Ahead of the World Mail & Express Europe (WMX Europe) Conference in Dublin, we caught up with Cinzia Neri, Head of PRIME. Cinzia will be speaking at WMX Europe 2019 and offers her thoughts on the conference and the future of the industry.

This interview was originally published on Post & Parcel in May 2019.

P&P – Tell us a little bit about yourself and your company.

CN – I have more than 30 years’ experience in the postal sector across a wide range of roles. I am delighted to put this at the disposal of PRIME members to help them enhance their e-commerce offering.

PRIME is a member-driven network of 153 Designated Postal Operators working together to deliver high quality, cross-border services for the  e-commerce market.

P&P – What will you be speaking about at WMX Europe this year?

CN – I will be explaining how Postal Operators can increase their revenues and improve the quality of their international delivery services by becoming PRIME members and participating in our Pay for Performance agreements.

P&P – What do you hope our delegates will take away from your presentation?

CN – I hope that non members will consider joining the PRIME network and that existing members who have not signed up to our agreements will ask themselves why they are missing out on the benefits.

P&P – What do you feel are the biggest challenges facing your business today?

CN – Our biggest external challenge also presents our biggest opportunity. Because, while letter volumes are in dramatic decline, e-commerce packet volumes are growing strongly. As PRIME started its journey in this space 20 years ago, we are well positioned to secure our share of the Tracked packets market. PRIME´s biggest internal challenge is to harmonise standards across our members so we can exchange the same products.

P&P – Apart from the presentations and content, what aspect of WMX Europe are you most looking forward to?

CN – I hope there will be a large number of Postal Operators present at the event as it is a good opportunity for us to meet with them and discuss the benefits of PRIME membership.

P&P – How has the post and parcel industry changed in the past 5 years? What do you predict will happen in the next 5 to 10 years?

CN – Traditional letter mail has declined and will continue to decline. Tracked services are growing and will probably continue to grow, but there is no certainty about who will deliver them.

P&P – What is the biggest challenge in the post and parcel industry at the moment?

CN – At this moment the huge competition in the packet delivery market (both domestic and cross- border) and the situation of terminal dues are probably the biggest challenges facing the industry. Nevertheless, the postal sector has a very long history and it has adapted to the modernisation of communications, the growth of globalisation and, more recently, the online shopping phenomenon.

P&P – What effect has Automation made on the post and parcel industry?

CN – Automation has enabled large Postal Operators to decrease the size of the labour force required to manage their daily activities. Although this has required massive investment, automation has led to a higher level of accuracy and enabled the post and parcel industry to meet customers’ demands for more sophisticated tracking.

P&P – What is the most interesting trend for 2019?

CN – Changes relating to customs data in most Western countries and the USA will lead to core changes in the way we do business in the logistics and postal industry. As a result, EAD and DDP solutions will become more important in our sector.

P&P – How can postal organisations adapt in the face of falling mail volumes? Can they really compete with new industry disruptors and faster moving global operators.

CN – Diversification is one of the best ways to adapt to falling volumes. New products can generate new revenue flows and make an organisation less dependent on a single part of the market. Disruptive new players are challenging established Postal Operators to adapt more quickly to changing conditions.

Cinzia will be speaking at the World Mail & Express Europe Conference 2019. WMX Europe is taking place at Croke Park in Dublin (17 – 19 June 2019). Visit www.wmxeurope.com for more information.