X5 to apply AI to reduce courier churn

As TAdviser found out, X5 Group decided to introduce an automated system for conducting surveys of couriers through instant messengers. From the documentation for the request for proposals from potential suppliers, which the Perekrestok network, which is part of X5, placed at the end of August 2025 at one of the open procurement sites, it follows that automation of this process is required to receive feedback from couriers, reduce outflow, assess the level of satisfaction with adaptation and increase the share of reactivated.

The project involves the introduction of a ready-made chatbot software solution for conducting structured surveys of couriers "who are partners of the company" through instant messengers.

The system is required to recognize the responses of respondents in free form and return to the conversation scenario using AI, follows from the terms of reference. The required functionality includes semantic analysis: recognition of keywords and semantic constructs in final text responses, highlighting emotional colors and basic topics of circulation.

It is also planned to use a system for automatic classification of responses by given categories using machine learning algorithms to improve categorization accuracy.

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Фото: X5 Group Press Office

In addition, among the functions will be the presence of analytics and reporting on the results of surveys with the identification of the proportion of responses for each level and scenario with the ability to track in real time. Reporting involves, among other things, a qualitative analysis of the consequences of the response: the results of semantic analysis of text comments with the identification of key topics, problems and emotional colors.

The system should provide for the possibility of self-addition and adjustment of scenarios by "Crossroads." Multilevel scenarios are assumed: setting up to five different types of surveys for different categories of couriers/contacts (beginners, absent, non-calls, etc.), taking into account the specifics of each group and the goals of the survey.

The planned volumes of data processing in the system are as follows: as of September 2025, it is planned to process 10,905 dialogs and messages with a delivery level of 85%, and as of March 2026, a similar indicator is laid down already in 27,496. The indicators are calculated by months for the period up to July 2026 - this, the last month provides for the processing of up to 16,477 processed dialogues and messages.

The maximum daily load is up to 1,000 dialogues per day, and the maximum hourly load is up to 150 simultaneous dialogues. In this case, the system should be designed taking into account the reserve of productivity of at least 20% of the maximum planned indicators to ensure stable operation at peak loads.

As Anton Chemerkin, Kh5 Digital Delivery Director, explained to TAdviser, the main tool for couriers in the company is its own mobile application "X5 Courier," developed by the internal forces of Kh5 Digital. This is a single digital ecosystem that fully automates the process of delivery of orders from all retail chains of the company (Pyaterochka, Perekrestok, Chizhik). The application is integrated with the X5 IT infrastructure, which ensures uninterrupted operation, and also allows you to quickly solve any issues that arise both through automated systems and with the support of the territorial delivery manager.  

We are continuously improving the application to improve the efficiency and quality of our partners. As part of the new pilot project, we are introducing an automated feedback system for couriers. The goal of this and other initiatives is not only to reduce staff turnover, but also, first of all, to increase the level of their satisfaction and loyalty, which directly affects the quality of service, "said Anton Chemerkin in a conversation with TAdviser.

He added that Kh5 's leadership in online sales in Russia, which the company holds for the third quarter in a row, is a direct consequence of the consistent implementation of its strategy. The emphasis on developing our own delivery, assembly and geography of presence allows X5 to confidently increase volumes and improve customer experience.

Note that recently the demand for courier services has been growing in Russia. So, at the end of 2024, couriers entered the top 15 most popular professions in the country, overtaking design engineers, locksmiths and programmers, according to a study hh.ru^[1]. For two years, the need for couriers in the Russian labor market has almost doubled, by 97%. However, in the second half of 2025, a slight decrease in courier vacancies was recorded - by 7%^[2]. It is likely that this phenomenon is seasonal in nature.

Earlier in its annual report for 2024[1], the 2024 X5^[3] stated that labor shortages are one of the key negative factors for the grocery retail market, exacerbating competition for labor resources and putting pressure on business margins. At the same time, the "outflow of migrants and the current demographic situation" will contribute to the preservation of personnel hunger in the future. According to forecasts, the personnel deficit in trade, logistics and catering can reach 13% - 230-500 thousand people in each of the industries in 2028.

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