An InsightSolutions to help your business succeed

BPCS (British Postal Consultancy Service) is a world leading postal consultancy, designing and implementing quality solutions, drivingservice improvements and delivering success for its customers.

It offers an unrivalled range of products and solutions for

postal and logistics related industries.

BPCS’ experience on a wide range of projects is diverse both

in terms of size and scale of project and in terms of work area.

Whether the requirement is a single consultant working on an

assignment for a few days or a contract spanning several

years utilising numerous consultants BPCS has the resources

and expertise to deliver in line with our customers’ requirements.

Our aim is to:

• Develop commercial and productive relationships

with all our customers

• Truly understand customers’ needs; applying expertise

and experience to help them to succeed and develop

their organisations

• Be innovative in our activities to pioneer service

improvement opportunities and develop new markets

for our customers

• Harness, develop and share knowledge within

the postal service community

• Continuously demonstrate and promote our commitment

to excellence in all activities.

Using BPCS . . . . . . . . . .3

An Insight into BPCS . . .4

Management Services . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Marketing and Sales . . . .8

Human Resources . . . .10

Training and Development . . . . . . . . .12

Information Systems . . .14

Automation and Buildings . . . . . . . .16

Industrial Engineering . .18

Equipment Consultancy and Design . . . . . . . . . .20

Access and Delivery . . .22

Finance Services . . . . .23

Counters and Retail . . .24

Security . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Distribution . . . . . . . . . .27

Quality of Service Fund . . . . . . . . .28

Logistics . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Strategic Development . . . . . . . . .32

BPCS – Facts & figures . . . . . . .34

Contents BPCS

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Our consultants can analyse arequirement, evaluate and recommenda solution, then run a project tointroduce and integrate it. They canalso set up support infrastructures for ongoing monitoring, assessmentand training.

BPCS’ team of specialist consultantsapproach projects with a wide rangingvision, and a thorough understandingof the challenges faced by the world’spostal and logistics industries. Theyare experienced in working across avariety of cultures and economies, andare skilled at establishing strong workingrelationships within an organisation.

The primary purpose of this guide is to provide an overview of theproducts and solutions offered byBPCS and to give you clear accesspoints into BPCS for further enquiries.

Our ultimate drivers are quality,customer responsiveness andspecialist knowledge sharing. We are striving to deliver businessexcellence and complete customersatisfaction every time.

Centres of Excellence BPCS is designed around specialistknowledge groups which are linkedthrough a common strategy,

knowledge, commercial andleadership expertise.

“Our mission is to be the world’snumber one postal and logisticsconsultancy”

Each specialist knowledge group is a dedicated Centre of Excellencedelivering customised services andproducts focused on the specific –and often unique – functional andoperational aspects of modern postaland distribution business. BPCS isnoted for its project and programmemanagement, knowledge managementand change management capabilities.

A Knowledge CultureBPCS customises knowledge for the postal and logistics industries, it acquires knowledge, shapes it, enhances it, deploys it andpreserves it.

Knowledge is the lifeblood of theconsultancy, and in order to nurture itBPCS has engineered a culture thatdelivers business excellence through:

• Innovation

• Product development

• Knowledge management

• People development.

Using BPCS

The common factor in all we do is that it involves knowledge.

“Our mission is to be the world’snumber one postal and logisticsconsultancy”

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An Insight into BPCS

BPCS has been at the forefront of

postal development and change for

almost 40 years. Working together with

some of the largest and smallest postal

administrations around the world, we

have shared our skills and knowledge

whilst gaining cultural understanding

and local experience.

Our wide-ranging experience in all

areas of postal development and

modernisation, has helped to build our

reputation as one of the leading postal

consultancies in the world. From

Albania and Argentina to the Virgin

Islands and Zimbabwe, BPCS has

worked in over 80 countries on all

five continents.

Our capabilities – Whether you are

looking to modernise your postal

services or build and equip a new mail

centre, BPCS can assist you in all

aspects of postal consultancy and

equipment. From business planning

through to operations improvements,

and from project management to

delivery equipment and development,

our consultants have the experience

to assist you in running a successful

postal service in the new millennium.

Our customers – BPCS has

worked in partnership with postal

administrations from around the

world. New mail centres in Hong Kong

and Singapore; management contracts

in Argentina, South Africa and Greece;

postal development projects in Central

and Eastern Europe through the

European Union PHARE programme;

operations management in Kuwait

and Qatar; postal development

studies in the Channel Islands,

Brunei, Iceland and much of the

Caribbean; delivery equipment to

Canada, the Scandinavian countries,

Argentina, Channel Islands and

elsewhere; and many other leading-

edge projects in countries both large

and small.

Our work – BPCS does not provide

off-the-shelf solutions to its customers.

Each project undertaken by our

teams of expert consultants results

in a bespoke solution for that customer.

Cultural, environmental, technical

and many other factors are taken

into account when deciding on the

best solution for a particular postal

organisation.

Welcome to An Insight, a brochure designed to give you anoverview of the products and solutions offered by BPCS, supportedby case studies and examples of BPCS in action on a range ofprojects around the world.

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We are committed to the highest ethical

and professional standards, ensuring

we consistently deliver the highest

standard of work to our clients agreed

specifications. We would never consider

an assignment to be fully successful

until our clients believe it has

contributed to their success.

Our consultants – All BPCS

consultants are either employees of

Royal Mail, Britain’s postal service, or

recent retirees. We have consultants

with expertise in all aspects of the postal

and logistics industries, each one of

them having many years experience and

knowledge in their particular area, both

within the UK and on projects overseas.

Our partners – BPCS believe that in

order to provide our customers with the

best impartial advice we should not be

associated contractually with any one

supplier or manufacturer. By working

closely with all the world’s major postal

products suppliers and equipment

manufacturers we are able to select

the most appropriate partner for

consultancy projects requiring different

levels of involvement or specialist

equipment.

In BPCS our aim is to be the first

choice international postal consultancy,

designing and implementing quality

solutions, driving service improvement

and delivering success for our customers.

I hope you’ll find this guide informative

in giving you an insight into the wide

range of products and solutions we

can deliver, and the expertise we

have provided to drive forward real

improvement and development across

the world’s postal community.

Guy Fischer

General Manager – BPCS

Products and SolutionsEffective policies and strategymanagement are essential for anybusiness to prosper, and never more so than in today’s postal market where the pace of change,challenge of competition and customer expectations are increasinglydemanding. BPCS has experiencein implementing a wide range ofmanagement procedures, theseinclude:

• Project and contract management

• Residential management

• Finance and accounting

• Business excellence reviews

• Business, strategic and tacticalplanning

• Change management

• Human resources policy

• Facilities management

• Total quality – implementation and management

• Postal policy (regulations)

• Postal reform

• De-regulation

• Corporatisation

• Mergers and acquisitions.

Skills• Highly experienced project

managers

• In-depth understanding of organisational and management issues

• Trained project managers

• Management process re-engineering

• High level consultancy and implementation management skills

• Business Planning.

Notable Projects• Residential management projects

completed in Argentina, CaymanIslands and Greece.

Management Services

Contact: Management Services Consultancy, BPCS, 49 Featherstone Street, LONDON EC1Y 8SY. Tel: + 44 207 320 4014

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Managing Change in the British Virgin Islands

BPCS consultants initially carried outa development study concentratingon modernising mail processing. The study recommended a number of specifications for the future GeneralPost Office and other sites included inthe review. The BPCS study provideddetailed criteria for the new GeneralPost Office as well as two other newsites, these proposals are now beinginstigated.

On the acceptance of theserecommendations BPCS provided apostal technical advisor to the Ministryof Finance. BPCS’ advisor worksalongside the Postmaster Generaland assists in the transition of thepostal administration to a modern and customer orientated organisation.

BPCS’ resident advisor startedworking with the Ministry in January2001. One of the major tasks is the reorganisation of the postaloperations and transformation of the counter and sales operationsprior to the transition to new buildings.

The Post Office building plans aremajor for a territory the size of theBritish Virgin Islands. The plans includefour new offices, one of which will be the modern General Post Office.

The General Post Office will be alandmark site providing a platform for a wider range of products andimproved services.

Key to the future success of the Post Office is the provision of reliablepostal services for domestic and

international consumers. The postaldevelopment project will forge theinfrastructure needed to support newmarkets and growth in commercialtransactions. BPCS will provide theexpertise to develop diagnosticmeasures and the skills to managepipeline quality of service.

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Products and SolutionsBPCS offers a wide range of marketingand sales consultancy servicesdesigned to deliver high qualitymarketing solutions. These include:

• Market research

• Market intelligence and competitive analysis

• Sales and marketing managementincluding marketing plans, brandmanagement and reputationmanagement

• Corporate identity

• New product development

• Customer and data management

• Customer focus meetings

• Restructuring for customer focus

• Establishing and managingcustomer call centres

• Customer satisfaction systems and measurement

• Customer relationshipmanagement

• Account planning

• Consultative selling.

SkillsBPCS consultants can provide adviceon effective marketing and sales

strategies to ensure increased marketshare by correctly identifying customerneeds and expectations. Skills include:

• Detailed knowledge of postal andlogistics industries and the threatsand opportunities which impactupon them

• Professionally qualified marketerswith hands on experience ofcampaign management andproduct development

• Experience of maintaining and analysing customer data

• Expertise to provide advice on problem definition, researchanalysis, organisation of customerfocus groups and data interpretation.

Notable Projects• Re-branding and introduction

of new products in the British Virgin Islands

• Development of corporate identityand specification of existing andnew products for the GreekGovernment

• Marketing and sales development -European Postal Reform in Centraland Eastern Europe

• Development of corporate identityfor Argentinean post office

• Caribbean postal market study.

Marketing and Sales

Contact: Marketing and Sales Consultancy, BPCS,49 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SY. Tel: +44 207 320 4022

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Sharing Key Account Management Expertise with PHARE Member Countries

To facilitate modernisation of theinfrastructures of key industriesacross central and Eastern Europethe European Commission establishedthe Phare Programme, which providedgrants to countries in order to supportkey projects to deliver economicdevelopment. BPCS consultantsworked on 19 projects, six of thesebeing within the Marketing and Salesarena. One of the major projects was to enable postal administrationsto gain a better understanding of their key customers and establish a strategy for their development.

Developing the strategy meant firstestablishing exactly who the keycustomers were. To achieve this asignificant data capture exercise wasundertaken with sales forces in each

of the countries involved. Once thekey customers had been established,BPCS consultants advised on thetypes of sales structure that would be appropriate to manage them.

In some countries this actually involvedthe recruitment of key accountmanagers and establishing, for thefirst time, a dedicated sales force for key customers. Action plans weredevised which set targets, objectives,timescales and priorities for activity forthe key account management team.In addition, the project also developeda key account management databasesoftware system and this was imple-mented in the participating countries.The final output of the project was toprovide training to managers of allcountries participating in the project.

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Products and SolutionsBPCS has a thorough understandingof people management issues acrossthe postal sector. It offers consultancyadvice in the following areas:

• Health and safety

• Communications systems

• Occupational health

• Welfare services

• Payment systems

• Discipline systems

• Job analysis

• Training development

• Assessment

• Recruitment

• Manpower planning

• Career planning

• Conditions of service

• Employment law

• Personal appraisal

• Grievance procedure.

SkillsRoyal Mail, BPCS’ parent company is one of the largest employers in the

UK, and a leader in the developmentof Human Resources policies andprogrammes. BPCS accesses thisbest practise and tailors it to suit the conditions of its customers’organisations. BPCS’ skills in the field of Human Resources include:

• Highly experienced projectmanagers

• In-depth understanding of Human Resources issues

• Expertise in the development andmanagement of Human Resourcespolicies and programmes

• Experience of project managementof start-up operations in newcountries

• Cultural audits of foreign postaladministrations followed up withdetailed organisational developmentproposals for improvements

• Management of the HR elementsof joint ventures and acquisitions,including processes likeinterpretation of the AcquiredRights Directive in the EU

• Ensuring that training strategiessupport new product and solutionsdevelopment.

Human Resources

Contact: Human Resources Consultancy, BPCS, 49 Featherstone Street, LONDON EC1Y 8SY. Tel: + 44 207 320 4014

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Moscow – A Concentrated Effort

BPCS and consultancy firm PEInternational were recruited asconsultants to assist in themodernisation and development of the Moscow International MailHandling Centre. The remit was toimprove the quality of internationalmail handling as quickly as possible.The Moscow International Post Officehad been suffering from massive and sustained traffic loss.

It was initially believed that much of the traffic loss and poor qualityproblem was due to a lack ofautomation, therefore emphasis was placed on introducing technologyimprovements. However, it becameclear when the BPCS team began theproject and analysed the mail centre,that the problems were little to do withtechnology and more centred aroundthe organisation’s culture.

The emphasis of the project changedto reflect the real problems faced bythe mail centre. BPCS consultantsapproached the issues byconcentrating on strategic andbusiness development within the

organisation, as well as putting inplace improvements in training andhuman resources. In addition, a shortterm reorganisation was implementedto increase efficiency and streamlineoperations.

The approach led to substantialimprovements in customer serviceand reduced handling times by up to 70 per cent. The project also led to the turnaround of traffic levels, withvolumes increasing by 7 per cent inthe year after the project’s introduction.What started as a project to introduceautomation ended as a businessplanning and human resource project.This reflects the ability of BPCS toprovide high calibre consultants inmany diverse fields, delivering thecorrect type of consultancy to meetdesired objectives.

This project was selected by the EU Technical DisseminationProject as a model project, whichdemonstrated how completerestructuring of the mail service could be achieved without the need for substantial investment.

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Products and ServicesBPCS provides a range of trainingprogrammes, specifically designed for the postal and logistics industries:

• Open courses – A range of trainingexperiences covering subjectssuch as Quality Development,Sales, Customer Management,Effective Leadership, Finance, Cost Management, and manymore. Open programmes are heldin a number of locations aroundthe world to make it easier for you and your staff to attend

• E- Learning – Tailored trainingevents, which can be run electron-ically. BPCS E-xtended learningprovides great opportunities to learnin your own time with practicalsolutions to take back to theworkplace

• In-Company Training – BPCSdedicated in-company trainingsolutions team work in partnershipwith your organisation to fully under-stand its needs and to tailor anddeliver courses that are relevant in content and training style

• Consultancy – Our goal is toenable organisations to succeedthrough the development, growthand performance of their people.

The BPCS consultancy team hasparticular expertise in management,project management, organisationaldevelopment, and operationaleffectiveness consultancy

• Executive assessment – BPCShas a range of diagnostic tools forassessment of senior managersand staff recruitment. BPCS willwork with you, to agree selectioncriteria, manage assessmentboards and assist you inidentifying suitable candidates.

SkillsBPCS provides:

• Training courses and eventstailored for the postal and logistics industries

• Professionally qualified trainers,experienced in delivering a rangeof notable training experiences

• Trainers experienced in providingcourses and training materials fordelivery by local training staff

• Identification of skills gaps andfuture skill needs for organisationsboth large and small

• Trainers who are experiencedpostal and logistics professionalsas well as qualified trainers

• Consultancy teams which havemany years experience providing a wide range or consultancy solutions to the postal industry

• Skilled project managers

• Fully experienced and trainedexperts in assessment and interview skills.

Notable Projects• BPCS has just completed

the 49th International PostalManagement (IPM) training event

• Marketing awareness training in Cyprus

• Management development in the UAE

• Account management skills in Eastern Europe

• Skills analysis and development of a full training programme acrossRoyal Mail, Britain’s postal service

• Development workshops for the EMS co-operative

• Providing support and expertise to the Asia Pacific Postal TrainingCollege (APPTC) for more thanfour years.

Training and Development

Contact: Training and Development Consultancy, BPCS, 49 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SY. Tel: + 44 207 320 4102

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International Postal Management Course: Developing Tomorrow’s Managers

The International Postal Management(IPM) course has been training seniormanagers from postal administrationsaround the world for nearly 40 years.

The IPM programme currently includesfive weeks residential training at apurpose built management trainingcentre in the UK. The course aims togive delegates a broad overview ofthe skills necessary to develop andmodernise their respective postaladministrations. The topics coveredrange from Management Skills, HumanResources and Customer Orientationto Financial Understanding andOperations. Attending training coursesin the UK gives delegates a uniqueopportunity to witness the UK postaloperations first hand and participantsvisit a range of UK mail operationsduring their time on the course. Inaddition, all of the tutors involved inthe course are experienced postalmanagers and delegates are giventhe opportunity to discuss postalissues with a range of UK postalmanagers both inside and outside the classroom environment.

Past delegates feel one of the mainbenefits of the IPM course is the“cultural diversity” that comes fromspending five weeks with people fromcountries as diverse as India andAnguilla, Swaziland and Cyprus.Delegates of all ages and experienceare encouraged to discuss their ownpostal administrations and resolveissues they have at home whilst onthe course. As a consequence ofimplementing skills learnt during thecourse, participants have reported arange of improvements to their postaloperations and many administrationssend delegates on the IPM courseyear after year.

BPCS are continually reviewing the IPMcourse in order to take into accountnew technology, new managementconcepts and feedback given onprevious courses. The IPM coursehas been described as “the bestcourse of its type currently on offer”and has proved to be an excellentway of gaining a vast amount ofknowledge whilst also making essentialnew contacts in the postal world.

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Products and SolutionsBPCS can provide the expertise and advice to develop, deploy andmanage a range of informationsystems and web based services tomeet the needs of the postal industry.These include:

• Internal/external email systems

• Internet and intranet systems

• Track & Trace systems

• Document management

• On-line billing and payment

• Encryption

• Financial services – network banking.

SkillsOur consultants are experienced in:

• Project management and control

• Information acquisition and capture

• Business analysis

• Informational modelling

• System design

• Oracle, SQL Server, visual tools

• Website development and management.

Notable Projects• Qatar General Postal Corporation

development of intranet and web portal

• Implementation of systems inRoyal Mail offices across the US,Germany, France, Netherlands,Hong Kong, Singapore and UAE

• MailAgent Courier web trackingsystem for the Qatar GeneralPostal Corporation

Information Systems

Contact: Information Systems Consultancy, BPCS, 49 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SY. Tel: +44 207 320 4014

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BPCS Intranet Solution for Qatar Postal Corporation

The BPCS solution for Intranets isdesigned to empower ‘knowledgeworker’ productivity. It enables the‘knowledge workplace’ with web-basedcollaborative team services, informationmanagement and discovery andbroadcast delivery of businesscommunications to every employee.

The objective in Qatar, for Q-Post, was to deliver a comprehensivesolution, which enabled team-working,rapid access to business information,document management and end-to-end broadcast communication acrossthe corporation.

BPCS presented a vision to Q-Post ofthe benefits, which an intranet systemcould deliver, and how it would createan environment in which productivity,collaboration and knowledge manage-ment would be delivered and enabled.The concept for the new site includedcollaboration workspaces, generalpurpose and specific portals servingbusiness functions, document manage-ment, ad-hoc team sites and real-timeor on-demand access to digital media.

Q-Post readily embraced the conceptbecause of the benefits it would

deliver to the corporation and workbegan in mid April 2002.

The Q-Post intranet site has beenoperational since 1 May 2002 and hasbeen a great success in delivering thebenefits required by the corporation.The development of this intranet is of course an ongoing process as thesite will need to change and developto meet the corporation’s businessrequirements. To ensure this can be easily facilitated BPCS haveencouraged Q-Post to take ownershipof the intranet during the project andare training the Q-Post Webmaster as part of the project. The site is inArabic/English and each departmentof the corporation has its own area,which contains standard documentationand reference material.

Each employee has an internal emailaddress e.g. chairman@qpost.comand this, together with the intranet, is revolutionising how the corporationfunctions internally by enablingcommunication, changing it from apaper driven, reactive organisationinto a multi media proactiveorganisation.

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Products and SolutionsEstablishing efficient postal technologyand automation is essential for amodern postal business to gain a competitive advantage. BPCSconsultants can offer:

• Mechanisation systems feasibility and design

• Architectural liaison and assistance with building design

• Building and equipment budgetary costings

• Mechanisation purchasingspecifications

• Tendering, prequalification,evaluation and adjudication

• Overseeing of detailed engineering design

• Equipment testing andcommissioning

• Total productive maintenance

• Integration and implementation of automation systems intooperational environments.

Skills• Hands-on experience of a number

of major automation projects bothin the UK and worldwide

• Project management expertise

• Fully qualified engineers.

Notable Projects• Planning and design of the Seoul

Mail Centre

• Design through to implementationof Hong Kong Air Mail Centre, themost technologically advanced airmail centre in the Asia region

• Specification and design of newsorting office for Nicosia, Cyprus

• Consultants on major elements ofAn Post’s automation programme.

Automation and Buildings

Contact: Automation and Buildings Consultancy, BPCS, 49 Featherstone Street, LONDON EC1Y 8SY. Tel: + 44 207 320 4023

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Smoothing the Transition in Singapore –Working in Partnership with Singapore Post

BPCS played the pivotal role in theplanning and execution of a technicallycomplex move of its processingoperation from its existing unit to a state of the art sorting centre.Successfully completed, the changehas brought dramatic benefits andincreased efficiency, allowing theorganisation to take advantage ofmodern technology.

The centre occupies a total area of137,000m2, comprising approximately54,000m2 for mail processingoperations, 74,000m2 for office space and 9,000m2 for a post office.

The centre commenced sorting mailin September 1998 after a smoothtransition which involved training2,000 people through 50 differenttraining courses, moving some 75 truck loads of equipment to thenew location, and dismantling and re-installing sophisticated IT systemscomplete with terminals and personalcomputers over just eight hours.

A full communications strategyinvolving both internal and externalaudiences was also planned andimplemented.

One of the main challenges was toimplement delivery mail sequencingusing 12 Delivery Bar Code Sortersthat were part of $95 million investedin mail handling equipment. Althoughthis was ground-breaking work, withinsix weeks of the new centre startingoperations, 80 per cent of the totalletter volume in Singapore was beingsequence sorted. This saved 35 percent of the manpower in deliveryoffices and dramatically reducedlevels of mis-sorted mail.

Through BPCS working alongsidetheir own managers, Singapore Postwas able to have confidence that thetransition was being professionallyhandled, and the risks involved in moving to a fully automatedenvironment and introducingsequence sorting were minimised.

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Products and SolutionsBPCS recognises that industrialengineering is a pre-requisite of anychange management project. Ourconsultants have built up a databaseof knowledge and technical data toensure that procedures and processesare at their most efficient and effectiveprior to the introduction of change.

Sevices on offer are:

• Productivity evaluation andimprovement

• Application of performance indices

• I.E. Databank – national standardvalues and methods unique to apostal environment

• Traffic measurement – accuraterecording of mail volumes

• ISO 9000 accreditation to theinternational quality standard

• Mailroom consultancy

• Value for money productivityimprovements

• Audits on processing centres and delivery offices looking atproductivity improvements

• Identification of short, medium and long term solutions

• Product costings

• Productivity benchmarkingbetween postal administrationsand with external organisations

• Logistics – warehouse systems,reverse logistics, process re-engineering/mapping.

Skills• Productivity measurement and

improvement

• Industrial engineers fully qualifiedin time study and the use of pre-determined administration datacapturing systems.

• Front line experience in themeasurement of automationprocesses and procedures.

Accreditations• Institute of Management Services.

Noteable Projects• Projects for major banks and

building societies within the UK

• Industrial Engineering Training inthe Czech Republic and in the UK

• Process re-engineering for Hong Kong and Taiwan

• Processing audit for the Irish Post Office

• Product costing for Jersey Post

• Identification of ‘quick-fix’ solutions for Hong Kong

• Productivity measurement systemsin Jersey, Romania and Taiwan

• National pipeline productivitymeasure developed andimplemented

• National training courses for all industrial engineers within Royal Mail.

Industrial Engineering

Contact: Industrial Engineering Consultancy, BPCS,49 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SY. Tel: +44 (0)20 7320 4014

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New Product Development

Delivery walk testing systems and simplified traffic measurement

Our industrial engineering consultantsseek to enhance the performance ofthe client’s operation by subjectingthe current working method to adetailed and rigorous analysis, so thatmore efficient ways of working can bedevised. This can often be done by ashort visit, to identify and cost ‘quick-fix’ solutions. This technique hasalready been carried out for the postal administrations of Hong Kong,Taiwan, and Ireland. BPCS appliesskills and knowledge in the followingareas:

• Efficient use of staff and equipment

• Productivity measurement and improvement

• Change management.

Qualified and experienced in theanalysis of diverse forms of work,BPCS has developed an unrivalledknowledge of postal operations and,in particular, mailroom procedures.

Both blue chip clients in the financial sector and overseas postaladministrations have sought BPCS’advice. Taiwan, Jersey the CzechRepublic, Hong Kong, and Ireland are amongst those that havebenefited from our input.

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Products and SolutionsBPCS provides a range of equipmentsolutions to ensure your organisationselects the most suitable and state-of-the-art postal delivery solution.

Having the right equipment is the coreto the success of any postal operation.BPCS has created a range of keyitems that offer best performance,quality and durability for yourorganisation’s needs, these include:

• Sorting frames for processing

• Mail delivery trolleys and pouches

• Delivery pouches

• Mobile containers

• Letter trays

• Stamp cancelling machines

• Post boxes

• Materials handling products.

SkillsBPCS consultants have a range of skills in the field of equipmentselection and design, these include:

• Ergonomics

• Industrial design

• Applied psychology

• Systems design

• Environmental sciences

• Biomechanics

• Safety management.

Notable Projects• BPCS has been supplying

equipment solutions to postaladministrations around the worldfor many years, including our latest state-of-the-art IDF mailpreparation system.

Equipment Consultancy and Design

Contact: Equipment and Design Consultancy, BPCS, 49 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SY. Tel: +44 207 320 4022

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The IDF Mail Preparation System –A New Approach for Mail Sortation

BPCS has developed the IDF(International Delivery Frame) to provide a cost effective andflexible mail preparation sortingsolution.

The IDF ensures sequencing can beperformed in one pass. This reducesoperational costs and deliversproductivity improvements whilstminimising the opportunity for mis-sorts. Its flexible construction means it can process a large variety of mail types from small postcards to catalogues and newspapers.

Its modular design allows forconfigurations tailored to eachoperator’s needs, including back toback shelves which can be locatedon both sides of the base framereducing the number of componentsrequired.

The IDF was designed primarily forpreparation work in delivery offices.However, its flexibility allows foradaptation for use in sorting centres,mailrooms, mailing houses, courieroperations and a host of other relatedbusinesses.

Its benefits include:

• Simple and easy to install

• Fully mobile

• Optimises floor space

• Modular construction

• Large worktable

• Height adjustable shelves

• One slot can be used for twodelivery points

• Up to 1,400 delivery points

• Full range of accessories.

BPCS offers a complete package to support the IDF, including:

• Project management

• Logistics

• Installation

• Labelling

• Training

• Contract support

• Delivery office layouts

• Delivery route mapping and optimisation

• Ergonomics

• Health and safety.

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Products and SolutionsThe way in which mail is handled,sorted, transported and delivered is atthe core of any postal business. BPCSconsultants have extensive experiencein the effective management of letters,parcels, international mail, priority mailsand hybrid mail operations. We canprovide solutions for:

• Access strategy

• Collections

• Vehicle management

• Mails operations

• Postal technology

• Delivery office revisions

• Traffic measurement

• Delivery equipment

• Track and trace

• Postcodes.

SkillsBPCS consultants have a wide rangeof experience ranging from technicalexpertise in systems of delivery, todeveloping operational strategies.

• Extensive project and programmemanagement experience

• Network design and implementation

• Operational audits and analysis

• Experience gained on major projectsin the UK and across the globe.

Notable Projects• Suppliers of innovative delivery

equipment and consultancy to over25 countries worldwide, significantlyimproving customer productivity byup to 20 per cent

• Review of Korean mail network andSeoul collection and delivery network.

Kuwait: Deliveringon SuccessBPCS first began working withKuwait’s Ministry of Posts in 1993, to rebuild the postal infrastructuredecimated by the Gulf war. The mainelement of the project was to establisha household delivery service.

The project rejuvenated and advancedmany aspects of the postal system.

Mail collections from street postboxes were restored and introducedmore widely across the country. The Express Mail Service – Mumtaz(Arabic for perfect) was rebuilt andenhanced with the introduction of an‘on-demand’ service. Major improve-ments were noted, with mail volumesincreased and Kuwait mail networknow has stronger links with othernetworks in the Gulf.

The BPCS team in Kuwait utilised postalexperience in the UK for advice andsupport on the introduction of newtechnology. Kuwait has invested in asorting machine that has lead to theautomation of much of their manualsorting. Collection reliability has beenimproved with the introduction ofbarcode checks. Fleetlogger, for vehicleand driver management information,has been installed as has a comput-erised system for registered lettercontrol, in order to improve theefficiency of customer service.

Access and Delivery

Contact: Access and Delivery Consultancy, BPCS, 49 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SY. Tel: +44 207 320 4017

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Finance Services

Products and SolutionsEffective financial auditing andmanagement systems are vital for anybusiness wishing to improve control,accountability and profitability. BPCSproducts and solutions include:

• Activity based costing

• Tariff setting

• Investment appraisal

• Product costing

• Budgetary systems and controls

• Financial accounting

• Management accounting

• Risk management.

SkillsBPCS consultants have:

• Specialist finance and economicsexperience

• Hands on experience in the designreplacement of finance systems.

Noteable Projects• Product costing in Malawi

• Review of the finance implicationsof the transformation of a postalcorporataion into a commercialentreprise

• Development of finance systemsand procedures for the SouthAfrican Post Office.

International Mail Accountingin Nigeria

BPCS was selected by the NigerianPostmaster General to overhaulNIPOST's international mail accounts,to enable them to accuratelydetermine its assets and liabilities with foreign postal administrations.

Aside from updating and reconcilingthe international accounts, theexisting system was assessed and recommendations made forimprovement.

Contact: Finance Consultancy, BPCS, 49 Featherstone Street, LONDON EC1Y 8SY. Tel: +44 207 320 4013

24

Products and SolutionsBPCS provides a range of Countersand Retail services and equipmentspecifically designed to improve yourimage and profitability. The equipmentand consultancy services on offer are:

• Open plan counters: ergonomicallydesigned and capable of providingadequate desk space for automationand the associated peripherals. Our counters offer the options ofcorporate colour schemes and built in compressed air poweredsecurity screens

• Counter pedestals: offering bothsecurity and housing for theautomation processor. The tillinserts can be removed andplaced directly into the main saferemoving the need to pay in cashand stock on a daily basis

• Retail display stands: designed to your own specifications or froman off the shelf catalogue. Retaildisplay stands enhance your imageand create additional income

• Safes and security systems:security is of paramount importance,and BPCS has a wide range of contacts, along with its owninternal security experts, to helpyou provide a safe workingenvironment for your staff andafford protection to your assets

• Retail branding, marketing andproduct knowledge: BPCS hasexpertise in all aspects of retailing

and can ensure you make best use

of your retail opportunities

• Financial markets and universal

banking: BPCS can provide experts

to support postal authorities wishing

to implement a universal bank

approach

• Counter automation: experienced

gained in the automation of the

UK’s counters network has enabled

BPCS consultants to develop

significant experience in this area

• Information technology and

services: BPCS can ensure you

choose the counter automation

system which best meets the

needs of your business

• Network modelling: Our consultants

can provide advice on the shape,

size, design, layout and location

of your network to maximise your

business by offering customers ease

of access to your outlets and the

right solutions to meet their needs

• Fleet management: One of the

major costs to any postal authority

is the operation of its vehicle fleet.

BPCS has the expertise to ensure

that you make the right choice for

your business

• Outlet reviews: Outlet standards

are vital in presenting an image of

professionalism and pride in the

services you offer. BPCS can assist

you to ensure all elements are

addressed as part of your review

Counters and Retail

Contact: Counters and Retail Consultancy, BPCS, 49 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SY. Tel: + 44 207 320 4288

25

• Stamps and collectibles: BPCScan provide experts in developingand providing stamps for postaland philatelic collector use.

Skills• Our consultants are senior

managers within the counters and retail environment

• Each of our consultants has aproven track record in their area of expertise

• Our consultants are professionallyqualified and have in the main atleast 10 years experience in thecounters and retail arena

• They will have access to resourceand data from the UK’s Post OfficeCounters network

• BPCS can call upon industrialengineers who specialise in theCounters and Retail Market, who have built up a database of knowledge and technical data second to none.

Notable Projects• Completion of ITT for

British Virgin Islands

• Site surveys for Swaziland Post

• Completion of a counters audit for British Virgin Islands.

Counter andRetail Solutions IntroducedAcross the UK

Post Office Counters retail network is the largest in the UK, with around18,000 outlets. The experiencegained in automating this networkcan be applied to a establish a trulycustomer oriented Counter and Retailnetwork for all administrations, bothlarge and small.

Just a few areas introduced to theUK’s retail network to assist bothcustomers and employees are:

• Interactive systems in numerouslanguages including sign languageto assist the hard of hearing tocommunicate with our counter clerks

• Rising screens which allow anopen plan approach within counteroutlets whilst retaining the securityof your employees. A full metal risingscreen can be built into an openplan counter and activated by theclerk or remotely by a supervisor

• Vending equipment which providescustomers with a choice betweenqueuing to obtain stamps, cashand other products or simplyaccessing a vending machine.

26

Products and SolutionsChanging factors in business cultureand competitive environments, togetherwith developments in crime, present a new set of security challenges forthe postal industry, requiring newapproaches and solutions. BPCSoffers a range of products andsolutions tailored to meet individualbusiness requirements. These include:

• Audits

• Systems development and implementation

• Work shadowing

• Equipment

• Security consultancy service

• Investigation services

• Security product design

• Training

• Risk management.

Skills• In-depth understanding of postal

and aviation security issues

• Experienced in-house consultants,with access to a network ofexternal specialists, equipped tooffer expert advice and suppose

• Awareness of factors which impacton the world’s postal industry.

Notable Projects• Security systems consultancy for the

South African postal administration.

Security

Contact: Security Consultancy, BPCS, 49 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SY. Tel: +44 207 320 4104

Raising International Standards – The Airmail Security Course

The requirement for increased securitythroughout the aviation industry,coupled with an increase in crossborder crime, means the importanceof postal administrations and airlinesworking together to improve securitylevels has never been more urgent.

The International Airmail SecurityCourse has been designed,developed and deployed by BPCSSecurity Consultants on behalf of theEuropean Postal Security Network(EPSN). However, it is relevant to all security managers working eitherfor postal administratiors or within the aviation industry.

The course highlights the problemsfacing postal administrations andairlines in the screening of mail forexplosives and dangerous goods.Practical advice is given on detectingillegal substances or dangerous itemsin the post, procedures to be followedupon their discovery and how todispose of them where appropriate.Advice is also given on the advantagesand disadvantages of the differenttypes of technical equipment available

on the market. In addition delegatesare also informed of the appropriatemeasures to analyse, review andaudit security measures.

The ultimate aim of the course is to provide as much of an insight as possible to a wide range ofprocesses and security issues which an airmail security managermay encounter.

27

Distribution

Products and SolutionsEffective management of the mailpipeline is a key focus for all postalbusinesses, large and small. Thecycle of collection, distribution anddelivery requires extensive resources,both in terms of people and equipment,which must be effectively andefficiently managed and deployed.

BPCS offers expertise in the full rangeof distribution and supply chainactivities, these include:

• Operational audits of mail operations

• Supply chain capacity andcapability management

• Technical assistance of mailoperations

• Operations input to product design or enhancement

• Scoping studies

• Policy development

• Multi-modal distribution networkdesign and implementation

• Operational pipelines solutions

• Mails operational knowledge

• Tender and technical proposalpreparation

• Geographic information systems

• International pipeline operations.

Skills• Supply chain management

• Extensive project and programmemanagement experience

• Network design and implementation

• Airmail operations audits andanalysis.

Fast-trackSystems Across UKAt £200m, Railnet is one of the largestinvestment projects undertaken byRoyal Mail, Britain's postal service. Itsdevelopment involved the introductionof a fully integrated mail distributionsystem across the UK.

This rail based distribution networkincorporated the construction ofdedicated rail-road hubs and the use of Royal Mail trains. The centralrail road hub utilises computerisedmarshalling systems to manage thecomplex transport movements whichconsist of 550 vehicle and 39 trainmovements per day, and within it are two tilt tray conveyor system that handle 7,700 mail containers per hour during the peak period.

Contact: Distribution Consultancy, BPCS,49 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SY. Tel: +44 207 320 4104

28

The Quality of Service Fund (QSF)was established by the UniversalPostal Union (UPU) to financeimprovements in quality of service in developing markets.

The QSF will be maintained by a 7.5 per cent increase on the grossterminal dues payments made byindustrialised countries. Held in trustby the UPU on behalf of the beneficiarycountries, these funds will be used forprojects designed to improve inter-national quality of service, assistingpostal operators to base theircommercial development on flexibleand efficient operational platforms.

The QSF provides an opportunity to implement sustainable qualityimprovements.

From accessing the funds, to design-ing a Quality Development Plan andexecuting robust quality improvementprojects – BPCS will work with you torealise your quality goals.

The range of BPCS QSF consultancyservices are as follows:

Quality DevelopmentPlanningAccess• Access strategy

• Collections

• Retail network planning

• Counter services.

Speed and Reliability• Network planning

• Mail centre and delivery office revisions

• Work measurement

• Sortation/work methods

• Equipment/vehicles.

Security• Audits

• Systems

• Training

• Equipment.

Treatment or Enquiries• Customer centres

• Databases/systems

• Strategy

• Key account management.

Customer Satisfaction• CSI systems

• CSI measurement

• QofS measurement.

Costing/Pricing• Activity based costing

• Work measurement

• Work flows

• Tariff setting.

Quality of Service Fund

Contact: Quality of Service Fund Consultancy, BPCS,49 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SY. Tel: +44 207 320 4017

29

Quality Development Model

QSF projects must follow a logical sequence and result in substantial quality development. BPCS leadsthe market in the design of robust Quality Development Plans (QDP) and can assist in the integration ofQSF projects with the development of your postal business.

Operations Management and Focus Customer Management and Focus

BasicOperations

ControlledPipeline

OptimisedPipeline

ProductStreamsManaged

CustomerFocused

CustomerSpecific

Training Programme Management Change Management Organisational Development

Market Analysis Cost-Benefit Analysis Project Evaluation Business Planning

Access Strategy

Community Boxes

Collections

Retail Network Planning

Counter Services

Equipment/Vehicles

Security

Work Measurement

Security

QofS Measurement

Network Planning

Equipment/Vehicles

Sortation/Work Methods

Activity Based Costing

Mail Centre Revisions

Delivery Office Revisions

Network Planning

Tariff Setting

Security

MIS

CSI Systems

CSI Measurement

Databases/Systems

MIS

Strategy

Key Account Management

Training

Customer Centres

New Product Development

Key Account Management

Customer Management

Business Planning

Qua

lity

Dev

elo

pm

ent

Pla

nnin

g

30

Products and SolutionsBPCS has first-in-class capability indesigning, developing and supportinglogistics solutions across severalindustry sectors. Its consultants haveconsiderable experience in deliveringall aspects of a solution life-cycleadopting the roles of practitioner,trainer and field support as required.The key services provided are:

• Supply chain theory and its application

• Process re-engineering

• Solution design and integration,exploiting latest technologies e.g. Track & Trace and customer-focused management information

• Consultative selling and accountmanagement in the logistics arena

• Bid management of completefulfilment solutions

• Field support of sales consultants

• On-going management ofdeployed solutions

• Training of sales and servicedelivery staff.

SkillsBPCS consultants assist their clientsto analyse their customers’ supply/demand chains, identifying potentialareas of improvement and facilitatingthe delivery of service improvement.The resultant service enhancementsor deployment of a bespoke solutionimproves the client’s businessdevelopment opportunities, oftenleading to strategic partnershipsbeing established. BPCS offers:

• In-depth understanding of thelogistics industry and relatedorganisational and managementissues

• Experience of building andmanaging joint projects with clientsand third parties, delivering fullyintegrated, end-to-end solutions

• Up-to-date knowledge e.g. e-supplychain, fourth party logistics, factorygate pricing initiatives

• Process re-engineering e.g. cycle time reduction

• A record of successfully managingcompetitive bids

• The facilitating of account planningworkshops in the logistics arena

• Sales consultant developmentprogrammes merging knowledgetransfer and skills development withsupported application in the field.

Notable Projects• Bespoke logistics solution

design for specialist sectors, e.g. pharmaceuticals,telecommunications, examination boards, homecomputing, record companies

• Design and joint development ofhome shopping direct suppliermanagement system

• Design and build of an innovativecollection, distribution and deliverynetwork for the internal documentmanagement requirements of largeinfrastructure companies, includingfinancial institutions and largemultiple retailers

• Design and delivery of aconsultative selling training and deployment programme into Royal Mail

• Design, development andimplementation of a virtualwarehousing system for a leadinghome shopping company

• Migration from supply to demandchain for a large computercompany, reducing warehouse and transport costs and providingthe end customer with full visibilityof the process.

Logistics

Contact: Logistics Consultancy, BPCS,49 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SY. Tel: +44 207 320 4014

31

One of the key issues faced by many home shopping companies is a lack of information regardingdespatches from their direct suppliers– those goods not held in their ownwarehouses but fulfilled directly froma supplier e.g. ‘white’ goods, fabricitems. Despite investing in systems to properly manage all aspects of the order process within their ownwarehouses, and with their selectedcarrier, the remoteness and lack ofintegration of the direct suppliers canresult in a lack of visibility and hencecontrol. This is only noticed whenfailures in orders placed with a directsupplier are brought to light throughcustomer complaints.

BPCS consultants have worked withthe operations and IT departments of Parcelforce Worldwide and majorhome shopping clients to re-engineerthe order fulfilment process. The mainobjective was to ensure that the leadtime on direct supplier orders beingdespatched did not adversely affectthe total order to delivery period, and to capture and present relevantmanagement information. Significantchanges were proposed to existingsystems – the consignment barcode

system, the EDI platform through whichthe orders were placed, collectiondepot operations and the track andtrace system.

BPCS consultants were instrumentalin marketing the approach to allparties and managing the multi-disciplined project. The bespokesolution became a reference modelfor future developments with thefollowing key features:

• Notification to Parcelforce of theneed to collect consignment(s)

• Printing a Parcelforce barcode(linked to the home shoppingcompany placing the order) on each consignment

• Scanning the items on arrival at collection depot (in addition to delivery scan)

• Passing all track and trace events back to the home shopping company.

This innovative approach to integratingtraditional parcel management withemerging technologies enabled thehome shopping company to have full visibility of its supply chain. This realised two main benefits:

• The ability to monitor directsupplier service levels

• Knowledge that customerexpectations are being properlymanaged.

For the home shopping client it has given confidence to further exploit the cost benefits and processefficiency of the direct supplier model.While Parcelforce has enhanced its strategic relationship with a majorhome shopping client and gained an opportunity for further businessdevelopment.

Home Shopping Direct Supplier Model

Improved management information for Home Shopping companies and their customers

32

The postal industry faces the greatestchallenge in its history, marketliberalisation has resulted in alowering of postal monopolies andincreased competition for traditionalpostal products. It has also convincedmany governments that a publicpostal operator must have theautonomy and financial viability tocompete effectively whilst providinguniversal service.

Today’s governments are sponsoringregulatory reforms and targetedinvestment in the public postal operator.

Similarly, growing globalisation andfalling trade barriers have sparkedcompetition that goes beyondnational postal marketplaces.

Products and Solutions• Postal reform: legal,

operational and financial

• De-regulisation

• Corporatisation

• Change management

• Strategic development

• Commercial strategy

• Operational re-design

• Business process engineering

• Senior management development:commercial awareness, effectiveleadership, strategic planning.

Skills• Programme management

• Planning and scheduling

• Business re-engineering

• Risk management

• Business characteristics andknowledge of legislation

• Relationship management

• Finance and economics skills

• Organisational diagnostics

• People development strategies

• Commercial and strategicplanning.

Notable Projects• Projects for the European Union

and the UPU

• Benchmarking studies in 14 Countries across Europe

• Postal reform in Tanzania.

Strategic Development

Contact: Strategic Development Consultancy, BPCS,49 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SY. Tel: +44 207 320 4329

33

Greece – A modern story

BPCS worked for the Greek PostOffice (ELTA) on a programme ofinvestment that aimed to transformELTA into a commercial customerfocused postal business ready toface the challenges of increasedcompetitor activity and deregulation.

This assignment focused on everyaspect of the postal organisationranging from infrastructure renewal,changes to operational procedures,procurement, marketing strategy andinitiatives aimed at improvingcustomer perception. The mainchallenge was to design andimplement such an extensiveprogramme within the two yeartimespan allowed by the EU whowere providing two thirds of thedevelopment funding. Key tasks for the team included: design andspecification of the new nationalsorting centre in Athens, a review of the national distribution system,product development including a Girobank, implementation of a financial management system,development of a training organ-isation and the specification andprocurement of an IT infrastructure for all management functions.

Key to the success was the programmeand change management expertiseprovided by the consultants of BPCS.Few postal administrations have

embarked on such an ambitiousdevelopment programme aimed atthe transformation of all managementfunctions simultaneously. A robustprogramme management methodologywas required to ensure that all depend-encies were identified and co-ordinated.Equally important was the recognitionand sensitive management of theimpact of major change on all levelsof staff.

The BPCS team consisted of sixresident consultants responsible forstrategic management, programmemanagement, operations, marketing,human resources and informationtechnology. In addition over 40 shortterm consultants took part in thisproject transferring their specialistknowledge to the specific require-ments of ELTA. Such numbers andthe diversity of the roles from whichthey come, demonstrated the strengthand depth of BPCS consultants in thefield of international postal consultancy.

ELTA has successfully applied for furtherfunding to build on the foundationsestablished during this initial phaseand the Greek government has high-lighted this project as a model for a development project. In the yearfollowing the conclusion of this assign-ment, ELTA published the first operatingprofit in its history.

34

BPCS – Facts & figures

• Established in 1965 BPCS currently works across the globe on a wide varietyof postal projects

• Instrumental in the design and construction of over 45 buildings andautomation projects worldwide

• Suppliers of innovative delivery equipment and consultancy to over 25 countries worldwide, significantly improving customer productivity by up to 20 per cent

• Access to the knowledge and expertise of Royal Mail, Britain’s postal service, with a staff base of over 200,000

• Premier European postal consultancy working for the EU PHARE fund on over 10 projects since 1995 in the fields of cost allocation, key accountmanagement, regulation, fleet transport, quality of service and costing andfinancing of Universal Service Obligation

• Consulted on the design and construction of the high-profile Hong KongAirmail Centre. The centre represents the second largest Express Mail Centrein the world, cost £44 million and occupies two hectares of land

• Introduction of a home delivery service in Kuwait – a unique service in the Middle East

• Introduction of the world’s first totally sequence sorted mail facility inSingapore, saving 35 per cent of the manpower in delivery offices anddramatically reducing levels of mis-sorted mail

• Provided six resident experts supported by short term consultants to workwith the Greek Post Office in the execution of a $40 million investment project.On contract completion the Greek Post Office returned its first operating profit

• BPCS designed and project managed the construction of a state of the artprocessing centre in the Cayman Islands. This facility is the first of its kind inthe region

• BPCS hosts the acclaimed International Postal Management Course (IPM),equipping middle and senior postal managers with the skills to secure thefuture of the postal world. BPCS commitment to training is emphasisedthrough the consultancy’s support and involvement with the Asia PacificPostal Training College (APPTC) in Bangkok.

British Postal Consultancy Service, 49 Featherstone Street, LONDON Great Britain EC1Y 8SYTelephone +44 (0) 207 320 4014Fax +44 (0) 207 320 4131Email: bpcs@bpcs.org Website: www.bpcs.org