UPU News-Asian Posts praised for high quality of service

Members of the Asian-Pacific Postal Union (APPU) are on the right track in advancing quality of service and postal financial services in their region, says UPU Director General, Edouard Dayan.

“Asia-Pacific is at the cutting edge of postal development, innovation and diversification,” he said in a speech before the APPU’s Executive Council meeting this week.

The APPU is a UPU restricted union, which facilitates and improves postal relations between 32 member countries in the Asia-Pacific region. During the work cycle 2009-2012, its primary focus was increasing quality of service.

“Quality of service in the Asia-Pacific region is progressing very well, both in terms of actual results, and the use of quality testing and enhancement solutions,” Dayan said.

The UPU’s data shows the region is progressing very well on several key quality of service indicators. More Posts are tracking all classes of mail, including registered letters and parcels, and using the UPU’s systems to exchange electronic data interchange messages and better manage their mail flows. In 2008, only 15 countries had active track and trace on parcels; now there are 36. The region is also performing well with the delivery of EMS items. On-time deliveries of such items remained steady at 90.8 per cent last December, and the region has an impressive 98.9 per cent rate for on-time customer service response.

Facilitating trade

Not to be forgotten is the rise of e-commerce, a market that Asia-Pacific dominates. He advised Posts to focus on trade facilitation and the export market to thrive in this area. “Customers know no borders and are increasingly demanding integrated and secure international postal services,” he said.

But Posts can look to the UPU for a helping hand, he assured. “[The UPU] will support you in your efforts to put in place such strategies [for facilitating] postal export programmes … ,” Dayan said.

The .post initiative will be one way the UPU can help countries “bridge the gap between the physical and electronic dimensions of the postal network” as Posts move online, he added.

As the UPU looks onwards to Congress and its goals for 2013-2016, the director general said the UPU will continue to work closely with the APPU to tackle its designated priorities after Congress: improved quality of service and remuneration systems.

“It is only through this kind of exemplary cooperation, based on mutual trust and a willingness to move forward together, that we can continue to foster the development of the postal sector,” Dayan said.

Quality of service