Swiss Post invests in the future: 2,000 locations to remain staffed
Fewer letters, fewer inpayments at the counter, fewer customers in branches: despite all of these developments, Swiss Post will continue to operate 2,000 staffed locations in Switzerland. To achieve this, it is implementing measures and continuing to evolve. The company is investing 100 million Swiss francs in its branch network − modernizing it, introducing new services and, in turn, strengthening its benefit to the population. It is searching for long-term partnerships for around 170 branches. This will enable private individuals and companies to continue benefiting from a comprehensive universal service. It will also ensure that Swiss Post can still operate without taxpayers’ money in future.
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Swiss Post is taking action: universal service without taxpayers’ money
Swiss Post is taking action: universal service without taxpayers’ money
The changes in over-the-counter transactions are dramatic: due to demographic trends and because the population is increasingly using digital services, seven out of ten inpayments no longer take place at the counter (−68 percent). Traditional over-the-counter transactions have halved (−49 percent). The number of letters posted by customers at the counter has fallen by more than a third (−39 percent) in the last five years alone. This trend will continue unabated in the years ahead.
In order to maintain its presence for the public and companies, Swiss Post is implementing a range of measures and continuing to evolve. “We are investing wherever we are needed and can offer the greatest benefit for our customers. That’s why we are adapting our branch network so that we can secure the universal service for the future without taking a centime of taxpayers’ money,” explains Thomas Baur, Deputy CEO and Head of PostalNetwork.
Swiss Post relies on tried-and-tested methods: branches with partners with longer opening hours
“Due to the decline in volumes, we cannot afford to run 2,000 self-operated branches. However, because we want to maintain our presence for our customers throughout Switzerland, we have been relying on the tried-and-tested branches with partners for many years. This is the only way we can continue fulfilling our universal service obligation and generally offer even longer opening hours,” says Roberto Cirillo, CEO of Swiss Post. For this reason, Swiss Post is searching for around 170 additional branch partners for its on-site services. Since July, it has contacted the cantons and municipalities affected by the service changes and has held initial talks. Swiss Post wants to find a solution for all of these 170 branches by the end of 2028. The ultimate goal is for the branch network to consist of around 600 self-operated branches and 1,400 branches with partners.