We design and deliver integrated systems for streamlined check-ins, secure storage, and enhanced visitor management. Our trusted partner network and focus on sustainability, data security, and customer success drives us to provide the most effective and user-friendly solutions.
We design and deliver integrated systems for streamlined check-ins, secure storage, and enhanced visitor management. Our trusted partner network and focus on sustainability, data security, and customer success drives us to provide the most effective and user-friendly solutions.
We design and deliver integrated systems for streamlined check-ins, secure storage, and enhanced visitor management. Our trusted partner network and focus on sustainability, data security, and customer success drives us to provide the most effective and user-friendly solutions.
VPOD / ESTATE TRANSFORMATION
A practical guide for existing locker estates
Start with the operating problem, map what you already own, then decide what to retain, refurbish, retrofit or replace. A phased migration can modernise the workflow without assuming every locker in the estate needs an electronic lock.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Replacing traditional lockers is an estate and operating-model decision, not a lock-only upgrade. Begin by identifying the recurring problem: lost keys, manual allocation, poor utilisation, limited audit history, maintenance or a workflow the current cabinets cannot support. Then assess the condition, compatibility and value of each part of the estate.
Some lockers may remain useful as they are. Others may need repair or refinishing; a compatible cabinet may be a retrofit candidate; and some areas may need a complete replacement. A phased plan lets teams test the new workflow, learn from a pilot and protect day-to-day access while the estate changes.
THE CHANGE IN PRACTICE
The comparison below is a planning model. Smart-locker capabilities depend on the selected hardware, software, access method and integrations.
01 / REPLACEMENT TRIGGERS
One inconvenience rarely justifies replacing every cabinet. Look for repeated operating costs, service failures or changed requirements that the current system cannot meet reliably.
Lock changes, duplicate keys, spare-key control and access investigations create repeat work for facilities or reception.
Facilities / service deskCoin mechanisms create collection, reconciliation, refund and fault-handling tasks, particularly in public or high-turnover settings.
Finance / venue operationsFixed allocations can leave usable capacity idle when attendance, shifts or team membership change.
Workplace / estatesWhen a handover, parcel or asset issue is disputed, teams may have no consistent record of who accessed which compartment and when.
Security / operationsManual lists, labels and local trackers can drift out of date and are hard to maintain across locations.
Administrators / ITReach, compartment sizes, opening forces, labels, routes and user instructions may need reassessment against current accessibility needs.
Accessibility / facilitiesRepeated lock, door, hinge or finish repairs can make continued use less dependable and consume planned maintenance time.
Estates / maintenanceSmall compartments may not fit today’s devices, uniforms, parcels, bags or specialist equipment. A changed workflow may require a new size mix.
Users / operationsAttendance varies by day and location, while one-locker-per-person may no longer match how people use the office.
Workplace / people teamsLocal ownership, separate site processes and limited occupancy data make consistent policy, support and capacity planning difficult.
Portfolio / regional estates02 / RETAIN, REFURBISH, RETROFIT OR REPLACE
Different cabinet banks may take different routes. Assess structure, door geometry, materials, lock hardware, wiring, accessibility and the proposed control system before treating retrofit as feasible.
KEEP IN SERVICE
Best when the cabinets remain safe, accessible, serviceable and suitable for the current operating model.
RESTORE THE CABINET
Best when the cabinet structure is sound but finishes, doors, hinges, labels or selected components need attention.
UPGRADE COMPATIBLE HARDWARE
Best only when the cabinet construction is compatible with the proposed electronic lock and control design.
CHANGE THE ESTATE
Best when layout, condition, compartment sizes, accessibility or workflow requirements cannot be met by the current cabinets.
Retrofit is a technical assessment, not a default. Conventional lockers differ in materials, dimensions, door construction and lock preparation. A site survey and compatibility check must confirm whether conversion is practical for the specific cabinets and selected system.
03 / AUDIT THE EXISTING ESTATE
Estate data is often spread across facilities records, local spreadsheets, drawings and supplier invoices. Reconcile it at cabinet-bank level and verify the information on site. The audit should explain what exists, what is used, what is failing and what constraints the new design must respect.
Capture the current state before removing doors, changing locks or reallocating users. Photos, dimensions and location codes make it easier to compare like with like and to identify the areas that need a deeper survey.
Download the estate audit CSV04 / DEFINE THE FUTURE OPERATING MODEL
The cabinet count alone does not define the requirement. Agree who uses the lockers, what moves through them and which team owns the exceptions. A locker estate may support one workflow or several, if the chosen design and software configuration support them.
Named people retain a regular compartment. Clarify how joining, leaving, absence, lost access and occasional reassignment are managed.
Workplace / HRUsers choose from available capacity for a shift or visit. Model attendance patterns, peak days, turnover and release rules before sizing.
Workplace / facilitiesRules assign storage based on a booking, user profile, time window or operational event where the selected platform supports it.
Workplace / ITStaff collect or return devices, tools or equipment. Define custody, identity, item records, replenishment and exception ownership.
IT / asset ownerCouriers deposit items, recipients are notified and collections are recorded. Map delivery, oversized items, failed notifications and uncollected parcels.
Mailroom / logisticsVisitors, guests or customers need clear instructions, accessible access and support that fits reception, venue or retail operating hours.
Guest services / operationsOne physical bank may serve more than one approved workflow, but the allocation rules, compartment sizes, permissions and service owners must be specified. Do not assume that every locker can change use instantly or that every configuration supports every journey.
Estate / platform owner
05 / BUILD THE MIGRATION BUSINESS CASE
Do not compare the purchase price of a conventional cabinet with a complete connected system and call the difference the business case. Model the same service, users, estate scope and planning horizon on both sides. Use measured baselines where possible and show assumptions separately.
Sample key replacement, assignments, parcel handovers or asset transactions across representative weeks. Include peak periods and interruptions rather than relying on a single quiet-day estimate.
A change may reduce reception work while adding IT administration or support. Record which budget pays and which team receives the benefit so the business case is credible.
Model low, expected and high adoption, plus maintenance and integration cases. Separate measured evidence from forecast assumptions and review performance after launch.
06 / PLAN THE TRANSITION
Assign a decision owner and evidence for each step. The sequence can overlap by site, but dependencies such as configuration, power, data and user communication should be closed before equipment is removed.
Build the site register, cabinet inventory, condition log, usage baseline and ownership map. Flag unknowns for physical survey.
Agree user groups, workflows, access, accessibility, capacity, service hours, reporting, support and success measures.
Choose a representative site or cabinet bank with real users, manageable dependencies and a clear way to compare results.
Confirm which banks are retained, refurbished, retrofitted or replaced. Approve layout, door mix, hardware, software and integration scope.
Complete dimensions, access routes, power and data checks, building approvals, delivery planning, out-of-hours needs and safe-work coordination.
Reconcile users, locker assignments, access roles, identifiers and integrations. Define the cut-off and recovery approach before importing or creating records.
Sequence by floor, zone, building or workflow. Keep a live view of unavailable capacity, dependencies, handover dates and site contacts.
Explain what changes, when, how to access a locker and where to get help. Give managers and support teams role-specific instructions.
Test representative user journeys, access roles, integrations, faults, accessibility, reporting, recovery and operational ownership against agreed acceptance criteria.
Clear contents under the agreed process, remove obsolete locks or cabinets safely, update asset records and confirm reuse, recycling or disposal routes.
07 / AVOIDING DISRUPTION
The transition plan must cover the people and items already using the lockers, not only the installation crew. Set a named owner for each exception and publish dates early enough for users to act.
Use phased floor, zone or building changeovers. Identify temporary storage for affected teams and reserve a safe buffer during the pilot and the first operational weeks.
Set a clear empty-by date, reminders, witnessed clearance and an unclaimed-item process. Record custody for valuables or work equipment and explain where items will be held.
Tell users whether keys, PINs, badges or app access will change. Confirm when existing credentials stop working, how new access is issued and what to do if someone is absent.
Coordinate deliveries, noisy work, building access, fire routes and contractor supervision. Consider out-of-hours installation where that reduces impact and is safe for the site.
If old and new systems operate together, define which lockers belong to each service, how users identify them, who supports them and when the old route closes.
Provide a help route for first access, failed allocations, forgotten credentials and damaged doors. Monitor issues daily at launch, then step down support when agreed service levels are stable.
08 / MEASURE AFTER THE CHANGE
Choose a small set of measures tied to the original problem. Define the data source, period, owner and target before go-live. Review by site and workflow so a portfolio average does not hide a local capacity or support issue.
Active users, completed journeys and repeat use against the eligible population.
Occupied capacity, release patterns, peak demand and shortage periods.
Time spent on assignments, key issues, resets, handovers and routine checks.
Lost access, failed allocations, forced openings and recovery time.
Ticket volume, issue type, response time and repeat contacts after launch.
Unmet requests, oversized or undersized compartments and usage by size mix.
Available service, recurring faults, maintenance visits and time out of operation.
Task completion, accessibility feedback, satisfaction and reported friction.
VPOD DEPLOYMENT EVIDENCE
These results belong to specific Vpod deployments. They are useful references for discovery; they are not forecasts or guarantees for another estate.
Mars expanded its locker programme from employee storage into IT asset distribution, returns and hybrid-work support. Vpod’s case study documents a rollout across nine countries, 15 sites and 27 locker walls, showing how an existing locker service can grow into a broader operating platform.
The venue replaced coin-operated lockers and manual processes with 4,608 digital self-service lockers installed within one week. Vpod’s published case reports a 75% reduction in post-concert exit times, from 60 to 15 minutes, alongside the removal of physical key and coin issues.
Explore the Ziggo Dome case ↗
Vpod describes a centrally managed flexible locker service across London, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Its case study reports 90% less locker administration and 70% better utilisation, supporting a workplace where attendance and storage demand change.
Explore the Skyscanner case ↗
Fifty-four self-service smart luggage lockers replaced manual luggage handling and helped reduce reception congestion. Vpod’s case-study hub reports a 6× first-year ROI for this specific deployment.
Browse Vpod case studies ↗
The wider programme covered 438 doors across nine UK locations. In the measured 51-door phase, the case study reports 5,500 annual orders and a 78% reduction in staff time spent handling collections. It is a useful example of aligning locker change with a defined customer handover workflow.
Read the footwear retailer case study ↗WATCH THE USER JOURNEY
Use the videos to ground stakeholder conversations in real access and user flows. Open them on the official Vpod Smart Solutions channel.
Explore more Vpod product and workflow videos on the official Vpod Smart Solutions YouTube channel ↗.
READY TO PLAN THE CHANGE?
Bring your site list, locker inventory, known pain points and future workflows. Vpod can help map the replacement options, survey needs and phasing questions for your estate.
