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Singapore Post Limited (SingPost) has launched its SmartPost suite of postal solutions and unveiled its latest next-generation logistics platform LaMP which is touted to bring greater convenience, flexibility and control to customers today and of the future on Monday (5 November).
SingPost stated that its digitalisation of Singapore’s postal operations, has gone ‘live’ with all of SingPost’s 1,000 postmen and postwomen using a proprietary mobile app, in conjunction with Near Field Communication (NFC) tags installed at about 15,000 delivery points, which allows the tracking of deliveries and electronic signing-over of registered mail in the current phase.
Other applications, including mobile notification of delivery status and notification for post office collection due to missed deliveries, will be rolled out subsequently by 2020 in the next phase, it noted.
SingPost said that it also unveiled a first-of-its-kind integrated last-mile platform called LaMP, which brings together retailers and logistics providers to create open eCommerce ecosystems that offer businesses unparalleled control and flexibility with their parcel deliveries.
It noted that discussions with several retail and logistics partners to join the platform are at an advanced stage.
"These innovations are key components of SingPost’s digital strategy to connect communities into the future world of eCommerce, building on the reliable and affordable postal services that the Group has provided in Singapore for the past 160 years," SingPost stated.
Mr Paul Coutts, Group Chief Executive Officer of SingPost, said, “SingPost has a long and storied history and the business has evolved tremendously over the past 160 years. Yet our fundamental ethos remains unchanged: to deliver the best experience for our customers. In digitalising the postal service, we look to contribute to Singapore’s Smart Nation vision, bringing fresh customer experiences, powerful urban logistics solutions, and opportunities to upskill our people with new capabilities for the future.
“SmartPost and LaMP build on our strong culture of innovation, harnessing technology to enhance our strengths in postal and logistics operations, and advance our position as a global eCommerce logistics and postal leader,” he added.
SmartPost is an integrated suite of solutions that harnesses mobile and digital technologies to improve customer experience, service quality and operational efficiency. With the SmartPost app, tracking, operational and productivity data is logged in real time as postmen hold up their smartphones against NFC tags at letterbox nests when they make their deliveries. The enhanced data generates insights for better optimisation of delivery operations and enables more individualised performance incentives for staff, leading to overall improvements in service quality.
According to SingPost, customers will also benefit from the greater speed and reliability afforded by the new digital interface. When registered mail is signed over on the SmartPost app, the status of that item will be updated directly onto the SingPost website, without requiring the postman to return to the delivery base to log in the updated status.
Over the next year, additional features are being developed to provide delivery alerts and status updates by SMS or email, as well as electronic notifications to collect missed deliveries, in place of the physical delivery notes that are currently used.
For SingPost postal staff members, SmartPost said that it will equip and upskill them with new tools and technologies to elevate their efficiency and capabilities for the future.
According to SingPost, SmartPost has gained international recognition, winning a World Post and Parcel Award this year in the Technology category.
It also stated that SingPost’s new proprietary logistics software Last Mile Platform (LaMP) is a first-of-its-kind technology that consolidates various last-mile delivery services, such as courier services, parcel lockers, brick-and-mortar collection points, onto a single platform.
Being technologyagnostic, LaMP is able to integrate services from different providers, affording unprecedented convenience for consumers and eCommerce retailers, it noted.
SingPost said that the platform is also location-agnostic and is capable of connecting last-mile partner services across the Southeast Asia region. Through LaMP, retailers will be able to offer their customers the ability to receive their online purchases via any last-mile delivery node in the network, in any country within Southeast Asia. Consumers may even redirect en-route deliveries to an alternative delivery node on the platform if and when required.
The launch of SmartPost and LaMP comes amid a month-long celebration by SingPost to celebrate 160 years of Singapore’s postal service. Aligned to its corporate social responsibility pillars of heritage, environment and community, activities included a SingPost Care Package distribution to disadvantaged residents, a wall mural created with recycled plastic bottle caps and a bring-your-kids-to-work day to show appreciation to the families of SingPost employees.
The celebrations culminate on 12 November for a Singapore Book of Records’ record-breaking feat with the most number of ‘cooks’ and elderly patrons making a giant popiah, graced by President Halimah Yacob, it noted.