New UPU Book Highlights Postal Innovation - July 6, 2010
[Press Release.]The ITU and UPU launched "ICTs, New Services and Transformation of the Post," a new publication on information and communication technologies (ICTs) at the World Telecommunication Development Conference in Hyderabad, India, 24 May to 4 June.
The publication features case studies from seven Posts at various stages of economic development and their experiences in adopting ICTs. They include Bhutan, Botswana, Brazil, Italy, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation and Saudi Arabia.
The idea for the publication originated from a 2003 joint project between the ITU, the UPU and the government of India to bring digital technology to the populations of rural and remote areas of Bhutan using post offices as the mechanisms of delivery.The massive success of that project inspired the UPU and the ITU to identify best practices among Posts worldwide.
They wanted to determine how Posts were using modern technologies to improve their traditional services as well as how they were developing completely new services. "We learned a lot and I think, for the countries who read this book, there are many lessons to take from it," said Nils Clotteau, UPU Partnership and Resource Mobilization Expert.
The case studies revealed that ICT-based projects are enriching postal enterprises around the world by enabling them to improve their quality of service and introduce new services in the process.
Korea Post To Enter Credit Card Business - July 2, 2010
[Kim Tae-gyu, Korea Times.]Korean card issuers may soon break into a sweat as the country's monopolistic postal service with huge cash reserves and a nationwide network has decided to enter the credit card industry in the not-so-distant future.
Korea Post President Namgung Min disclosed the ambitious scheme during Wednesday's press conference held to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the postal service's privatization.
``Currently, we are not permitted to establish a card business. But for many ordinary people, we will take steps to make headway into the industry as we have a wide presence in places where credit card issuers are not present,' Namgung said.
As the first step, the state-run agency plans to start with debit cards before eventually extending its horizons to credit cards.
As long as an account has a sufficient balance, a debit card can be issued to purchase things avoiding the use of cash or checks. The funds are be automatically withdrawn from the card holders' accounts.
However, people cannot buy items on credit with them.
The biggest stumbling block could be opposition from the card issuers since they don't want to compete with the giant agency with more than 3,700 branches across the country.
``Of course they would be opposed to the idea. Yet, in order to offer financial services to those in rural areas, Korea Post has to step up,' Namgung added.
Plus, Namgung said that Korea Post would increase its riskier investments such as overseas assets, real estate or private equity funds, which promise higher returns. Thus far, it has invested 50 percent of its assets in bonds.
Currently, Korea Post has 44.3 trillion won ($36.2 billion) in deposits and the total assets of its insurance department amounts to 28.3 trillion won.
Korea Post has also changed its logo on the occasion of the 10th anniversary.
UK Mail Joins Elite Of European Logistics - July 2, 2010
[Press Release.]UK Mail has joined the leading European distribution network, Eurodis as a shareholder, in a strategic new agreement designed to extend service offerings to brand new markets overseas. The exciting alliance will allow UK Mail to provide its parcels and palletised goods customers with the similarly sophisticated range of delivery solutions that they enjoy in the UK, across Europe. UK Mail will exclusively provide collection and delivery services for the UK and Ireland and the linehaul that connects it to the Eurodis network.
The Eurodis consortium consists of key shareholders including Sernam in France, trans-o-flex Logistics Group in Germany and Benelux, Redur in Spain and Portugal, as well as Osterreichische Post AG who further strengthen the network with its parcel and logistics subsidiaries, mainly in South Eastern Europe - all working together as one network. All the shareholders come together as a network of organisations who are dominant, recognised operators in their own domestic markets.
UK Mail is no stranger to forming strategic alliances with strong international logistics providers to ensure that it can offer its UK customer base comprehensive, quality delivery solutions across the continent. UK Mail’s CEO and now Vice Chairman of the Eurodis Supervisory Board, Guy Buswell says: “In times of globalisation, no logistics company will be able to fulfil customers’ requirements without being connected to a powerful international network.”
Eurodis’s strong, integrated European network and powerful global presence has arisen precisely because of its host of strategically formed partnerships - so teaming up with UK Mail seemed an obvious choice. As the UK‘s leading delivery solutions provider, UK Mail has the operational ability, technical know-how and vision to match Eurodis’s own. Both businesses were committed to ensuring the flawless international exchange of goods between network partners and achieved this via the installation of a new IT-platform for data exchange, in April of this year. The innovative system facilitates the distribution and conversion of shipment and status data on standardised interfaces allowing for a high degree of transparency amongst customers and partners alike. This market leading real time track and trace service not only provides name, date and time of delivery but also provides online signatures for all partners. In addition, UK Mail customers can continue to work with the system that they are used to whilst receiving information on their international shipments.
Carsten Siebe, Managing Director of Eurodis GMBH says: “We see this partnership as a giant leap in continuous service and international tracking for our customers in today’s fast-paced global econompaced global economy.”
U.S. Postal Regulatory Commission Report Finds $50 Billion Discrepancy - July 2, 2010
[Press Release.]The Postal Regulatory Commission today submitted to Congress, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the United States Postal Service, an independent actuarial report on the allocation of the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) benefits paid to former Post Office Department employees.
The Postal Service asked for an independent review of current allocations. The Commission report finds that an adjustment of $50-$55 billion in favor of the Postal Service would be equitable.
The Commission is pleased to provide this expert and timely perspective to assist Congress and OPM as they work to resolve an issue that has far-reaching consequences for the financial health and viability of the Nations universal mail system, said Chairman Ruth Y. Goldway.
By law, OPM, which is responsible for calculating the Postal Services CSRS pension liability, must now reconsider its calculation of the Postal Services pension assets in light of this report, and submit the results of its reconsideration to the Commission, the Postal Service, and Congress.
The Commission finds that the report, prepared by The Segal Company, provides a persuasive statement of how generally accepted accounting principles should be used to develop the current postal pension assets.
The Commission suggests that Congress may wish to alter the schedule established in the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) for potential transfers from the Postal Service Retirement Fund to its Retiree Health Benefit Fund. Currently, such transfers may not take place before September 30, 2015.
The full report, Civil Service Retirement System Cost and Benefit Allocation Principles, is available on the Commission web site, www.prc.gov.
European Union Liberalization Deadline Approaching - July 1, 2010
[Consumer Postal Council.]The deadline for European countries to comply with the European Commission's Third Postal Directive, which requires the majority of them to open their postal markets to competition, is just six months away. As Philippe Bodson, President of the Free and Fair Post Initiative (FFPI), put it, "This year is therefore crucial in order to ensure the development of a free and fair postal market." Thus far, just five member states (Germany, the United Kingdom, Finland, the Netherlands, and Sweden) have liberalized their postal markets. And within the last three years, according to FFPI, only two countries have opened their markets.
On April 29-30, European policymakers and postal leaders gathered at the European Commission Second High Level Conference on Postal Services in Valencia, Spain, to assess the broader state of European postal markets. At the conference, postal leaders proclaimed that 90 percent of the European market will be “open to competition” at the beginning of 2011 -- if all goes according to plan.
The road to liberalization is certainly uphill. The FFPI reports that the debate over liberalization is ongoing in such countries as Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania, Italy, Spain, Slovenia, and Portugal, even though all are subject to the year-end deadline. After 2011 dawns, many European posts will retain their monopolies. Nine member states that joined the EU after 2004, as well as Greece and Luxembourg, have until December 31, 2012, to open their postal markets.
Finland Becomes First Country to Make Broadband Internet the Law - July 1, 2010
[ARN.]Finland has become the first country in the world to force its ISPs to treat broadband like postal services and telephone connections. From July 1 onwards, every citizen will get access to a reasonably-priced connection with a minimum speed of 1Mbps.
The European nation has done this by introducing new universal service obligations, which are currently provided by Telstra (ASX:TLS) in Australia. Under local digital data service obligations, every Australian is entitled to a reasonably-priced 64Kbps connection.
Australia’s communications minister, Senator Stephen Conroy, recently joined Finland’s communications minister, Suvi Linden, as commissioners on the Broadband Commission for Digital Development, which aims to shape the world’s Internet.
According to a statement by the Finnish Government, this is one of its most significant achievements. The country currently has almost 5.4 million residents.
“Telecom operators defined as universal service providers must be able to provide every permanent residence and business office with access,” it said. “Last year the Communications Market Act was amended so that universal service also includes a functional Internet connection.”
Finland is known as a hub for telecommunications and is the home of telco giant, Nokia. Earlier this year, the country began considering whether or not to make accessing open Wi-Fi networks legal.
Korea Post To Expand Financial Service To Low-Income Customers - June 30, 2010
[Cho Chung-un, Korea Herald.]Korea Post, the state-run postal service agency, will expand financial services to mid- and low-income customers, as part of efforts to support the underprivileged and maintain its status as profit-seeking public firm.
Namgung Min, president of Korea Post, told reporters on Wednesday that the agency will begin fund sales and issue credit cards soon after consulting with related ministries and financial regulators. Korea Post needs to get licenses to operate both financial businesses as a card issuer and fund sales agents.
The agency currently under the Ministry of Knowledge Economy will take risks in asset management to keep its interest rate high for low-income customers, the CEO said.
“Korea Post has been making stable investments mostly to national or public bonds and some to companies and local securities market,” Namgung said.
“But we will face risks in asset management from now on by investing in overseas funds and securities market to guarantee high returns for our customers in times of low deposit interest rates,” he said after his presentation on the new vision set for the agency. Korea Post celebrates its 10th anniversary as an independent postal and financial service provider.
Korea Post currently operates 50 trillion won worth of savings and 27 trillion won worth of insurance products. It aims to increase the size of savings to 100 trillion won and insurance products to 70 trillion won by 2020.
The Korean postal agency saw 168.8 billion won in profit last year and 1.57 trillion won in the last 10 years. The performance by the state-run firm is grabbing attention, particularly when compared with balance sheets revealed by other postal agencies in advanced countries. The U.S. Postal Service saw a $3.8 billion deficit while Royal Mail in the U.K. recorded a 230 million pound loss. Japan Post recorded 47.7 billion yen deficit last year, the agency said.
Even with the development of internet services, trade volume among Korea, China and Japan will increase more than 40 percent, Namgung predicted. This will offer another business opportunity for Korea Post to become a global logistics provider, he added.
New Luggage Box From UPS Expands Luggage Shipping Solutions - June 30, 2010
[Press Release.]The UPS Store® can ease air travelers’ burdens this summer with three luggage shipping alternatives, including a new luggage box that takes the place of a suitcase, to help reduce hassles of long lines, security searches and increasing baggage fees.
“Not having to carry a suitcase while traveling is a great convenience. Even better is luggage awaiting your arrival at a destination or hotel,” said John Minetola, The UPS Store franchisee from Wyoming, Pa. “You can ship your luggage as is; place it in a box for shipment, or at select locations purchase a luggage box, eliminating the need for a suitcase altogether.”
When shipped UPS Ground service, the luggage box is competitively priced with the airlines’ baggage fees, especially when compared to the major airlines, many of which are charging well over $100 for comparable baggage. Additionally, members of the Automobile Association of America (AAA) can receive a 15 percent discount off the full retail price of The UPS Store eligible products and services and five percent off domestic U.S. UPS shipping costs.
The new luggage box comes as the AAA predicts an increase in summer travel this year.
Trust: It’s in the U.S. Mail - June 30, 2010
[Press Release.]When it comes to safeguarding personal information, Americans continue to trust the U.S. Postal Service above all other government agencies. For the sixth consecutive year, the Postal Service has been named the “Most Trusted Government Agency” by the premier privacy trust study in America.
More than 87 percent of the 9,000 Americans surveyed by the Ponemon Institute in its 2010 Privacy Trust Study of the United States Government ranked the Postal Service first among 75 federal government agencies. The results show that Americans view the Postal Service as the government agency that is best able to keep their information safe and secure. The average score among federal agencies included in the survey was 38 percent, down from 50 percent last year, with an increasing concern among Americans about the government’s surveillance in their personal lives.
The Postal Service has held the top spot since the first privacy trust survey of the United States Government was completed in 2004. In addition, the Postal Service has consistently improved its privacy trust score during this time from 78 percent to the current rating of 87 percent.
“When you visit every door every day, trust is critical,” said Delores Killette, USPS Consumer Advocate and vice president. “It is the cornerstone of our mission to deliver reliable and affordable mail service to every American, as well as a great source of pride for postal employees across the country.”
The Postal Service handles 40 percent of the world’s card and letter volume and delivers more mail to more addresses in a larger geographical area than any other post in the world. Despite the vast size of the Postal Service’s network and scope of operations, many Americans know their letter carriers by name and see them as welcomed and trusted members of the local community, Killette said.
“We have a 230-year tradition of securing the mail and protecting our customers’ personal information,” said Killette. “This survey clearly demonstrates that Americans continue to trust and depend on the Postal Service to protect their privacy.”
The survey asked Americans about their beliefs about U.S. government organizations that are known to collect and use information about the public. The survey included questions about Americans’ belief that the federal government takes appropriate steps to safeguard personal information and about the government’s commitment to protecting the privacy rights of its citizens.
“While overall trust in the government declined this year, trust in the U.S. Postal Service remains at an all-time high,” said Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of the Ponemon Institute. “By offering consumers a sense of security that their privacy is protected and limiting the amount of personal data that is collected, government agencies like the Postal Service are able to strengthen the public’s trust.”
International Parcels: Swiss Post Is Losing Parcel Volume – 70 Jobs To Be Cut - June 29, 2010
[Press Release.]In future, Deutsche Post will have its parcels destined for Switzerland cleared through customs and delivered by DHL instead of by Swiss Post. This means that Swiss Post will lose business to the tune of three out of four parcels – 4,600 of the 6,300 parcels it handles on a daily basis – at the Exchange Office Basel. Therefore, Swiss Post is obliged to cut between 60 and 70 jobs at the Exchange Office Basel. The job cuts will affect customs agents, customs clearance officers and other logistics staff. Swiss Post is aware of its social responsibility and is drawing up the necessary measures together with the social partners. If possible, it will seek to employ the staff in question elsewhere at Swiss Post.
To date, Swiss Post has cleared all parcels mailed to Switzerland from Germany through customs at the Exchange Office Basel located in the Swiss Post building at the railway station (Bahnhof SBB) and channelled them into its parcel delivery network. For the 90 or so employees at the Exchange Office Basel, these parcels – around 4,600 of the total 6,300 parcels handled each day – are the most important earnings pillar of customs clearance and interface logistics. This source of revenue is now being eliminated. On 8 June, Deutsche Post began to gradually transfer these parcels to the channel of its delivery company DHL. DHL will thus handle customs clearance and delivery of the parcels to Switzerland.
Majority of jobs to be cut
The loss of three-quarters of the parcel business will have consequences. Swiss Post is obliged to reduce most of the jobs in Basel. This means that over two-thirds of the employees will lose their jobs. Swiss Post expects the job cuts to affect 60-70 employees. Around one third of them are customs agents and customs clearance officers. The other two thirds are logistics employees. Swiss Post is aware of its social responsibility. It informed the employees of the plans of Deutsche Post and the possible consequences for the Exchange Office Basel in mid-May. Swiss Post is in contact with the social partners and is drawing up the necessary measures together with them. It will do its best to offer the employees concerned another position within the company.
Consignment requests to be handled via DHL in future
Deutsche Post will gradually transfer its parcels to the DHL channel. The transfer is scheduled for completion in the autumn. All questions relating to delivery and customs clearance for parcels processed by DHL must be addressed directly to DHL from now on.
New UPU Book Highlights Postal Innovation - July 6, 2010
Korea Post To Enter Credit Card Business - July 2, 2010
UK Mail Joins Elite Of European Logistics - July 2, 2010
U.S. Postal Regulatory Commission Report Finds $50 Billion Discrepancy - July 2, 2010
Finland Becomes First Country to Make Broadband Internet the Law - July 1, 2010
International Parcels: Swiss Post Is Losing Parcel Volume – 70 Jobs To Be Cut - June 29, 2010
