Lithuania Post implements mobile postie service
Lithuania Post has announced that it has been implementing a new mobile postie service in rural areas. In a statement sent to Post&Parcel today (27 September), Lithuania Post said that because of “rapidly decreasing” populations in some rural areas, it has had to develop innovation solutions to continue providing postal services in a financially viable manner.
As a result, the company closed 77 “rarely visited” post offices and replaced them with 124 mobile posties who provide all postal services by visiting people’s homes or in “designated service provision locations”.
The mobile posties are fully equipped with tablets, mobile phones, portable receipt printers and scales and regularly update their knowledge with remote and direct training.
Mikas Jovaišas, Head of Strategy and Business Development at Lithuania Post, commented: “According to the new operating model, the mobile postman is able to provide services, which before used to be available only at stationary post offices. Moreover, new operating model allowed to cut operating costs by 15% while increasing mobile postmen wages up to 20%. I am pleased to note that this radical change made postal services more acceptable from client’s perspective and more flexible from company’s perspective.”
The mobile posties can also act as information gatherers and early warning systems. Jovaišas explained: “Lithuania Post and various non-governmental organisations cooperate to exploit mobile postmen operating model with regard to social services, e.g. inform responsible authorities and police about noticed disasters or other social risks.”