Head of PostEurop: Haypost made serious progress

YEREVAN, 25 April. /ARKA/. On April 19-21 Armenia’s capital city Yerevan hosted a plenary assembly of PostEurop- the association of European public postal operators, one of the constituent unions of the Universal Postal Union. The three-day event brought together over 52 European postal operators, CEOs and dignitaries from the Universal Postal Union, including its Director-General Bishar Hussein. In an exclusive interview with ARKA news agency, the cChairman of PostEurop Management Board, Jean-Paul Forceville, spoke about the progress made by Armenia’s national postal operator Haypost and also shared his views about whether Internet is able to replace ordinary mail services.

Q. Mr. Forceville, how would you assess the activities of the national postal operator of Armenia?

A. Armenia’s national postal operator Haypost joined PostEurop in 2008. By adopting the standards of the association and taking advantage of the membership, Haypost has recorded significant progress since then, although much remains to be done. The plenary assembly  of  European postal operators in Yerevan was  a good opportunity for HayPost to present Armenia to other members of the association. Separately,  I would like to mention the remarkable initiative of ShopInAmerica initiative,  as e-commerce is actively developing today. Armenia's experience can be useful to other countries in the region. And Armenia, in turn, can benefit through the exchange of experience.

Q. What are the main challenges and problems facing today Haypost and whether they are similar to those faced by other national postal operators?

A. Ten years ago, the situation in Armenia was not good at all, but Haypost rebuilt its functions in terms of delivery of mail, parcels and money transfers. A new challenge for Haypost, as for many of our members, is the e-government, where people directly, through the Internet, will regulate their relations with state structures. But here, because not all people have access to the Internet and know- how to use it, postal operators can provide assistance to their clients, advising them on this and many other related issues. Another big challenge for postal operators is the e-commerce market, where competition is very high. Here Haypost has advantages  due to the unique infrastructure in the country. So the company has a great future in this kind of trade. At the same time postal operators will not abandon traditional activities.

Q. Do you agree that the Internet is gradually replacing postal workers?

A. The Internet is a very strong competitor, with the ability to connect people and companies. But I want to remind you that the TV did not kill radio, and the radio did not kill newspapers. While the old is always difficult to compete with the new, I think it will become complementary. Yes, of course, the role of ordinary mail in the communications system will decrease.

Q. PostEurop is going to release in 2016 a stamp with the logo  "Think Green". What is the reason for it?
A.- PostEurop cares about the environment and the world around us. The initiative "Think Green" is unique and is supported by almost all countries. We understand that postal operators pollute the environment, using transport, and are trying to minimize or compensate for the damage as much as possible.

Q. What is the main message of the meeting in Yerevan?

A. Taking on the challenges.

Q. Do you think you can tackle it?

A. Yes, definitely. We are very optimistic. Yes, we have much to do, but new technologies give us the opportunity to offer new services, fully meet the needs of our customers.

Q. What new services do you offer today?

A. The Internet allows, for example, making online purchases, track the delivery process of your orders. Large databases allow our clients to be more aware of all the available opportunities, products and services, make the right decisions. -0-

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14:41 04/25/2016