By Petronella Sibeene
WINDHOEK
Namibia Postal Services (Nampost) yesterday launched Web-Riposte Essential, a system that will allow the company to process all transactions on a computer system, increasing efficiency in its operations.
Initially, the Riposte version that was used by Nampost had functional limitations and could only be used at 77 of its 122 offices. The remaining 45 offices had to run a manual system causing operational inefficiency in some instances.
With Web-Riposte Essential, customers will be able to pay their bills, buy pre-paid airtime and conduct smart-card banking, have complete supply chain solution via courier services and office solutions.
Minister of Works, Transport and Communication, Joel Kaapanda said during the launch the system used earlier could only allow Nampost to sign-on a maximum of nine agencies. The Minister said the agencies revenue stream represents the work that Nampost does on behalf of third parties such as the collection of monthly bill payments.
Web-Riposte Essential, which offers more functionalities will be deployed countrywide.
Under this new system, a client can book and pay for a Post Office Box at any post office regardless of whether such a box is in the town where the client registers or not.
This means, it is no longer necessary for the Post Office clerk in one town to call another Post Office where the client has interests to find out if there are post office boxes available in that town.
The other advantage is that clients will not have to manually fill in Postal Order forms as that can now be done electronically. Posting can also be done through the wires.
“No Physical forms and faxing of completed forms from one post office to another are required any longer,” the minister said.
Chief Executive Officer of Nampost, Sakaria Nghikembua, said his company will strive to bring in the latest technology and ensure that customer’s needs are met at all times.
“We do not believe in using technology only for the sake of it, but we take every care to ensure that we develop software applications which suit our current and future business needs,” he said.
He added that the Web-Riposte Essential is another system that every post office irrespective of the location will be equipped with.
This year, the company has also upgraded its courier system-Win Freight.
This inicludes a track-and-track functionality which will enable clients to directly trace the movement of their parcels using the Internet.
Nampost also introduced 24-hour satellite tracking of its vehicles which allows the company to manage the vehicles better and respond timeously to any accidents or any other inconvenient events that might occur.
Plans are underway to bring in other new technologies that will inter-connect Nampost to other postal operators worldwide, Nghikembua said.
Just this year, the company introduced Smartcard system with a view to improving customer care, service efficiency and reducing transaction costs.
This meant that Nampost clients, whose membership stands at over 200ǟ