Upgrading the International Letter Service
Upgrading Service 24 Hours a Day… 365 Days a Year
More than 337 billion letters are processed each year by IPC member postal operators. Getting those letters to where they are going on time takes a commitment to excellence… 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Continuous upgrading of international letter service performance is managed through the IPC Upgrading Project, which coordinates the creation and execution of the plans of IPC members to reach tough service targets.
The international mail pipeline stretches from the point of posting in one country, to the point of receipt in another country. Cooperation between operators is crucial to ensure that the promised end-to-end service time for the customer is met.
Setting the bar high
The IPC Upgrading Project brings together senior operational managers from IPC members to set targets, create plans and monitor progress. By evaluating the national network capabilities and the transport links between them, members set rigid processing and delivery targets. Each year targets are reviewed with the goal of raising the bar even higher.
IPC has developed a range of tools to enable members to continue to drive performance forward. These include regular progress reports against targets, operational surveys of postal facilities and assessment against the criteria for the award of the IPC Certificate of Excellence in the Management and Processing of International Letter Mail, automated operational analysis systems like the CAPE system and documented process improvement procedures.
Initiatives developed within the IPC Upgrading Project include the creation of the IPC Tray Pool and the IPC Bag Pool, the operation of a light vehicle network in Europe, and the integration of air carrier and postal systems to bring managed control to the mail carried by air though the Future of Mail by Air initiative. All of these projects contribute to the success of the IPC Upgrading Project and the faster and more efficient delivery of international letter mail.