Jaco Roux, Head of Product at Bob Group, explains how innovative tech solutions are making ecommerce faster, more transparent and more effective, all while cutting down on the admin burden for merchants and meeting the ever-greater expectations of customers.
Bob Go has built a reputation for fast, reliable deliveries. What sets your approach apart in a competitive logistics market?
We like to keep things simple, innovative, and 100% focused on the customer experience. A big part of our competitive edge comes from combining tech and logistics; our platform connects with all the major ecommerce tools, pulls in rates from multiple couriers, gives merchants complete control and streamlines their admin. We don’t own fleets of vehicles or warehouses, but we’ve built solid partnerships and leveraged them to create a single, unified experience. That makes us faster, more reliable, and more human than many of the more established players.
What really differentiates us, however, is how closely we monitor shipments. Our internal tools track the status of every parcel, allowing us to spot and fix issues early – often before the customer even realises there’s a problem. Our proactive approach makes a big difference.
How has technology transformed Bob Go’s operations, and what innovations are you excited about?
Tech is really at the core of what we do – in fact, we’re a technology company first, and a logistics company second. Nobody enjoys the boring (but necessary) stuff like as waybills, rates at checkout, and fulfilment rules – so we automated it. That lets our merchants focus on selling and customer service instead. Real-time tracking is a big one, too. It’s not just about knowing where the parcel is, but rather ensuring the customer feels in control and informed at all times.
The thing I’m most excited about is how we’re using our data. We’re now able to predict where things could go wrong before they do. With innovative tools like shipment health tracking, we’re building a modern delivery network with the power to continuously improve.
How does Bob Go ensure a seamless experience from dispatch to final delivery?
Customers want their purchases yesterday, and they want to be kept informed every step of the way. That’s why Bob Go was engineered to deliver a smooth, frictionless flow from order to delivery. Using parameters set by the seller, our automated intelligent processes immediately select the right courier for the job.
The real game-changer is how we handle problems. We don’t wait for someone to complain. Instead, our system flags risky shipments at the first possible opportunity so our support team can intervene before things start to go wrong. This combination of proactive support, solid courier partnerships and real-time tracking delivers a truly seamless experience.
Sustainability is a growing concern in logistics. Is Bob Go exploring eco-friendly initiatives?
Definitely. We’re not couriers ourselves, so we don’t run vehicles, but we have a big role to play in how parcels move. By pushing for out-of-home delivery options like Bob Box, we’re helping to reduce failed deliveries and carbon miles, and making last-mile logistics much more efficient.
We also help merchants batch and optimise fulfilment through smart rules, which avoid unnecessary trips. With sustainability, it’s not always the big, showy gestures that make a difference – the little things can add up to a much greater positive impact. We see sustainability as a journey, not a check box, so we’re constantly looking for ways to make our processes leaner and greener.
What’s next for Bob Go? Any expansions, new services, or goals for 2024/2025?
We’ve got some exciting things lined up for 2025, like building out better tools to help merchants stay in control. Watch out for deeper shipment monitoring, WhatsApp notifications for easier communication, and possibly even a Bob Go mobile app to manage shipments while you’re on the go.
It’s all about reducing friction and giving our users enhanced visibility and control, wherever they are. We’re also constantly improving platform speed and automation so merchants can grow their online businesses without getting bogged down in more admin.
Can you share a memorable success story where Bob Go went above and beyond for a client?
There are many, but one that stands out for me is the time during peak season when one of our high-volume merchants had a courier partner suddenly drop the ball. Parcels were piling up, customers were getting upset, and they were close to having to pull the plug.
We jumped in, rerouting hundreds of shipments through alternative couriers within hours, and working closely with both merchant and buyers to keep things on track. Our ops, support, and tech teams all pulled together to make it happen. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked – we kept the wheels turning, and the merchant stayed online throughout their busiest time of year.
It’s that kind of speed and teamwork that we’re most proud of.
How do you see the logistics industry evolving in the next 5 years, and how is Bob Go preparing for it?
Logistics is moving fast, with more automation, increasing customer expectations, and more pressure on delivery timeframes and costs. Over the next five years, I think we’ll see a shift toward smarter, more flexible fulfilment solutions. Out-of-home delivery will grow, tech will play an ever bigger role in exception handling, and customers will expect everything in real time.
At Bob Go, we’re already building for that future. By focusing on automation, visibility, and giving merchants more control over their fulfilment, we’re making logistics simpler and more effective, for everyone.
How would you describe the leadership style that drives this success, and what values define your company culture?
We try to keep things real. Our leadership style is hands-on, open, and focused on execution. We care about getting stuff done and learning as we go, so we’re careful not to overcomplicate things. Everyone has a voice, but we also expect people to take ownership and run with projects.
One core aspect of our work is releasing features in smaller chunks and getting preliminary feedback from our team, our merchants, and even our support crew. That way, we know we’re building tools that will actually help people, rather than tech for tech’s sake.
Our company culture values curiosity, diversity, speed, and practicality. We’re not big on ego or red tape. If something’s not working, we fix it. Equally, if someone has a good idea, we try it – no matter who they are, or how senior or junior they might be. The Bob Go team backs each other, challenges each other, and ultimately works together to build tools that actually help our customers.
Bob Go’s tech solutions are already transforming the ecommerce experience for buyers and sellers, and with exciting new developments already in the pipeline, customers can look forward to even smoother online transactions and real-world deliveries going forward.
