Giant steps towards recovery by the Italian postal service

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Giant steps towards recovery by the Italian postal service

Financial Times, Aug 6, 2001
By GIANFRANCO DE MARCHI

From Mr Gianfranco De Marchi.

Sir, In Your Observer item of July 9 “Tinti is licked”, you state that some notices sent by Turin magistrate Bruno Tinti were not delivered, and take this as proof of the poor quality of the Italian postal service.

For privacy reasons, we cannot comment on the delivery of these particular notices. All the notices sent through Poste Italiane in the first half of 2001 were delivered, and more than 90 per cent within three days. Obviously, legal notices are not sent by first- or second-class mail, as Observer implies; the delivery of legal notices follows a special procedure, with definite guarantees for both the sender and the addressee.

Moreover, Italian postal rates are not 50 per cent higher than those of other European countries: the basic rate for first class mail in Italy is Euros 0.62; in Germany it is Euros 0.56; in France Euros 0.46; and in Sweden, a totally liberalised market, Euros 0.59. Even for second-class post, if we are to make a comparison with France, which Observer holds up as an example, the rate is exactly the same (Euros 0.41).

Poste Italiane has taken giant steps towards recovery since the beginning of its turnaround in 1999, in both economic and quality terms. Total loss has been reduced by 70 per cent; revenues have increased by 20 per cent and amount to Euros 7.1bn; earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, which were Euros 507m in deficit in 1998, are now Euros 287m, positive for the first time.

As far as quality is concerned, we have reached every target set by the government. To take international mail (certified monthly by the International Post Corporation) as an example: in 1998, less than 50 per cent of post coming from other European countries was delivered within three days; this now stands at about 90 per cent.

A lot is yet to be done to reach all of our goals, but we believe we are on the right track. We are at your disposal, and that of your colleagues, for any in-depth analysis.

Gianfranco De Marchi, Head of Communications Department, Poste Italiane, Rome, Italy Copyright: The Financial Times Limited