Counter officer Muhammad Abdul Rahman Zasari said that during the early days of the pandemic, customers were unfamiliar with the SOPs and were resistant to the precautions.. - MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star
AS the year end of 2021 draws near, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic still impact the economy and society at large.
For those who provide their dedicated support in the postal industry, the impact is far reaching and more important than meets the eye.
World Post Day is celebrated every year on Oct 9, the day when the Universal Postal Union was created back in 1874 in Switzerland. It was formed to allow the free-flow of postal mail worldwide.But with today’s technology where messages are sent by a touch of a button to anywhere around the world in almost an instant, it is easy to forget that the humble postal service is still very much important.
And perhaps it is because most of us are just end points in a long line of processes, we tend to forget that the postal service, like those provided by Pos Malaysia, involves people who during the pandemic face different challenges every day.
In pre-Covid-19, postman Ahmad Firdaus Sulaiman has to contend with inclement weather, risk of accidents and being hounded by stray dogs. — RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The Star
Going the distance
Long-distance linehaul lorry driver Hazlan Ma’arof has been delivering letters and parcels for 21 years from state to state.
“I work in shifts,” said Hazlan. “If a consignment is to be delivered to Ipoh by dawn, then that’s when I’ll make the delivery run.”
So Hazlan has to ensure that the consignment arrives early. “I have to get there before the arrival time. And the arrival time varies – midnight, 2am or 4am.”
Hazlan related that pre-Covid-19, all he was concerned about was to ensure the consignments were delivered safe and secure, and that he remained alert on the road.
“Due to Covid-19, we have to follow the SOPs strictly because we are frontliners and have to perform our duties to our utmost as our jobs are crucial.”
Pos Malaysia’s SOP adheres to government requirements, so all its employees are required to wear masks, while postmen are required to add on visors, gloves and regular hand sanitisation and washing.
New challenges
For a postman of 12 years, Ahmad Firdaus Sulaiman has seen his fair share of challenges.
“One of the situations is when delivering registered mail, some of the recipients are unable or unwilling to provide verification, yet we still try our best to complete our task.”
Verification usually requires the recipient’s last four digits from his identification number and name, and the reluctance to provide such details could be due to the rising incidence of scams.
Ahmad Firdaus related that the inclement weather has at times hampered his duties, as well as the risk of running into accidents, or being chased by stray dogs.
“The pandemic made delivering letters and parcels even more risky – we now usually call the customer first.
“And while things were done differently before and after Covid, nevertheless it is our duty to perform our task the best as we can.”
When he delivers to an address that is identified to be a Covid-19 quarantine patient, as a frontliner he has to ensure he keeps a safe distance and calls the customers first.
“They would need to prepare a basket or a bag for us to place the letter or parcel in. We certainly feel fearful and anxious, but that’s our job.”
En-countering resistance
The experiences for those working behind the post office counter is certainly different, but it is by no means a walk in the park, as Muhammad Abdul Rahman Zasari would point out.
“Post office counter services are multi-transactional. It’s not only postage, as the list includes JPJ related services, insurance renewal, services related to Amanah Saham Malaysia, Bank Simpanan, and Western Union transfers, and more.”Abdul Rahman said that normally, counter service officers need to have customer service skills.
“We have to be careful when serving customers as not all react the same way. We also need to be trustworthy and precise as many of our transactions involve cash.”
In the early days of the pandemic when many were still unfamiliar with the SOPs, certain customers became visibly distressed and were resistant to the precaution of physical distancing and the limited number of customers in the post office premises.
Changing trends
With regards to the increase in online use and the falling volume of physical letters, Hazlan said he is certain Pos Malaysia is able to garner sufficient customers for its courier segment, as it is still the premier courier service in the country.
While both Ahmad and Abdul Rahman pointed out that although the volume of letters has dropped, during the pandemic online shopping resulted in an increase in package delivery, and this trend is likely to continue even when things normalise.Furthermore, Abdul Rahman pointed out that Pos Malaysia also reaches out to those living in the outlying areas from the cities, many of whom still rely on physical letters.
Stamp of gratitude
World Post Day is one day that those in the postal service can stand among the rest of the frontliners and be recognised for their dedication and service.
In the past, the day was commemorated with a stamp and philately exhibition or the issuance of first-day cover stamps for avid stamp collectors.
But to Hazlan, his commitment in the past 20 years is about gratitude. “I feel thankful for working with Pos Malaysia.” Ahmad looks forward to the special programme from Pos Malaysia that will involve all the branches nationwide.
Abdul Rahman added: “World Post Day is an important day because it reminds our customers of the importance of postal service.”
Malaysia’s first postal services logo.— source Pos Malaysia
POSTAL IN MALAYSIA: LIVING BEYOND CRISES
SINCE the early 1800s, postal services have been a lifeline that connected the Straits Settlements of Penang, Malacca and Singapore.
Eventually, these services extended their reach across other parts of Malaya and by the early 20th century, letters crisscrossed the land by dispatch riders or special messengers.
Instead of stamps, a fee was levied whenever these letters arrived at the post office.
As the Federated Malay States were formed, the posts and telegraphs department was set up on Jan 1, 1905, through the merger of the postal and telegraph services of Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang.
Two years later the Malayan Postage Union was incorporated to cover the Federated Malay States, the Straits Settlements and Johor. Subsequently, by 1909, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu joined.
Upon the independence of Malaysia, the Postal Services Department was established as a government agency. - source Pos Malaysia
These formed the foundation for the establishment and rise of the nation’s premier postal firm today: Pos Malaysia.
The company was corporatised in 1992 and listed on Bursa Malaysia in 2001. It started diversifying into other services via its subsidiaries – Pos Logistics (logistics), Pos Ace(air cargo, eventually renamed World Cargo Airlines) and Pos Aviation (ground and cargo handling, inflight catering, aircraft maintenance and engineering).
Today, Pos Malaysia builds upon this legacy, offering an extensive network of retail experience through its core business segments while connecting with over 200 postal operators globally.
It has embraced technological solutions with elements of Industry 4.0 to keep in tandem with the industry’s demands, enabling it to position itself in the global market competing with international players.
Hence Pos Malaysia has redefined its mission from just delivering mail and parcels to become a future ecommerce centre to fulfil customers’ changing needs following the growth of ecommerce globally.
World Post Day
The postal community around the world celebrates World Post Day on Oct 9, to spread the awareness of the role the postal sector plays in the everyday lives of people and businesses.
It stands testament to the social and economic developments that postal services bring to many countries.
It also marks the anniversary of the Universal Postal Union’s (UPU) establishment back in 1874.
The union’s aim was to coordinate the postal communications system among member countries, allowing for better flow in international mail around the world. As of today it has 192 member countries.
The union plays a crucial role in global communication and trade, even in an era of digital communication, as communities that have limited access to digital communication still rely on postal services for distribution of information and goods.
Playing a pivotal role
The Malaysian postal administration joined UPU as a member in 1958. As a current member of the UPU Operational Council, Malaysia has actively participated in the UPU Congress as well as in the meetings of its executive council.
This year is extra special for Malaysia as the country managed to retain its seat in UPU’s Council of Administration (CA) for the 2022-2025 term. Malaysia previously held the CA seat for the 2016-2021 term.
The country also won the Postal Operations Council (POC) seat at the 27th UPU Congress held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in August this year.
Malaysia’s success in defending the CA and winning the POC seats reflects the trust and recognition that the 192 member countries have for her leadership, which is a specialised body that guarantees a truly universal postal system, benefiting the global community.
Malaysia is also a current member of the Asian-Pacific Postal Union (APPU) since 1976, an inter-governmental body for cooperation between postal administration and industry players worldwide.
Among APPU’s objectives is to extend, facilitate and improve postal relations between member countries and to promote cooperation in the field of postal services. In particular, it supports the interests of smaller and lower income members through representation at UPU meetings.
The Malaysian government is committed to promote greater access to postal services for its population by creating a conducive postal regulatory and development policy framework.
The aim is to make the country well connected both in urban and rural areas and to enhance the people’s productivity and quality of life.
The development of a modern and ubiquitous postal and courier service network that results in excellent service quality and innovative products by industry players is essential.
The future of postal services
The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the decline of letters but spurred ecommerce parcel growth with the increase in online shopping. Last-mile delivery companies have scaled up dramatically because of the volume increase.
To survive the situation, change is inevitable. Postal and courier industry players must revamp their business models and seek ways to establish themselves as partners of different digital commerce businesses, serving both consumers and e-retailers and establishing themselves as digital commerce enablers.
Current priorities include enhancing interoperability and implementing cross-border tracking and transparent return service.
Innovations such as pick-up drop-off points should be introduced in the coming years for better customer experience.
The industry is also considering employing electrical three-wheeler (3W) vehicles for parcel deliveries, as this will boost the capacity of a normal rider delivery box by 15 times – shortening last mile delivery times and minimising carbon footprint.
