Postal services still going strong

The bulk mail service provided by Maltapost was found to be satisfactory by the majority of the companies that use it, according to a survey by the Malta Communications Authority.

It is evident that electronic communications and postal services can or, more importantly, should work in tandem...

Sixty eight per cent of large bulk mailers rated the overall quality of services as very good, with 48 per cent of respondents noting that services had improved.

Bulk mail refers to postal articles consisting of 50 or more items of identical format, size and weight deposited with a postal operator at the same place and time.

Forty organisations participated in the survey, which was carried out in January and February and was aimed at gauging companies’ perceptions of the bulk mail service, among others, provided by Maltapost.

The majority of organisations were generally satisfied with the services offered, namely the collection and delivery of parcels and registered mail and were confident that articles were delivered safely.

Nevertheless, 33 per cent were found to have lodged a formal complaint about a particular aspect of the postal service, usually related to loss and delay of postal articles or post office opening hours. A total of 29 of the 40 organisations interviewed used the bulk mail service weekly, with eight of them sending between 5,000 and 10,000 addressed letters per batch. Five organisations sent more than 10,000.

Sixty one per cent of bulk mailers found Maltapost’s prices to be reasonable and the vast majority only use the service for bulk mail.

According to the survey, large bulk mailers used both Maltapost’s head office and post offices in various localities. Sixty three per cent of respondents visiting a post office were happy with the level of services and facilities provided.

MCA chairman Philip Micallef said that despite new technologies that facilitated communication, the survey showed postal services remained popular, particularly among the business community.

“It is evident that electronic communications and postal services can or, more importantly, should work in tandem for an efficient business operation. Both sets of services have proven to be indispensable in their own individual way,” he added.