Participants in the latest Marketforce post and parcel conference in Berlin spoke about successful approaches to diversification for postal companies, the lack of transparency of digital platforms, the future of direct mail, and the remaining regulatory uncertainties in the recently adopted cross-border parcel delivery Regulation.

As postal operators continue to look for ways to diversify their activities in the face of declining mail volumes, a particular opportunity arises in the context of breaches of trust by digital companies (e.g. as seen in recent scandals involving Facebook). Postal companies can leverage their very high reputation and trusted customer relationships to build innovative new services around their core business, i.e. delivery services, financial services, government services and direct mail.

“There is a need to have focus and scale. NASA does not have 120 projects! Diversification should take place only into adjacent areas that are connected to some existing competence” said David McRedmond (CEO An Post).

The justification for the recently adopted Regulation on cross-border parcel delivery was questioned by some Universal Service Providers (USPs). In particular, Denis Joram (La Poste) complained that the final text includes some regulatory uncertainties, in particular on the scope and purpose of the information to be collected by national regulators.

The Marketforce conference took place on March 20-22, 2018 in Berlin, gathering around two hundred representatives from European and international postal and parcel operators, national regulatory authorities (NRAs), suppliers and trade associations.

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