Digital postal code maps as a basis for integrated logistics, sales and marketing operations
GfK GeoMarketing GmbH, Gerrit Schreiber, geomarketing consultant

Geographic location is the connecting link between any company’s data. DISTRICT 10 – a geomarketing software developed by GfK GeoMarketing – analyses and visualises this data using digital maps. Information such as customer locations, delivery volumes, household numbers and regional purchasing power levels can be easily integrated and visually represented. Using DISTRICT 10 and digitial postal code maps, we will demonstrate how to outline, plan and optimise a sales territory network for logistic, sales and marketing purposes.

Managing indoor and outdoor work assignments
GIRO Inc, Serge Galarneau, director

Mail volume fluctuations affect sorting and preparation times from one day to the next. They also affect how employees can best be utilised from day to day. To maintain employee efficiency, some postal organisations manage indoor and outdoor work assignments as separate blocks carried out by different teams, while others replace indoor activities – such as sorting mail – with outdoor activities performed by letter carriers, or vice versa. Route planning and work assignment software can support whichever approach is used, and offers postal managers efficient decision-making tools. This session will provide an overview of software functionalities available to ensure the most efficient use of resources.

Vendors say ‘software as a service’ will cut costs and increase efficiency. Does that sound too good to be true?
NetDespatch Ltd, Becky Clark, chief executive

The session will discuss the pros and cons of outsourcing hardware and software solutions before moving on to look at the various types of application available: salesforce.com, netsuite.com and netdespatch.com. These applications have become important (and accepted) tools in the express/home delivery and postal marketplaces, because they suit seasonal peaks and troughs, the need for business agility, and also the requirement for cost savings and efficiency in an increasingly fragmented global delivery system. The session will conclude with examples of how a ‘virtual delivery system’ based on a central platform can create cost efficiency and increased visibility from retailer to the letterbox.

Technology and win-win: linking mailers and posts electronically
WorkTrace, Leonid Bashevkin, technical director, Margaret Quinn, business development director

Technology is no longer a support function in the postal market: it is a core function and a key differentiating factor. How can you maintain high service quality as mail volumes soar, while keeping customers happy and costs down? Technology has a vital role to play. The key requirements for such enabling technology solutions and architecture will be discussed. From concept to reality, we will look at the WorkTrace solution in practice and the very real benefits to be gained. The added value from the perspective of both the post and the customer makes this a clear win-win option.

Mobile intelligence: Optimized control and asset management tools
AH Computer Consulting, Heba Elaraby, managing director

The deployment of hundreds of thousands of handheld scanners to more than 38,000 locations posed a huge asset management challenge to the United States Postal Service. AH Computer Consulting, Inc.’s delivery in 2007 of an optimized Deployment Management and Asset Management System presented opportunities to increase control and management of the assets. And with its focus on granular tracking of packages for Egypt Post, AHCC is poised to combine asset management, pinpoint package tracking, and intelligent scheduling and rerouting for complete business automation.

An RFID performance case
Neopost, Alain Ferard, director logistics systems

Two worldwide leaders in their activities (logistic and retail business) have agreed to launch one of the larger projects applying RFID technology. After having demonstrated the feasibility and set-up the pilot, this project brings advantages for the workers on the field, as well as expected savings and benefits.