Post PNG CEO unveils new business model

Welcome,

With letter volumes plunging, Post PNG is focusing on parcels and leveraging its strong national retail presence. Chief Executive Officer Peter Tepure tells Business Advantage PNG that the company’s new business strategy is built upon playing to its strengths.

Post PNG’s Peter Tepure

National postal services around the world are having to adapt in the face of digital disruption, with the volume of letters sent globally between 2008 and 2016 falling by around 50 per cent, says CEO, Peter Tepure, who was appointed in early 2017.

Although Papua New Guinea’s postal market has some unique characteristics, the challenge facing Post PNG is no different.

‘Post PNG’s geographical coverage is unique in PNG. We have a domestic logistics network of 39 locations, including every province except the two new ones. In nearly all cases these are staffed by our own people, not agents.’

Logistics

Tepure says there is a new approach to logistics.

A new fleet of vehicles was purchased as part of a recent upgrade of the entire network (encompassing air, sea and road) aimed at better meeting the needs of the corporate sector as well as the shift in demand from letters to parcels.

Its traditional domestic courier service, Express Mail Service (EMS), has been rebranded Post Logistics.

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Besides customers in the corporate sector—including Ela Motors and CPL Group—major clients include the Bank of PNG, the Department of Education and State Owned Entities (SOEs).

Private residences in PNG do not have street numbers, so Post PNG can’t deliver door-to-door. Instead, it either delivers door-to-door to business addresses (via the name of the business and street) or to PO Boxes.

Potential

The next stage of Post PNG’s business plan involves maximising the potential of its post office network by transforming each one from a mail centre to a one-stop shop for a range of retail transactions. These would include utility bills payable to other state-owned enterprises, as well as e-commerce.

‘Most people in PNG do not have a credit card, so how can they buy something online?’ asks Tepure. ‘We plan to give our customers the chance to go into a post office and make the online purchase on the spot. They can then return to the same branch later to collect the goods.’

This strategy is likely to work especially well in more remote areas of the country that have limited retail options.

While Post PNG already offers a service for domestic remittances, it is also hoping to partner with other international money remittance institutions to drive more foot traffic through its post offices.

Comments

  1. Judah Lazarus says

    This door to door delivery is achievable if all the PostPng employees know and learn the type of products that they are selling. Then they can convince their customers to use the service. And I believe most people will flood in to use this service as the online purchase such as EBay and Amazon is not that effective or I should say it’s 80%scam.

  2. Former Postmaster says

    I had developed a proposal to leverage on the increasing demand of online shopping to ensure residential door-to-door delivery as a former employee of Post, but was shelved a few years back. Now that the new CEO is looking that way, I’d suggest the senior management to pull the proposal out and look at the options provided. It is a very detailed step-by-step process spelt out with specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time and resource based approach.

  3. salamet chapau says

    I like the concept of door to door delivery. instead of saying PNG residence does not have street numbers, I suggest POST PNG take the leading role (working with other stakeholders such as NCDC )to enable the “door to door” concept become a reality. Start in Port Moresby and go from there. The benefit is huge considering you want to tap on the “online purchase”…

    Regards
    Liklik tingting tasol

  4. Can Post PNG also setup shipping arrangements with online shopping sites like Amazon or Ebay so that shipping to PNG is easy? Most sites are unable to ship to PNG due to location, this would make it much easier for online shoppers here in PNG. There is a lot of good stuff on online at an affordable price but shipping to PNG is an issue.

    Regards.

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