World Postal Business Forum organized by UPU opens in Barcelona
Each edition of the annual POST-EXPO trade show confirms that new technologies are increasingly playing a larger role in postal operations. And far from being a threat to the postal sector, they provide many opportunities to postal operators and their customers. “New technologies today place the postal sector at the heart of all forms of communication. In my opinion, the postal sector is the only one where its physical, electronic and financial dimensions converge to place it at the heart of the communication society,” said the Director General of the Universal Postal Union as he officially opened the World Postal Business Forum, taking place alongside POST-EXPO 2007 in Barcelona.
Edouard Dayan reminded participants that new technologies are particularly important for electronic money transfers between postal operators around the world, for tracking and tracing mail to ensure quality of service and in enabling postal operators to help develop electronic commerce and participate actively in the global distribution chain for merchandise ordered online.
José Damián Santiago Martín, President of Correos, the Spanish public postal operator, said for his part that technology was an essential element of its business strategy. The company has invested heavily in recent years to modernize its business infrastructure and launch service innovations. He did emphasize, however, that new technologies cannot replace people. “Postal operators must adapt themselves to the new market demands and to the new technological requirements, but without neglecting their role as a near reliable and quality-attention service. For this reason, our companies need more and more qualified professionals who take advantage of the new advantages technology provides and contribute additional value to products and services.” Tomorrow 3 October, one of the Forum sessions will be devoted to the postal services of the future. Participants will explore the opportunities for Posts in a world which is increasingly becoming digital. The postal brand will also be discussed. Participants will review the critical elements of an efficient postal brand and how postal operators should strive to make their brand communicate trust, quality and dynamism in order to build customer loyalty.
Among other topics being discussed during today’s opening session is the response of the worldwide postal sector to climate change. The global postal sector will respond to the challenge of using more effective transportation means to distribute mail the world over and the necessary resources for postal communication, said Dayan.
The worldwide postal sector – five million postal employees (up to 10 million if associated sectors are included) and more than 600,000 postal establishments – uses some 250,000 motorcycles, more than 600,000 vehicles and hundreds of planes to distribute mail the world over, according to conservative estimates.
