BotswanaPost targets seamless transformation
Keikantse Lesemela | Friday May 16, 2014 15:33
Mmegi: Briefly tell us about BotswanaPost’s Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG)?
Moleta: BotswanaPost embarked on a ‘Journey to Excellence’ in 2011. The aim of this Journey is to see BotswanaPost as a profitable entity.
We have therefore set ourselves a target to be a ‘500million revenue Company with a cash cost to income ratio of 60 percent by 2016’. We have committed to be an Icon of Excellence in everything we do, to meet and exceed our customer needs and expectations.
Mmegi: How will BotswanaPost achieve this goal?
Moleta: In order to ensure that our strategy is realised by the set date, we have established several strategic objectives and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that will support and ensure that BHAG is realised by 2016.
Amongst others, we are geared up to facilitate our business and leverage both on strategic partnerships as well as the digital technological platforms that exist in order to ensure that we remain relevant in the current operating business environment.
Furthermore, we have adopted two key processes or frameworks that will enable us to both monitor and continuously review and improve performance. These are the Balance Scorecard and the Palladium Premium Execution Process.
Mmegi: BotswanaPost is in the process of merging with Botswana Savings Bank. How will this merger contribute to Botswana Post’s profitability?
Moleta: The merger will introduce additional efficiencies to the business processes and operations as well as open new revenue streams, riding on the business opportunities provided by Botswana Savings Bank and Botswana Couriers and Logistics.
Mmegi: In this modern technology, people no longer prefer letters as the mode of communication. How has this affected the mail services?
Moleta: Due to the advent of other modes of communications, there has been a reduction in customer-to-customer mail volumes.
However, parcel mail is still relevant and we have seen an increase in parcel mail volumes as a result of e-commerce, which is mostly business-to-customer.
We have also identified new opportunities for hybrid mail, which is mostly business-to-customer mail.
Mmegi: What strategies are you putting in place to develop the mail services?
Moleta: We have ensured that there is a continuous enhancement of the current offerings to meet and exceed the ever-changing customer needs.
We have also set in place quality improvement initiatives to meet world class mail processing and delivery standards as well as introduced new electronic mail products i.e. Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment (EBPP) and e-Messaging.
Mmegi. How will the introduction of the new stamps benefit BotswanaPost?
Moleta: With regards to stamps, our mission is; ‘To produce exciting stamp issues that capture the essence of Botswana to stimulate sales both locally and internationally, and to meet the image, quality and financial objectives of BotswanaPost’.
Internationally, birds top the list of themes favoured by stamp-collectors. We are confident that this issue will make its mark in the competitive environment of the international philatelic market, which is estimated by informed sources to value US$10 billion annually.
In line with our Strategy we will continue to produce world-class stamps and provide excellent customer service that will attract more international dealers and agents.
Mmegi. What are the future plans for BotswanaPost to recoup the revenues lost in mail services?
Moleta: While there is a decline in global mail business because of mobile telephone technology, there is still potential in Botswana with regards to corporate mail business, that is, hybrid, which we continue to grow year on year.
The focus therefore has shifted from personal to business mail.
In doing so, we have adopted technology as an enabler rather than a threat.