Swiss Post Solutions UK, a subsidiary of Swiss Post, has signed a contract with the Co-operativeGroup, a market leading service in document lifecycle management, to digitise all its incoming mail
and progressively digitise large stores of archived paper files.The project, worth more than £5 million, will provide the Co-operative Group, which handlesphysical and digital documents in a truly integrated process, with more efficient documentprocessing by deploying state-of-the art technology from SPS. This will deliver significantoperational benefits and cost savings by altering the way information is processed within thebusiness.
The services will initially be provided across The Co-operative Group’s head office estate inManchester prior to the gradual re-location to SPS’s Document Processing Centre at Salford Quayslater this year. Under the contract, SPS will be processing two million items of external andinternal mail per year. The mail once digitised will be delivered electronically via SPS’s hostedplatform to up to 3,500 client users, across all business units within the Co-operative Group.
“Information needs to be accessible by the right people at the right time in order to make thebest business decisions. Centralised processing and digitisation will improve our operationalefficiency and will facilitate the introduction of flexible working practices across the businessahead of the re-location to the new head office. We selected SPS to deliver this critical servicedue to their track record in managing both analogue and digital services, and their ability tomanage the digital transformation of business processes,” said Kevin Foley, Resource & PlanningManager, the Co-operative Group.
Existing archived files will be converted to electronic format, saving on space and in turn costand allowing employees much faster and easier access to information. While reduction in the use ofpaper has considerable operational benefits for the Co-operative Group, it is also consistent withthe Group’s focus on sustainability.
The reduction in paper use comes ahead of the Co-operative Group’s move to its new eco-builthead office in Manchester in 2012. The office will be one of the most sustainable commercialbuildings in Europe. “By utilising market leading technologies and exploiting the expertise of SPS,we have targeted ourselves with an 80% reduction in paper storage which will ensure the optimumutilisation of space within the new building, improved workflow opportunities and reducedduplication, whilst clearly supporting our commitment to the environment,” Foley explained.
SPS said the contract reinforces its position as one of the international market leaders fordigital mailroom and document processing services. SPS has successfully delivered digitaltransformation projects for a diverse range of industry sectors, including retail, financialservices, and media.
Jonathan King, CEO of SPS UK & Ireland, welcomed the opportunity to be working with theCo-operative Group: “We have established an excellent track record in managing digitaltransformation projects of this nature and size, and look forward to delivering to the Co-operativeGroup a market leading service in document lifecycle management by handling physical and digitaldocuments in a truly integrated process.”
