JAMAICA POST (the Post & Telecommunications Department and the Postal Corporation of Jamaica) has introduced Express Mail Service (EMS), a totally new international courier service in
collaboration with postal
administrations in other countries. This service is the answer to the need for individuals and
organisations to send packages overseas via a cost-effective, safe, reliable delivery service.
The initial service will be
confined to the Caribbean (Antigua, Barbados, Grand Cayman, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia), Canada, the United States (Miami, New York) and the United Kingdom. Successful negotiations with these postal administrations have resulted in specific arrangements for all Express Mail Service items to be expeditiously processed, as the Jamaican postal administration has established bilateral contracts that ensure the speedy processing of all items that enter the
designated countries.
DELIVERY TIME
The targeted delivery time is set at three to five working days after arriving in the country of the addressee. Although airline schedules may vary, the time-bound structure of this communication service ensures that customers' expectations will be satisfied.
DESIRABLE RESULTS
Based on a review of the pilot operations under way, the process has been consistently achieving desired results. Exceptions to this have been very few and the circumstances surrounding the extension of the delivery time were understandably outside of the control of either local or overseas postal administrations. Despite this, adjustments to operational plans are now being made to allow for a greater number of contingencies, as the primary objective remains to ensure that the item is delivered within three to five days once it arrives in the designated country.
MARKETING RESEARCH
The marketing research in preparation for this product indicated that there exists a significant number of persons who send international expedited mail who do not need to have their items reach the very next day. Marketing and product development strategies are based on providing customers with significant cost savings from shifting to a three to five-day service.
This is easily quantifiable and customers are expected to
appreciate the positive impact on the proverbial 'bottom line'
immediately. Accrued savings will, therefore, be generated with each use, a fact that will urge business leaders to consistently utilise EMS. The number of persons using this new expedited service has been steadily increasing, as first time users spread the word and
encourage others to try this secure, efficient, cost-effective method of international mail delivery.
Tracking is undertaken via a bar-coding system, thereby
ensuring that each item has a unique registration number. The significance of bar coding is that each item's location will be constantly monitored. The bar code accelerates processing and allows for instant recognition of the item (regardless of language differences) and eliminates the 'human error' factor inherent in having to decipher handwriting.
Customers familiar with the Internet can use the specified websites to track their items. Internet tracking via a link on the Jamaica Post website will be available on the home page at www.jamaicapost.gov.jm in a few days. This facility will
be available for the following countries:
Canada: (Canada Post)
www.canadapost.com
USA: (USPS)
www.usps.com
UK: (Royal Mail)
www.parcelforce.com
Customers can track their items via these websites by using the 'Track and Confirm EMS' feature, but for those persons who choose not to use the Internet themselves, the status of their packages can be established by calling the customer service unit at the Central Sorting Office at Tel: 922-9448 in order to ascertain the delivery status of their items. In order to assist you when you call, our pleasant, helpful
customer service representatives will need to know the tracking ('registration') number, so please have this information on hand.
Express Mail Service is offered at numerous post offices across Jamaica (see table).
HOW IT WORKS
On presentation of the item, our customer service representative will advise customers of the despatch times for items according to airline flight schedules. Customers will be notified of the cut-off times for EMS items, as these are based on the mail despatch times. This enables our customers to know the approximate delivery time to the addressee.
The mail item will be checked for compliance with international security regulations and, therefore, must not be sealed prior to being submitted at the customer service desk. It is then weighed to establish the cost.
STRIVING FOR EFFICIENCY
The postmaster general and
the entire post office team are working towards advancing the postal service's capacity to
provide modern, efficient, yet very cost-effective services
in a friendly manner. We are committed to facilitating communication for development.
The customer service unit at
the Central Sorting Office in Kingston will be happy to
provide more details on this new entry into the international courier service arena. Tel: 922-9448, 922-9430-8. Fax: 922-9439, email: postcorp_admin@colis.com, website: www.jamaicapost.gov.jm.
