Author: Archive

U.S. Postal Service streamlining HR Operations

Posted by | Aug 29, 2006 | |

No matter where you are, there’s likely to be a U.S. Post Office nearby. Until recently, that location probably handled its human resources operations a little differently from any other office.

But now the U.S. Postal Service — an organization with nearly 700,000 employees and annual revenue of USD 70 billion — is reaching the first milestones in streamlining its HR operations in an initiative called PostalPeople.

So far, USPS has integrated 73 of its 80 districts into a shared services center that can handle benefits, retirement, separation and management hiring.

The second phase of the project involves upgrading its core HR operation, which consists of 70 systems supporting 200 processes in the 80 districts. Part of the computer code is more than 20 years old and is based on essentially extinct computing languages.

PostalPeople, which kicked off in July 2004, is part of the Postal Service Transformation Plan, launched two years earlier with the goal of increasing efficiency. The Postal Service invested more than USD103 million in PostalPeople. When completed, savings are expected to total USD60 million annually.

The end result will be a self-service HR network that enables employees to do HR transactions electronically, from changing their address to registering for benefits. All of the information will be available in one system serving 37,000 Postal Service locations nationwide.

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TV Banking Services start

Posted by | Aug 29, 2006 | |

Dacom, Korea¡¯s No. 3 fixedline telecom operator, will launch TV-based banking services today along with Korea Post, the country¡¯s postal service.
Clients of the state-run Korea Post who are subscribed to cable TV through the Korea Digital Media Center (KDMC) can enjoy the on-screen applications.
¡°Our TV banking services will enable TV viewers to access their accounts at Korea Post and transfer funds by remote control,¡± Dacom official Kim Min-soo said.
¡°Customers of KDMC-associated cable TV operators can enjoy the services by replacing their analogue set-top boxes with digital ones,¡± Kim said.
KDMC, the country¡¯s top digital media center, currently has 23 cable TV operators and four million subscribers under its wing across the country, People can check whether or not they are users of KDMC by examining an inscribed logo on their set-top box or monthly billing notice.

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DHL breaks ground on new Chicagoland Service Center

Posted by | Aug 29, 2006 | |

DHL, the world’s leading global express delivery and logistics company, today announced it has broken ground on a new, modernized service center operation just two blocks south of O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, IL. DHL will invest USD7 million in the new 78,960-sq.-ft facility, which will serve DHL’s local pickup, delivery and sorting operations. The new DHL Chicago service center is expected to be operational by early 2007.

This is the second recent major facility investment by DHL to enhance operations in the Chicago area. In September 2005, DHL opened a new 70,000-sq.-ft facility on West Cermak Road serving the Chicago loop area and providing pickup and delivery services for DHL’s largest customers in the financial, legal, and banking industries. The new airport area facility will feature state-of-the-art conveyors and sorting systems to process a higher volume of customer shipments more quickly throughout the area.

The new facility, located closer to the main artery off Mannheim Road to improve DHL customer access, will handle a wide variety of shipments – including domestic and international parcels as well as palletized, loose-load and container freight.

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Postal chief seeks 20m in unpaid wages

Posted by | Aug 29, 2006 | |

The new chief of An Post is to press for the payment of 20m in frozen wages in a move to improve relations with the main postal workers’ union.

Donal Connell, whose father was a postal worker, will seek board approval to pay the wages under part of the Sustaining Progress pay deal frozen by his predecessor Donal Curtin.

Former Irish Congress of Trade Unions general secretary Peter Cassells is due to reactivate talks next month, between the Communications Workers’ Union (CWU) and management, to improve working relations.

CWU general secretary Steve Fitzpatrick said that following a recent meeting, Mr Connell announced that, as a result of his union’s representations and in consultation with An Post chairwoman, Margaret McGinley, it had been agreed to recommend payment of the monies due.

“While many serious challenges face our members in An Post, no one can deny that this decision is a very good start by the new CEO.

“Hopefully this will lead to the development of a more positive relationship between the union and the management,” Mr Fitzpatrick said.

About 20m is owed to current staff and pensioners from earlier phases of the Sustaining Progress pay rises which were frozen.

The proposal to pay this back money will be made to the board at the end of September.

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Paketeria opens first logistics centre

Posted by | Aug 29, 2006 | |

Paketeria, the German parcel shipping and office services retail chain, has opened its first logistics centre to cope with rising volumes.

The base is located in Hofgeismar, close to Kassel in central Germany. “Due to our nationwide expansion we are bundling logistics for parcel services in the centre of Germany. The planning is to expand the new site in the coming months,” said Paketeria founder and managing director Andy Rösch.

Logistics expert Tony Prchal, who is developing the Paketeria logistics system, added: “In the opinion of leading industry experts, parcel volumes in Germany alone will grow by 300% in the coming years through the ongoing revolution in online retailing. A few years ago it was the major groups which drove change in the market, but in the future it will be mostly consumers and small businesses.”

Paketeria stores operate as retail outlets for mail, parcels and express services through cooperation deals with Pin AG, GLS and TNT Express, and also offer office services. The franchise chain now has more than 50 outlets.

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Registered mail to carry barcodes instead of stamps

Posted by | Aug 28, 2006 | |

Emirates Post has announced that registered mail will carry barcode instead of postage stamps, starting from September 1, to automate and speed up registered mail. During a one-month trial period, customers will have the option of using stamps or barcode, provided they pay extra for the stamps. However, from October 1, barcodes will be compulsory on all registered mail. “The barcoding of local and international registered mail is another step towards automation and upgrading of postal services,” said Abdullah Al Daboos, Director General of Emirates Post.

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Japan Post to increase Post Offices selling Invest -Kyodo

Posted by | Aug 28, 2006 | |

Japan Post said Monday it will nearly double the number of post offices offering customers investment trusts to 1,155, starting Oct. 2, the Kyodo News Agency reported.

In addition, the government-backed postal services provider will begin enabling holders of accounts for investment trusts to make additional purchases and cancel or alter the type of investment tool via the phone or Internet next year, the news agency said.

Japan Post has described sales of investment trusts as one of the revenue pillars for postal savings banks and over-the-counter service providers at its nationwide offices, which will be created when its 10-year privatization process starts in October 2007, Kyodo said.

At present, nine types of investment trust are available at a total of 605 post offices nationwide. In October, 550 post offices will be added to the list, the Kyodo report said.

Telephone-based purchases of additional investment trusts will be enabled in January, to be followed in May by Net-based marketing of such financial instruments, according to the new agency.
Japan Post envisages posting Y540 billion in investment trust sales during fiscal 2006 through March 31, 2007, Kyodo said

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Red-letter day for privatisation

Posted by | Aug 28, 2006 | |

The grand old department of posts and telegraphs will soon be opening its doors to the private sector. For the first time in its century-old history, the postal department is planning to allow private participation in day-to-day core operations.

According to sources, the first privatisation bid of the department will consist of appointing a network of franchisees in more than a dozen catchment areas.

The idea of privatising parts of postal services was moved for the first time by the ministry of communications and information technology around March last year. Following this, a committee was set up to work out various modalities.

After several rounds of discussions, the ministry is now learnt to be keen on adopting franchising as a model. “The government is looking at franchising as an optimum option to expand access to basic postal facilities without increasing dependence on budgetary resources,” according to an India Post official.

The exact franchising model that the government is considering is not known yet. Sources, however, say the department will tie up with multiple franchisees across the country. This will include all kinds of services that a post office provides, including outsourcing services like address verification of banks, financial intermediaries, telecom companies and Internet cafes.

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