Network development

Staying flexible

With open counters and no armoured glass, Swiss Post is reaching out to its customers.

Post offices are evolving with changing customer habits. But one thing remains the same: the postal services that customers want must be available near their premises – to offer a personal and flexible service.

Since 2001, quite a lot has changed in Swiss Post's sales network: the company has transformed various traditional post offices in rural areas into postal agencies and introduced home delivery services, while modern, more cost-effective access points for private and business customers have been designed and rolled out.

Rubbing shoulders with customers

The latest generation of post offices focus on customer contact with no armoured glass or cold granite. Instead, they feature open and modern counters where postal employees provide all of the services associated with a traditional post office. Such formats can be easily integrated into existing facilities such as shopping centres. The main focus is on dropping off letters and parcels, and on payments with or without cash. The big advantages of this new form of post office are that little space is needed and there are no construction safety requirements.

Small, but impressive!

To ensure that cash payments made at the counter are secure, Swiss Post uses the SecureCube, an intelligent inpayment terminal with an integrated banknote reader, money counter and safe. Franz Horn, Head of Network Design, is impressed by the safe: “The SecureCube is an essential part of the new post office format, because it saves a huge amount of space and meets the highest security standards.”

Interactive product display units

The display units in the larger post offices are really eye-catching. When you pick up a mobile phone displayed in a unit, a screen automatically displays information about the device and the contracts available for it. If you pick up a second phone, the screen splits in two to allow the devices to be compared directly. 89 post offices now have these interactive display units.

Offering everything for less

Customer habits are constantly changing and competition is growing. This means that new, modern solutions are always needed. Franz Horn on the subject of development: “We need to remain flexible and innovative. That is the only way we can continue to offer all services to the public with a focus on customers.”