A pilot afternoon parcel delivery project run by the Czech Post has been underway from July 2010. The project covering all regional capitals, which is to continue until the end of September, is expected to improve the successful delivery rate and level of quality.

The rules of this additional service, which is to be available from October 1st, 2010 in larger cities before further spreading, are simple. On receipt of a parcel, the delivery post office will call the customer to arrange for its delivery same day in the evening. The sender must use a special posting form to indicate the contact phone number.

"Our main expectation is that evening delivery will improve the level of quality of services provided to ordinary customers. Even though we are able to successfully deliver about 95% of parcel mail to our business customers, successful delivery rate is by far not so high in case of individuals. This has been the subject of regular rebukes both from the Czech Telecommunication Office and, first of all, from our customers," said Czech Post's Director General Marcela Hrdá.

If the pilot test proves successful, the Czech Post will eventually become able to cope with the pressure from its competitors which have providing this type of service already for several years. This additional service, which is to be provided by the Czech Post free of charge, is to spread further next April, to cover also smaller towns.

Postal rule is the root of the trouble

The Czech Telecommunication Office's (CTO) Basic Quality Requirements document presently allows the Czech Post to deliver mail only between eight o'clock in the morning until four o'clock in the afternoon.
Subject to an amendment to the CTO rules, parcels could be delivered to individuals up until seven o'clock in the evening, starting from October 1st, 2010.
"It is the time limit set by the CTO rule at 4 p.m. what makes a real problem," said Petr Zatloukal, Chief Director of Czech Post's Operations and Logistics, adding: "I welcome the approach by our regulator who allowed us to run the testing. We have no problem delivering mail to any business during the daytime. But try to find private customers at home during their working hours".

Surprising results arriving from the first day of pilot operations

The successful parcel delivery rate rose steeply during the pilot operations to almost 90%, against the current figure of only 55%. The public reaction is very positive. People welcome the new service, according to the delivery post office is Ostrava-Poruba. Comments like: "It's perfect, it saves me a trip to the post office!" can be found on the telephone recording machine.

Benefits only

This additional service, under which the Czech Post will deliver parcels to the customers up until 7 p.m., will:

• substantially improve the successful first-attempt delivery rate,
• likely cut the waiting time at post offices,
• likely save costs caused by storing undelivered parcels at post offices and repeated delivery, and by limiting the amount of administrative work,
• improve customer comfort.

 

Marta Selicharová
Spokeswoman
Czech Post
selicharova.marta@cpost.cz