NEW YORK (Bloomberg) ― United Parcel Service Inc. will boost seasonal hiring by as much as 73 percent from its peak plan in 2013, when a surge in late e-commerce orders left the company unable to meet holiday deadlines.

The temporary workforce will number as many as 95,000 people to handle the crush of packages from October through January, the Atlanta-based company said in a statement. UPS also recently sent an email to 2,300 retired managers hoping to lure them into temporary service, according to Lytana Kids, vice president of workforce planning.

The holiday season will be a challenge for UPS to assure customers that they won’t face a repeat of last year’s pre- Christmas breakdowns. David Abney, who was promoted to chief executive officer in June, led a review of UPS’ response to the tardy shipments, prompting a $100 million plan to expand its parcel facilities and accelerate use of technology to improve delivery operations. “Typically, I don’t start thinking about peak season until March,” Kids said. “This year I was in a meeting about peak season Dec. 26.”

Kids said 200 retirees have agreed to come back in roles such as training drivers and coordinating seasonal helpers.

UPS plans to boost headcount from last year, when a surge of last-minute shipping orders forced the company to quickly add 30,000 people to its original plan for 55,000 seasonal workers. Some of the additional staff this year will work at sorting facilities, which now will run five or six shifts per day instead of the typical three or four, Kids said.

Some of the seasonal workers will be called back for permanent work after the peak season ends, as many college students who work part-time leave the company, Kids said.