E-commerce breathes new life into postal deptartment

Date: 2.6.2016

E-commerce breathes new life into postal deptartment

Gone are the days when a khakiclad postman came knocking the doors with letters or telegrams from loved ones from a faraway land. The advent of cellphones and internet might have made postal jobs obsolete in recent times, however e-commerce , a byproduct of the IT boom, is giving them a new lease of life now.

Changing well with the times, these days they bring home products ranging from prized mobile phones to wedding gowns purchased online by tech-savvy Bengalureans. Not just image makeover, gaining a foothold in e-commerce delivery platform has helped the department achieve a commendable growth in revenue generation.

In 2014-15, the Karnataka circle of India Post generated Rs 269 crore through speed post. In 2013-14, it was Rs 200 crore, a remarkable jump from the Rs 60 crore revenue in 2010-11. According to the department, it's the highest in India. The branch was recently honoured by minister of communication and IT Ravi Shankar for this achievement.

Tie-up with e-sellers

Products booked through e-commerce giants such as Amazon , Flipkart , Myntra or Snapdeal reach the parcel hubs (Yelahanka and the general post office) where they are sorted and despatched to various delivery centres. These hubs receive 2,000 to 5,000 parcels every day . Products are delivered to parcel hubs by 12.30pm and after sorting, they reach delivery centres by 2.30pm. From there, they are dispatched to different addresses.

"No doubt, e-commerce has helped postman and postwoman regain their importance," said Usha Chandrashekar, chief post master general, Karnataka circle.

WIDER ACCESS A PLUS POINT

The biggest advantage that the department has is its wider reach; India Post can deliver products to the remotest parts of the country. According to Usha Chandrashekar, chief post master general, Karnataka circle, the department has ensured that its employees have the right amount of motivation by incentivizing parcel deliveries. "A large number of people who buy products online are techies who aren't at home during 9am-5pm. We stagger the timings of the delivery staff. By using twowheelers and autorickshaws for delivery, we ensure the products reach customers on time," she said."India Post has definitely been a major player when it comes to delivering products. However, we had to fight Amazon's own delivery system for express deliveries --what they call the Metro Services," said Veena Srinivasan, post master general (business development and mails).

SECOND PARCEL HUB IN PEENYA

The department is setting up a second parcel hub in Peenya. "The structure for the 7,500 sqft semi-automated sorting hub is ready. We are calling tenders for conveyor belts that can measure volume and weight of the product and calculate the price.At Yelahanka, parcels are sorted manually," said TR Shankar, assistant post master.

Source:-The Times of India