, from three rookies with an idea to a global leader.”
Growing into a global CX leader
Five years on and parcelLab, now a specialist in operations experience, has doubled its employee headcount year on year, growing to a global team of 80 people and operating from offices in Munich, London, Paris and Los Angeles. In the past year, parcelLab has also set its sights on the e-commerce markets in Spain, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and the Nordics, hiring sales reps to launch operations there. In addition, parcelLab has partnered with some of the biggest software companies in the world, including SAP, Salesforce and Zendesk, meaning customers can integrate parcelLab at a click of a button. As a result, parcelLab has built an enviable client list including brands like Lidl, Ikea, Nespresso and Shoe Zone, across 45 countries, and operating in 32 languages.
“There is a big need in the market that very few can solve and parcelLab is the most adaptable product in the post-purchase space,” says Julian Krenge, Founder and CTO. “One of our USPs is that our product is fully customisable, and we can fulfil requirements based on specific needs. We transform data complexity into simple, engaging CX.”
Unrivalled team spirit and culture
Driving parcelLab’s success is not just about having “the best product on the market” but embracing the human aspect by investing and nurturing a dedicated, hardworking team who are passionate and share the same values.
“Our people are the beating heart of our business and we have a great team around the world who are very passionate and believe in the same values,” says Anton Eder. “We work hard and play hard – the culture is created by the team and it’s unrivalled. Do what you love with purpose. We want to make this everyone’s personal success story – people can learn so much and create so much impact with us.”
Here’s to the next five years!
Having built everything themselves in the beginning, the three founders are slowly learning that they are able to take slightly more of a step back now that they have a talented team around them who can do this; a team that has grown, learned and developed with them.
“Business has come a long way and our growth has been driven by such a high market demand,” says Tobias Buxhoidt. “More than 500 brands in five years shows the hard work and dedication put in by the team to make parcelLab a success and change customers’ lives.
“We challenged retailers to stand up and invest in their post-purchase customer journey,” adds Julian Krenge. “Operations Experience is a no-brainer now; there is no enterprise e-commerce brand that has not or is not at least thinking about it. Awareness has shifted from customer acquisition to retention as brands realise that a strong loyal customer base is essential for sustainable business growth.”
Originally published Just Entrepreneurs | August 2020