George at Asda, the supermarket-owned clothing brand, has embarked on a new technology trial that aims to improve post-purchase parcel tracking for its online customers.

George has identified a greater need to communicate with customers via digital channels and simplify its parcel tracking service – and it is working with delivery management platform, Sorted, to put those procedures into place.

Sorted’s React software will allow the retailer to provide shoppers with real-time order status updates, proactively notifying them of any issues with their delivery and automatically referring them to the customer service team when required.

Neil Drake, senior manager for parcel service & format development at Asda, said: “We’re delighted to be the first supermarket fashion brand to implement this software, which will make it even easier for our customers to shop with us.

“We are always looking to provide a better online experience for our customers, and understood that there was a need to communicate more frequently with them from the point of order through to delivery.”

David Grimes, CEO of Sorted, added: “Supermarkets are extremely important to the communities they serve, and our technology has the power to help George at Asda and similar major brands underpin strong customer service during and beyond Covid-19 disruption.”

Commenting last week, Asda CEO & president, Roger Burnley, said the pandemic had led to “a structural shift in customer behaviours towards grocery shopping”, prompting the retailer to ramp up its investment in eCommerce.

Online grocery sales for its second quarter, between 1 April and 30 June, doubled year-on-year, while click & collect orders quadrupled.

In response to the online growth, Asda plans to increase weekly delivery slot capacity to 740,000 by the end of the year – and is eyeing up to one million slots per week in 2021.