Changes in the Postal Landscape and the Need for Performance Evidence
With the beginning privatization of the non-European postal market, the number of competitors entering the industry is increasing, and with it the quality awareness of customers and postal service providers. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly important for companies to differentiate themselves from the competition by focusing on the quality of their services and deliveries.
In Europe, the market liberalization has already had its effects on the industry: the two main standards
EN 13850 for single priority mail and EN 14534 for bulk or mass mail have to be fulfilled to get certified. This is proven by Transit Time Measurements that are conducted by independent firms and institutions. For the non-European postal market, postal companies should also provide quality proof of transit time measurement in order to be considered a reliable carrier and be competitive.
How are Transit Time Measurements carried out?
Transit time measurements are usually conducted by independent research organizations that cooperate with postal service providers. Prior to the actual end-to-end measurement of delivery time, panelists are recruited for the tests. They are carefully trained and precisely instructed to comply with the particular circumstances and requirements of the respective country or delivery company.
To measure postal performance, i.e.transit times and quality of service, specially prepared test items ‒ which may be letters or parcels indistinguishable from regular mail ‒ are shipped to the panelists. Some of the panelists serve as recipients, while others may also serve as senders or act in both roles. Furthermore, the participants of the quality studies take part in special surveys that provide shippers and postal operators with feedback about receipts, possible delivery damages and service satisfaction to get an overall view of their delivery quality.
For an in-depth view of postal performance and delivery quality, test items can additionally be equipped with RFID tags or Live Trackers to ensure in-transit and end-to-end visibility.
Prove how good you are with Transit Time Measurements
Transit time measurements enable postal service providers to achieve compliance with required standards in their respective regions, and with national or international standards, and obtain precise information about their service quality.
The proof of postal performance is very important among a high number of competitors. The certifications not only set postal companies apart from other players in the market, but also create reliability for customers and other stakeholders. And – if needed – they also provide the companies with proof of conformity.
Postal service providers do not only need to show evidence of their overall quality to stakeholders, but can make use of transit time measurements to check and control themselves. By measuring their postal performance, companies are able to find out whether they meet their delivery goals or need to improve their service quality. Through the integrated surveys in runtime measurements, postal service providers get information on their customers’ satisfaction.
With end-to-end visibility of the delivery process, errors that affect the delivery quality can be analyzed and quickly remedied, for immediate and long-term improvements. An easy access to relevant data in real time helps to prevent potential issues and find precise and effective solutions.
The data obtained through runtime measurements is perfectly suitable for benchmarking purposes as it can be compared to former results and/or data from competitors. This helps postal service providers to improve the quality of their own services and pinpoint issues in their operations that may need improvement.
Let Spectos make you stand out
Growing competition in the liberalizing non-European postal markets is leading to more quality awareness among customers and postal operators. Hence companies need to set themselves apart by quality proof for transit time measurement.
Spectos measures your transit time according to all European standards and your company’s individual needs. Keep track of the postal performance of your company or your service partners with our tailor-made Spectos Real-Time Performance Management™ Suite. Make use of our RFID and live tracking technologies to gain more precise insights into your service and delivery quality. By receiving certifications from independent auditors in your country, you get actual proof of your service quality and cannot only set yourself apart from the competition, but also provide your customers with the best delivery experience possible.
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