03-11-2022
People are becoming more mobile and are increasingly demanding flexible services around the clock. What people used to send by letter post, they are now sending through e-mail or messenger services. For this reason, Swiss Post wants to ensure the secure, reliable transfer of data and information in the digital world, just as it has in the physical world with letters and parcels for 170 years. To be able to guarantee this, Swiss Post requires knowledge and expertise, prompting its decision to acquire a majority shareholding in the Swiss company Unblu Inc. By doing so, Swiss Post is securing key additional competencies in the transfer of confidential information.
Swiss Post continues its story in the digital world
Unblu offers a platform that allows companies to exchange information quickly, directly and securely with their customers, and to send sensitive information securely as well. Today, this platform is primarily used by large, international financial and insurance service providers to assist in the transition from the physical to the digital world. Specifically, this means Unblu’s platform can be integrated into existing services, such as the chat function used by Swiss Post customer service. This allows customers to ask questions directly via chat and receive an answer immediately, without having to make a telephone call. “By acquiring Unblu, we’re continuing our story in the digital world, but we’re also doing what has been part of Swiss Post’s DNA since the very beginning: we’re ensuring that information is transported in a confidential, secure manner. As a customer, we believe in Unblu, too: both PostFinance and Swiss Post are already using the platform successfully within their customer service teams,” explains Nicole Burth, Head of Communication Services at Swiss Post. With the acquisition, Swiss Post aims to help Swiss companies make their own digital transition and to provide added value via this additional service.
Unblu operates as an independent company
The Basel-based company, which has subsidiaries in Frankfurt (Germany), Sofia (Bulgaria), London (UK), New York (USA) and Victoria (Canada), will be managed as an independent subsidiary and will continue to operate as an autonomous company after the majority investment. The current staff at Unblu (around 100 employees) are being retained and have been informed of the change in ownership. “Both the entire team and myself are excited to become part of Swiss Post,” says Luc Haldimann, founder and CEO of Unblu. “We share the values that have made Swiss Post one of the world’s most admired service organizations. Throughout the process, we have discovered many synergies, and we are convinced that together we will achieve our vision to become the world’s leading conversational platform in the financial sector and beyond.”
Both parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price of the majority shareholding.
Source: Swiss Post