The Challenge
In a postal company, delivery can represent 50 to 60 percent of total operational costs. Of this, approximately 80 percent is likely to be labour cost. It follows that labour efficiency is a key determinant of productivity in a postal company. Managing the total operation to minimise cost while meeting delivery and service performance requirements is a daily challenge for managers.
The ability to sort and deliver mail securely, on time and at the lowest possible cost is a key measure of any successful postal organisation. Achieving success requires matching the correct levels and mixes of resources to mail volumes so expected workloads can be processed at any time to predetermined levels of quality.
How Transend Can Assist
Transend has specialised delivery consultancy expertise to help postal organisations meet these challenges. Our focus includes assessment, analysis, the formation of recommendations and the introduction of best practice tools, methodologies, policies and processes.
Our experience has shown typical postal delivery business questions include:
- Can customer service delivery be improved?
- How can costs be reduced?
- How can labour resources be better matched to volumes?
- How can workload be equitably distributed within the delivery office?
- Can processes be made more efficient?
- How can low performance be better managed?
Transend’s Approach
Transend’s approach to achieving improvements in delivery is comprehensive and introduced in phases. Its elements typically include:
- Installation of delivery workload assessment methodologies
- Process and performance improvement
- Improved performance management
- Change management
By undertaking a detailed review of delivery rounds (inddors and outdoors), Transend can provide an objective comparison of existing rounds and recommendations for improvement. The work incorporates:
- Outdoor route measurement (distance, classification of address points, terrain, dead distance), capture of daily volume information
- Capture of volume and labour hours information
- Applying proven methodologies to calculate indoor and outdoor delivery workloads per round
- Round equalisation including calculation of work hours, identification of excess hours per round and recasting or re-sizing of rounds
- Productivity measures involving capturing of hours of work per employee split by broad process activity
- Development of optimised delivery sequences and configuration of delivery route systems in collaboration with delivery officers
- Identification and elimination of unproductive work processes and activities
- Documentation of processes and coaching of management on implementing new and changed processes
- Development of new staff practices and work flows
- Development of training programmes and change management strategies
- Identification of current practices and recommendations on best practice management practices
- Incorporation of purpose-designed ergonomic equipment to delivery offices, such as tubular sorting cases
- Consultation and collaboration with management, team leaders and staff to finalise KRAs and KPIs for delivery
- Development of KPIs for delivery roles
- Development of a Balanced Scorecard for delivery down to delivery office or team
- Management coaching and assistance to implement an improved performance management framework
- Introducing planning, monitoring and reporting management systems
- Best practice sorting, delivery and productivity measurement processes
- Advice and expertise on implementing the change process
- Coaching of management and team leaders on staff communication processes and guidance with materials
- Development of and assistance with training for management and staff
- Improving staff morale and workplace safety through staff involvement in changes
Transend’s Experience
Transend's expertise, products and systems are drawn from New Zealand Post’s achievements in developing innovative and practical solutions to improve delivery productivity. They are then tailored to meet individual clients’ delivery operations needs.
Transparency of detail for both the inquiry and solution phases is a key component of Transend's operational assessments. This transparency enables the transfer of knowledge and learning to client organisations’ management.
Transend has worked with a range of postal organisations to provide delivery consultancy including the Netherlands, Malta, Great Britain, Jersey and Hong Kong.
For more information on improving delivery efficiency and effectiveness please contact us.