Postal Digest – news from Swiss Post, Poste Italiane, Post Danmark…

Rounding up some more of the latest news from postal services around the world, including innovation at Swiss Post, Post Danmark and Poste Italiane, and human resources news from Russia.

Swiss Post revamps personalised stamp website

Swiss Post has re-launched its online postage facility, WebStamp, seeking to make the designing and printing of personal postage stamps “easier than ever”.

The company said so far, more than 237,000 customers have used the free service, which last year was responsible for the home or office-based printing of 16m postage stamps. Since the introduction of WebStamp in 2006, more than 50m stamps have been printed.

With the new look, users can produce their own stamps in just three steps – uploading an image, selecting a shipping method, and then printing the stamps.

Poste Italiane launches online financial services platform

Poste Italiane is expanding its services in the investment field, with a new online trading platform, BancoPosta.

The service compliments the financial services that customers can already access through post offices, allowing users access to invest in 10,000 different financial products, from stocks to bonds and securities.

The project is being provided in partnership with the Italian Stock Exchange and Websim.It, part of the retail company Intermonte.

Successful first year for Danish mobile stamp service

Post Danmark has said its Mobilporto service, which allows customers to purchase postage via their mobile phones, has sold 400,000 stamps in its first year of operation.

The service works by sending a text with the word “porto” (postage) to the number 1900. A code is than received that can be written in the corner of an envelope where the stamp would normally be positioned. The service can also be accessed via the Post Danmark smartphone app, which has now been downloaded 100,000 times.

Lars Kaspersen, the communications manager at Post Danmark, said: “Customers have almost torn these mobile stamps off the shelves – we’ve sold 400,000 in the first year, and we believe that much of it is for letters that otherwise would not have been sent.”

Russian Post outlines human resources strategy

Russian Post is planning to modernise and strengthen its human resources activities under a new strategy.

The company said developing its management systems, new training programmes and improving its image as an employer were among its top priorities. It is planning to work more closely with universities and colleges to aid skills and recruitment, and invest in a new IT system for its human resources department.

Russian Post, which currently has nearly 370,000 employees, said the development of its staff was an important factor in its ongoing efforts to improve the quality of services.