Interview

Interview with Susanne Ruoff, CEO

The Federal Council expects Swiss Post on the one hand to have an entrepreneurial spirit and on the other to fulfil its universal service obligation throughout Switzerland. How well has Swiss Post managed this balancing act in the past year?

Susanne Ruoff: Our customers are very satisfied with Swiss Post. With 80 out of 100 points, they have again rated Swiss Post's services very highly in 2014. We provide the universal service to a very high level of quality, we deliver on time and our prices are among the lowest in the world.

Why then does Swiss Post still need to change constantly?

Fewer letters and fewer inpayments at the counter, accompanied by new competitors and new technologies – the world is constantly changing, and we have to adapt to that. We intend to develop existing services further and additionally offer mobile and digital solutions. Whether digital or physical, customers should be able to choose how they want to do business with Swiss Post.

Where is the focus in the process of change?

We are focusing on e-commerce, e-post, direct marketing, digital and physical document solutions, mobility solutions, online banking and mobile banking. We are developing new services in these areas, and in doing so we are going further than required by our mandate for the universal service. All of our developments are geared towards our customers' changing requirements and based on Swiss Post's core competencies. We incorporate them across all units into new, customer-oriented solutions, and increasingly rely on integrated solutions, for example in e-commerce.

E-commerce is a subject that many companies are looking into today. What does Swiss Post offer its customers in this regard?

E-shop operators can let Swiss Post handle their entire online business, from A to Z. Swiss Post takes care of direct marketing and payment solutions, as well as storage, picking, shipping and returns. We are the only provider in Switzerland that offers business customers tailored solutions along the entire value chain.

In the spring of 2014, we brought our comprehensive YellowCube logistics solution on stream. The centerpiece of YellowCube is a highly automated storage and picking facility. The level of automation means that the processes are very fast – even for orders made late in the day, we can deliver the parcel the next day.

What advantages do Swiss Post's new digital solutions offer to customers?

Two examples: delivery within a time slot defined by the customer and more information on consignment status are becoming increasingly important for most customers. With the introduction of “My consignments”, we are meeting exactly this requirement by providing consignment information in real time. Swiss Post is currently testing delivery within a specific time slot. The ability to choose the delivery location and time flexibly has been identified by Swiss Post as a customer requirement. E-Post Office enables customers to control their personal mail centrally through an online platform. They can decide whether they would prefer to receive mail such as account statements or the customer magazine in physical or electronic format.

Are there also benefits for major customers?

In the case of Swiss Post Solutions document solutions, we will increasingly extract data from documents. We will then use analytical tools to turn this data into knowledge, improving the customer's basis for decision-making.

Are there any new services in the mobility market?

At PostBus, we have done pioneering work with the introduction of free WiFi. Digitization is also opening up many other possibilities: for instance, at the moment the paper timetables at more than 11,000 PostBus stops have to be replaced by hand when the timetables are changed. We are currently testing an electronic timetable that can display any regional change throughout Switzerland immediately.

And what does PostFinance have in the pipeline for its customers?

It is about to launch a new service that is an absolute first in the banking industry: at customers' request, PostFinance can analyse their payments and identify them as, for example, a concert lover. They can then be offered any discounts on tickets available from the concert promoter. Customers pay the full price of the concert with the PostFinance Card, and the discount is then credited to their postal account. Customer data is always retained by PostFinance and is never passed on to third parties. Example two: PostFinance is launching TWINT, Switzerland's first integrated payment and shopping app. TWINT allows consumers to make purchases directly with their smartphone, without cash or cards.

Ms Ruoff, you are getting Swiss Post into shape for the digital age. How do you make sure your employees are on board?

Letter and parcel carriers, customer advisors, counter staff and drivers are the face of Swiss Post for our customers. They come into contact with an eighth of the Swiss population every day. This is a great opportunity for Swiss Post. We need to nurture a positive attitude towards change among our employees and let them participate in shaping the future of Swiss Post. We want to gather their experiences more systematically in the future so that we can identify trends early and gain an even better understanding of our customers' requirements. Our management relies on confidence, responsibility and flexibility. In specific terms: we act in a transparent manner, provide constructive feedback and promote a learning culture. We are committed, results-oriented and act independently. And we see change as an opportunity – because we are open-minded and act with foresight.