NZ Post to launch digital mail service

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New Zealand Post dumps Zumbox solution in favour of a bespoke build

New Zealand Post plans to bring a digital mail product to the market this year after trialling three technologies.
 
Last year it signed a trial licensing agreement with digital postal mail provider Zumbo (http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/nz-post-signs-with-digital-mail-provider) - said at the time to be the world’s first platform for digital postal mail.
 
“This was a technology solution explored by New Zealand Post during the development phase in early 2011,” says communications manager John Tulloch. “Zumbox is one of three technology options we investigated in a prudent and thorough process to find the most appropriate platform partner.

“New Zealand Post chose not to pursue the Zumbox solution in December 2011, as it was decided to pursue a bespoke build option which will provide the flexibility New Zealand Post requires as it develops the platform IP and subsequent solution road-map.”
 
Tulloch won’t name the platform but confirms it is one of the two others trialled.
 
A select committee review of NZ Post last year commented that NZ Post seemed somewhat slow to respond to changes in technology and the climate for postal services.
 A recent letter from NZ Post chairman Michael Cullen to State Owned Enterprises minister Tony Ryall shows the board wants to make fundamental changes to core postal operations.
 
It is seeking urgent changes to a 1998 deed requiring the state owned agency to run a six-day-a-week postal service for 95 percent of New Zealanders.
 
In his letter, Cullen said NZ Post had reached the point where it could no longer cut costs and launch new products to counter falling postal revenue.
 
The board had virtually exhausted all "short term fixes" and needed to start making fundamental change to its operations.
 
Mail volumes are expected to drop about 40 percent to just over 600 million a year in 2018.


Published by Computerworld, written By Randal Jackson | Wellington | Friday, 15 June, 2012
Link to article:  http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/nz-post-to-launch-digital-mail-service?opendocument&utm_source=topnews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=topnews

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