ID :
256373
Tue, 09/25/2012 - 09:04
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Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/256373
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Asian Postal Sector Shifts to E-Commerce "In A Big Way"
Doha, September 24 (QNA) - Postal sector in Asia has shifted its focus to e-commerce "in a big way" from traditional mail to diversify its business strategy in order to keep up with the rapid changes that digital technology is bringing into the world, a senior executive said here Monday.
POS Malaysia Group Chief Operating Officer (COO) Shukrie Salleh, speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA) said, "Asia is now focusing on e-commerce business in a big way. Postal sector in this region is now delivering parcels. I don't think this can be replaced by digital form."
The COO of Malaysia's exclusive postal service spoke to QNA after the opening plenary session on the first day of the three-week 25th Universal Postal Congress that was inaugurated in the presence of HH the Deputy Emir and Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani today at the Qatar National Convention Center.
Stressing on the need to innovate, Salleh said, "Although postal services in Asia are still profitable, we have to take into consideration that users dependence on conventional mail is reducing so it is imperative that we diversify the business."
Looking into the future of e-commerce in mail service, we have to be prepared to face any new development or changes that would affect it, he said.
"Many postal services are looking forward to integrating the physical and digital postal services. We are currently building the infrastructure of this idea. Eventually, when the e-commerce expands we should ensure we too are growing with it."
The Doha congress will play an active role in forging new strategies for the world's postal sector and on its way to trigger a paradigm shift from the last congress held in Nairobi, Kenya.
POS Malaysia Group, International Business and Regulatory Management Head, Chum Choy Han told QNA, "In line with the congress' theme 'New world, world strategy' we should look at the conference as an opportunity for us."
She said the postal service world is a dynamic one that is constantly evolving and thus we need to keep pace with it by introducing new strategies into the market to counter emerging business challenges.
"We are all looking how to be a part of this whole new strategy because we reckon that the world is changing so rapidly, so these challenges call for new solutions and these solutions, in turn call for different strategies," said Chum who is visiting Qatar for the first time.
Talking of how the Internet and e-mail have challenged regular postal mail, she said that the postal service is still widely needed in the world as they cannot be replaced particularly when delivering volume items.
"E-mail can never replace the sending of parcels and small packages because those are physical items that need to be sent directly," she said.
"I think email will not, and for a long time cannot be the official medium for business or even international trade, you still need to send all these trading documentation via post," Chum said.
"E- commerce and digitalization are an opportunity for us as long as we are ready to embrace new ways of using technology and doing new business," she added.
E-commerce and digitalization are becoming examples of the new approaches that the world is creating to cope with the changing nature of postal industry nowadays especially in the Asian region.
Over the next three week, the congress will be deliberately discussing the new ideas and strategies to keep postal services afloat worldwide. (END)