Postal operators have pre-empted the European Commission’s demands for better cross-borderparcel delivery services by teaming up to develop a joint international scheme that should launch
fully next year.Some 31 European postal operators have joined forces and committed themselves towards theEuropean Commission to accelerate developments and to strive for an EU-wide rollout of cross-bordersolutions, the European postal operators’ association PostEurop said.
The European Commission yesterday gave parcel operators 18 months to improve cross-borderdeliveries for European consumers with better information, more customer-friendly services andsimpler complaints procedures in its long-awaited ‘roadmap’ designed to complete the Single Marketfor parcel delivery.
Posteurop, representing 52 postal operators in 49 countries, and the International PostCorporation (IPC), with 24 members in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific, are collaborating onthe IPC-managed Interconnect scheme that will go into operation next year. This will not only coverEU member states but other European countries and various overseas markets as well.
So far, all 24 IPC members, including 20 leading European postal operators who are alsoPostEurop members, have agreed to participate in the programme. A further 11 other PostEuropmembers are expected to join the scheme in the next wave during 2014, making a total of 31 Europeanparticipants.
Since June this year, global postal operators, with the support of International PostCorporation (IPC), have been working on setting up a technical and operational platform for globalcross-border e-commerce to respond to current market needs and make the initiative a success,PostEurop explained. A cooperation agreement was signed between IPC and PostEurop at PostEurop’sCEO Forum in September.
The industry initiative will enhance convenience for e-consumers, improve interoperability andultimately provide better customer service, ensuring that e-consumers feel no difference betweenbuying online domestically and from another country, according to the association.
Jean-Paul Forceville, Chairman of the PostEurop Management Board, said: “The e-commerce marketis very attractive and a great business opportunity for postal operators. The industry is committedto work hard at removing any barriers which may hinder cross-border e-commerce. However,these actions are technically challenging and will take time, significant efforts and substantialinvestments from the postal sector.”
IPC recently announced that the Interconnect e-Commerce programme, aimed at establishing a fullyinterconnected network for cross-border e-commerce deliveries, should be fully operational as ofend-2014.
Herbert-Michael Zapf, President and CEO, IPC, commented: “IPC is working with its memberoperators to respond to market needs by creating a global platform for cross-border e-Commercedelivery through a greater integration of postal delivery networks. Upon completion of the IPCprogramme, participating posts should be in a position to offer consumers and SMEs a full track andtrace platform, predictable and reliable transit times, choice of delivery locations, easier returnsolutions, and consistent customer service processes. We believe that this initiative will addressconsumer, business and market demands in Europe and beyond for full visibility and reliability andenable them to fully embrace e-Commerce.”
Upon completion of the programme, all participating posts should be able to provide consumersand e-retailers with:
* A choice of end-to-end transit times and features available in all destinations
* A full track-and-trace platform from posting to delivery using barcodes or RFID andproviding full end-to-end visibility to consumers and e-retailers of sold and returned goods
* A cross-border e-Commerce return solution, enabling consumers to return an unwanted goodfree of charge to the country of delivery
* Consistent cross-border delivery options offering consumers the same delivery andcollection solutions for cross-border as for domestic e-Commerce
* Harmonised processes
* Service reliability
* A more rapid resolution of customers queries through connecting call centres from up to 180posts worldwide
The Interconnect programme builds upon existing IPC initiatives currently involving a largernumber of operators in Europe and beyond such as the IPC Easy Return Solution, the IPC GlobalCustomer Services System which connects call centres through an IT-based queries platform and the31-member E-Parcel Group (EPG), which provides a cross-border service for priority parcels,including tracking and automated customer service.
