Finnish postal operator Posti is to add 100 new service points to its network over the next few years, taking the total number to 1,500. Cooperation negotiations have been completed, covering 98 of Posti’s outlets, with the aim of renewing and improving the accessibility of the postal operator’s services.
A total of 21 outlets will be managed by Posti, while negotiations will be held concerning the remaining 77 outlets, which are to be transferred to partners between 2015 and 2018. The number of Posti service points will be increased by 100 over the next few years, with the total growing to 1,500.
During the negotiations, the number of layoffs was reduced to 319 employees, down from 380. The changes will be made one outlet at a time as the negotiations with the partners proceed, and will take place over the next two and a half years, with the first changes estimated for August 2015 at the earliest. Posti outlets will serve customers as normal until the changes, and customers will be notified of future changes well in advance.
“We are developing our services on the basis of customer needs, by improving the accessibility of the services and taking all our different customer groups into account,” explained Riku Kuusisto, vice president of Posti’s retail network.
“It is important that each area has its own service point that meets the local needs and provides the services that the local inhabitants and businesses want. When evaluating service points, we have taken into account customer flows, customer structures, amounts of mail dispatched and received, and the population density.”
The renewal of Posti’s service network is based on customer research studies conducted over several years. According to a survey conducted by TNS Gallup, more than 70% of Finns want Posti outlets to have the same opening hours as shops. Even before the changes, 90% of all Posti outlets, totalling nearly 800, are already operating within Posti’s partners.
“In the future, Posti can often be found closer to its customers. We are adding one hundred new service points in different parts of Finland. We will also improve the operation of our own outlets. In addition to personal service, many Posti services are also available online,” Kuusisto commented.
June 23, 2015