The Pakistan Post is trying to keep itself relevant in the fast-changing situation, opening up to new ideas and shrugging off the old obsession with the letter to capture the spirit of the times.

In recent weeks, it introduced ‘same day delivery’ service against nominal charges in Lahore. “As the General Post Office, Lahore, is an old institution, we have our strengths, and with the passage of time, our weaknesses have also developed. Personally, I think it is its strength that all over Pakistan we have our footprint. In this way, we can do delivery any time unlike our competitors. But we have not rightly exploited the strength; as a result, our core business, by virtue of it the Pakistan Post is intact, we have not done its optimum utilisation,” says Post Master General Muhammad Aslam Khan Niazi.

He further says, “Last year, on Dec 17, we introduced ‘same day delivery’: for example, if you book something today, you can get it received by someone the same day which is a big step. The reason is: it is difficult for someone in Lahore to move from one place to another for a delivery. But, in present times, he does not need to do that, as with only three or four hundred rupees he can send his delivery via GPO. In this context, we are trying to improve our services.”

“Besides that, we are also committed to improving the financial footing and health of our department, and we are hopeful that it will improve in the coming days,” Mr Niazi says, adding, “For an organisation, it is essential that the customer’s trust level should be improved by providing him/her your services and availability, which matter a lot. Also, you should be available around him, when he needs services. For the same purpose, I extended the time of the post office from 2 to 9 o’clock. Now the services are uninterrupted, and more than this, Lahore GPO’s services are round the clock at the disposal of the customers.”

He also says that not only in Lahore, we have opened our outlets also in Sialkot, Sahiwal, Wazirabad, Okara and in some other places. And at present, he says, 24 hours’ services are also available for the customers even on Sundays. Therefore, through these steps, he points out, that they have noted their revenue is also increasing. Besides, public trust is also coming back, he notes.

Asim Sajjad, who was sitting on premises of General Post Office, complained that he had been there to get his delivery since morning, but to no avail. He also complained that they sent him from one room to another, but he had yet to receive his delivery. When asked about the people’s complaints, Mr Niazi points out, “We have formed complaint redress system. Complaints are: rude behavior; my register letter has not reached; I have not got the money of money order; VP is not on time.”

He also says that we have formed marketing cells, and they go and approach the people in order to redress their complaints. In this way, he says, our overall revenue has increased, and it is a big indicator of the public’s confidence. As a result of it, the financial health of department has improved.

Moreover, he says, in the past, especially during the summer season, there would be long queues at GPO unlike present times. “We have also been providing late night services, and round the clock you can submit your utility bills, too.”

Mr Niazi says, when asked about private courier companies, that we are basically living in a competitive world. Customers do not come to you until or unless you improve your services, because customer goes where he gets satisfied. In Lahore, he says, there are 20 private courier companies which are operating.

As far as competition, yes, we are competing with them, he points out. With the passage of time, we will be bringing the technology services to compete them. From that, he says, things will expedite.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2016