Long ago, soldiers and lovers used to send their little secret notes via pigeons. Then they graduated to horse riders. It was then that someone discovered the concept of postage and creativity in the means of written communication was assumed dead among the lifeless postage stamps and envelopes.

The e-age has been another nail in the coffin for the Department of Posts (DoP), that all along has been portrayed as lethargic and un-happening.

The advent of Internet has changed the way we communicate. It has also divided the globe into two. While those who are within the World Wide Web can avail of the advantage of electronic communication, those who are outside it are left with only the ‘snail mail’. Thus the globe is once again made of two groups namely the eHaves and eHave-nots. The 165-year-old Indian post and telegraphs department has risen to reality and decided to revamp itself and become savvier. And in order to shake off the image of a sleepy and impolite neighborhood shack, it decided to become net savvy and get connected to the network!

Foundation stones
Falling back on assets like a vast, integrated network, time tested procedures, experienced, dedicated and diligent workforce and a mindset for easily absorbing technology, the DoP has gradually built up a network thereby assimilating technology into a framework that was considered the most archaic. Though written off as one organization that would find it very hard to change, the Indian post and telegraphs department has incorporated computers and the Internet into their daily working schedules.

Connecting such a widespread network of branches and sub units, DoP has a logistical network via which they are able to carry on smooth business to the amount of almost 15,00,000 kms on foot or 3,00,000 kms by road daily. Given this scenario it’s worth understanding the procedures that went into making this a feasible option.

The governmental departments can kickstart any process only in tow with the age old procedures of releasing tenders etc to probable parties and then once a bid is accepted, they roll out the red carpets and the event is bound to happen though with its own delays. The Department of Posts (DoP) also had to go through a same set of procedures to introduce technology.

Ideally, DoP would like to stick their finger into as many parts of the pie as possible, wherein they begin to handle not just mail delivery but also door to door delivery, retailing, banking, insurance, money transfer and logistics.

But from actually licking postage stamps or envelopes to emails and ePost, how far has DoP come?

The lead actors
They decided to move slowly yet steadily and introduced registrex machines, multipurpose counter machines, V-SAT money order transmission, fully computerized post offices and automatic mail processing centers. This led to a standardization of platforms and operating systems in post offices. "We brought in modular customized software and after identifying major head offices decided to increase our training facility from five to 50," says Colonel Sadasivam, deputy director general (technology), Department of Posts.

But even for this they decided to rely only on themselves and developed their software package in-house. They recruited people to train their staff on an individual initiative and felt that hands-on-experience would be the best teacher they could ever have. This made them attain expertise in hardware maintenance and systems administration. The DoP now has 4,100 fully computerized offices where all the postal transactions are carried out with the help of PCs. They have already created an extended database for themselves. The nervous system on which they have built this network includes initiatives like Meghdoot, Sanchay Post, Sat post, ePost, eBill Post, and SpeedNet.

By ePost it proposes to link those who are inside the Net with those outside IT. By this electronic communication can be sent to those who do not have connectivity. Each individual is given an ePost ID based on his geographical address. "Mails would be received at this ePost ID through electronic mode. At these identified ePost Centres the mails would be downloaded, printed, and sent out for delivery to the addressee. Thus the customer would be able to get his mail from anywhere in the globe in a matter of hours," says Sadasivam. With this DoP can foresee a future wherein they can digitize signatures and position themselves as a certifying authority. The next on their agenda is to become repositories of electronic money transfer. In fact post offices are perfect e-commerce mediators for goods delivery and money collection.

Again in an attempt to act as a consolidator, DoP has introduced eBill Post in partnership with NIIT. DoP zeroed in on NIIT’s electronic bill presentment and payment (EBPP) product eBillSpace, which is a powerful software engine, which is scalable, extensible, platform & database independent, and configurable. The eBillSpace architecture is based on a layered, extensible, component-based framework. eBill Post is a product used to collect and consolidate the bill amount electronically. Collection of bill amounts will take place in the post offices after which the data of the transaction will be updated into a central server online. Bills are collected at different locations using different instruments-cheque, demand draft etc. The payment is then deposited in to the service providers’ account. The relevant transaction lists with full details are available on-line to the concerned service provider. In addition the bottom line is managed better with the collection details available on-line on a day-to-day basis. Adds Sadasivam, "this service would make the payment activity convenient by offering the service under one roof. At any given time the Post Office would be in a position to offer its convenient nodes for transacting business." It is being launched for two exclusive customers BSNL, Bangalore and Command Telecom, Kolkata.

Side roles
They have introduced some more services as part of their campaign to reach out to a larger subscriber base. These include greeting post, media post, passport services, mutual funds, international money transfer, and postal life insurance.

Greeting Post comprises of a card in an envelope with pre-printed postage stamp upon the envelope. The envelope contains multi colored embossed stamp (which is a miniature replica of the design that appears upon the card) of 5 cm x 4 cm x 3 cm of the denomination of Rs. 3 written on the stamp. Thus you need not affix postage stamps on the envelope thus saving your time of going to post offices and standing in the queue. The Greeting Card also has in built a round stamp in gray blue on the back of the card precisely on the flap. All the rules and regulations for the postage dues will be applicable to the Greeting Post. As per the current rules, Rs. 3 postage entitles the sender to send the article to any part of the country up to 20 grams.

The same rule will be applicable for the Greeting Post also.

Considering that no other medium has such a wide reach as the postal service, they have come up with a media concept to help the Indian corporate and government organizations reach out to potential customers. Media post is an innovative service that India Post has launched in an attempt to allow brand and marketing managers to communicate their corporate messages across the nation. The following methods can be used to advertise: advertisement on postcards, letters, aerogrammes, postal stationary etc or space sponsorship options on letterboxes. Every time a person sends or receives a postcard, an inland letter, or an envelope, he gets to see the advertisers’ logo or the message. The aerogramme even gives you the opportunity to make a global impact.

There is also the talk of using smart cards to facilitate payments at many centers. Infact DoP claims that incase their clients are willing to accept payments made via smart cards they are willing to allow customers to remit dues using one. They want to create a situation wherein smart cards are in much demand and wider usage among the masses.

The new persona
The bottomline is to come across as a department, which is more consumer focused and provides value added services. In this direction, DoP has already tied-up with various service providers such as IDBI, western Union, ICICI prudential, Standard Chartered, UTI Bank, etc. DoP has also signed a memorandum of understanding with HCL Infosystems on a revenue sharing basis. Since the DoP has an unmatched reach and penetration with its 1,50,000 strong post offices network in the country the MoU will help HCL Insys reach out to customers in the remotest parts of India. This will allow HCL Insys to display and retail its consumer products including Bean Stalk PC’s, Toshiba laptops, HCL Infinet’s Internet access packs, Nokia cell phones, franking machines, Pitney Bowes mail inserting systems ands mass mailing solutions through the post offices across the country. HCL Infosystems will undertake a pilot project for three to six months in two states, namely Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh at six post offices in Chennai, Coimbatore, Trichy, Madurai, Erode, and Secunderabad. Following this the company will target 500 post offices for marketing its products over the next few years.

The ultimate goal is to ensure that more business in the form of a consolidator or from their traditional role accrues to them. With an annual collection of about Rs 48,00 crores from services and almost Rs 1580 crore from mail delivery, the DoP is looking at a better turnover annually.

This entire web based application helps leverage the physical network that DoP already has alongside the electronic network that they are building. India Post’s time tested accounting systems, procedures, and customer orientations help support these forays into the Web City.

With these packages in place, the DoP is emerging with a new face. They are being seen as an organization that has broken free of its shackles and turned over a new leaf in an attempt to please the very people it has been catering to throughout its existence. But it still remains to be seen if this popularity slogan and campaign of the DoP will have many takers. Lets hope this turns out to be more than just another net savvy measure of the government that will never completely see the other side of dawn!

Dhanya Krishnakumar In New Delhi

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