Thirty-one postal operators have been awarded a certification diploma for good quality of service management.
The UPU, which encourages Posts to continue their efforts to improve quality of service, presented them with this certification during the Universal Postal Congress.
The aim of the certification programme, which is based on four levels - entry level, and A, B and C (gold, silver and bronze respectively) - is to measure the degree of application of quality management processes in postal services.
The certification programme focuses on international service quality and comprehensively assesses the organization of services, the interoperability of technological systems to facilitate data exchange, and operations and customer information for ordinary international mail. The system provides a level playing field for all operators, irrespective of their infrastructure and level of development.
Posts applying for certification must answer a series of detailed questionnaires. Experts carry out field assessments and annual tests to ensure that quality of service criteria and standards are maintained.
"For the next cycle, 2013-2016, certification will focus on operational performance in terms of results," says Seydou Konaté, Letter Post Programme Manager.
Since the certification programme was launched in 2004, 65 designated operators, a third of the worldwide total, have been awarded certification.