Technology confirms that the best is yet to come in Hongkong Post’s 180-year public service history
Featuring a range of new services to better reflect the community’s changing needs — Hongkong Post makes the best of technology to bring greater convenience to its growing customer base.
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The city’s flag-bearing postal service administrator, Hongkong Post has found itself in the fastest changing environment in its 180-year history.
As everywhere else in the world, Hong Kong has experienced a steeply reduced demand for traditional mail. Whereas the demand for e-commerce related transactions has soared over the same period. But Hongkong Post has risen to this technological challenge.
Stepping into a Post Office now, users will immediately come across new developments. To send or collect a parcel, in some cases one needs nothing more than a smart phone. Need to pay postage? There are choices of contactless payment. At an increasing number of Post Offices, there are tablets and LED monitors to display a range of practical information.
However, not everything has changed beyond recognition. Hongkong Post remains the same reliable postal service provider it has always been, connecting every location in the territory, even the remotest corners, to serve the city’s people, and its businesses. Thanks to new, more diversified and digitally enabled services, Hongkong Post pledges enhanced user experience for its customers.
Hongkong Post unveiled a series of new services this year. These directly deal with problem areas, or ‘pain points’, that have hitherto frustrated users. Firstly, the iPostal Kiosk allows people to send letters and parcels (subject to weight and measurement limitations) 24/7. Similarly, the EC-Get service eases the local delivery of parcels, offering a peace of mind for both senders and recipients.
Enabling users to send letters or parcels with ease, in conjunction with the digital ‘Post Now’ service, the iPostal Kiosk began its round-the-clock service in mid-2021. By mid-December, the fast-expanding iPostal Kiosk network covers 13 locations across the city. More will be added over the coming weeks.
Therefore a user can get the basic information in order on the mobile Hongkong Post app while taking a train or while in a taxi, for instance. At the iPostal Kiosk, the user can obtain the address label simply by scanning the self-generated QR code. And they can pay the required postage by using one of the several contactless means.
The iPostal Kiosk is not a plug and play solution sourced elsewhere. Rather, it was released following years of dedicated tests and modifications. The Hongkong Post-developed system comes equipped with a 3D scanner for quick dimension measurement, an electronic scale for weight determination. It features security cameras for added assurance. It also has the capability of keeping users informed of the availability of the service or otherwise, in case of a filled Kiosk to its designed capacity.
While the iPostal Kiosk represents renewed convenience, EC-Get connects senders and recipients of local e-commerce thanks to a network of 120 Post Offices and more than 130 iPostal Stations.
Starting at HK$10, the trackable postal service offers peace of mind for both senders and receivers. “This newly introduced mail collection service keeps the recipient advised by mobile text message as soon as the sender deposits the parcel in a facility,” notes Chow. “By the time the recipient collects the parcel, involving a process identified with a code, the sender will likewise be notified.” E-commerce merchants can therefore focus on what they do best to promote their business.
This new service boasts unmatched flexibility. After receiving notification from the system, the recipient can even change the collection point, if they make the change before 8:00 am the day following sending; these procedures can be conveniently and digitally managed.
A postal service veteran, Chow takes pride that Hongkong Post has always taken its responsibility of providing reliable and affordable service seriously. “Hongkong Post,” she says, “will remain a confidence-inspiring service for the people of Hong Kong.”
Speaking of reliability, in these challenging times as the pandemic wreaks havoc to the logistics world, Hong Kong’s postal administration must also take special measures to satisfy the delivery needs of the citizens.
Early this year, in partnership with international logistics service providers, the Vantage (Courier), and Vantage (Packet) international delivery services, respectively, made their debut, covering selected European countries. The Vantage (Courier) service also covers the U.S., while the needs for Australia and New Zealand deliveries are met by the Vantage (Packet) service.
The two international Vantage services covered the voids left by the nationwide postal services that were, in many countries, affected by the pandemic. These new services feature the benchmarking convenience of the otherwise trusted Speedpost; thus users need not fill out complex documentation.
All these new services help celebrate Hongkong Post’s 180th anniversary. In the pipeline is the forward-looking “Auto Post” that allows users to help themselves to a comprehensive range of postal services, anytime of the day. Think of it as the postal service version of the automated banking centre. For anyone wanting to send a parcel after a night shift at work? Not a problem! Auto Post debuted at Cyberport this October.
And don’t forget the excellent Hongkong Post website and mobile app. Users can inform themselves of in a wide range of postal services, from postage calculation to the latest available limited edition stamps.
Anyone checking out today’s Hongkong Post will surely be impressed by its long history and unyielding pledge. But also be its dynamic nature, and growing range of tech-related services.
