Post Malaysia aims for 40% domestic courier market share

Post Malaysia Bhd wants to increase its share in the domestic courier market from 30 per cent currently to 40 per cent in the next two years. Its chairman Datuk Annuar Maaruf said the bigger market share will be achieved via its new services, Poslaju On Demand Pick-Up Service and Domestic Time Certain Service (TCS). The On Demand Pick-Up service allows customers to post their packages without having to leave their homes or offices, while the Domestic TCS guarantees delivery of goods before 10am the next day. He said the new services are targeted at non-contract clients, namely small- and medium-sized industry (SMI) companies as well as individuals. “I think this is a good way to promote our services to potential non- corporate clients,” he told a press conference after the launch of the new services by Energy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Amar Leo Moggie in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. For the time being, Annuar said, the pick-up service will only be available within the Klang Valley while Domestic TCS is confined to 22 major cities and towns nationwide. He said the limited coverage is mainly to gauge the market response. “We would most probably extend the service coverage within the next two months,” Annuar added. Pos Malaysia is also investing RM3 million to set up e-Poslaju System, the information technology backbone for the Poslaju operations. He said the entire system consists of seven modules that will be developed in stages. The first and most critical module, the Track & Trace, had already been installed in the last quarter of 2002. “The other six modules such as the counter system, e-Billing, e- Financial and customer service system are expected to be fully implemented by end of the year.” Poslaju handled around 10 million packages and letters last year, and the volume is expected to grow by about 5 per cent annually. The courier service contributed around RM100 million to Pos Malaysia’s RM600 million revenue last year, out of which about 10 per cent of its earnings came from overseas delivery. Moving forward, Annuar expects to see Poslaju’s overseas contribution to grow to 30 per cent by 2006. He said the target is in line with Pos Malaysia’s plan to become a regional courier and logistics service provider by that time. “We are currently preparing ourselves for the regional expansion plan. “In fact, we are currently in talks with several airline companies on possible tie-ups,” he added. Meanwhile, Leo Moggie called on Pos Malaysia to focus its business strategies on ways to satisfy customers’ demand. The minister pointed out in his speech that as a service-oriented entity, the national postal service needs to come up with innovative products and services to satisfy clients’ needs and expectations which are becoming increasingly complex and dynamic. He also called on Pos Malaysia to upgrade the image of post offices nationwide.