Muscat: In line with the national logistics strategy to position the Sultanate as a leading trade and logistics hub, Oman Post is organising the first edition of the Oman Post Forum 2018 at the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) Cultural Centre.
The forum is a platform for the ASYAD Group member to share its vision, mission and strategy to grow the postal services industry in Oman and leverage the untapped opportunities in this key contributing sector to the national economy.
Day one of the forum saw the signing of key partnerships between Oman Post and Dar Al Atta’a Association, where the company will be the logistics partner supporting the women empowerment programme, “Min Beiti”, as well as the Thawani e-Payment platform, which provide customers with an innovative solution for e-payment.
Highlighting the company’s strategy “Driving Transformation through Business Excellence”, Abdulmalik Al Balushi, Chief Executive Officer of Oman Post, said, “Our journey of excellence is hinged on transforming our business portfolio now and into the future. Our approach is rather simple; we are implementing a comprehensive strategy that streamlines all processes and drives greater operational effectiveness and efficiency.”
Al Balushi added, “Implementing the latest models of business excellence, Oman Post merges global know-how with local expertise. We understand the requirements of our customers, while always striving to provide world-class service.”
Oman Post’s strategy is three-fold, revolving firstly around implementing “lean” strategies to optimise core mail operations, grow the parcels business and diversify into new growth markets.
Logistics network
Secondly, to enhance its logistics network in order to offer other products and services outside the traditional postal model, and thirdly, it focuses on international growth by expanding reach and diversifying operations.
The Oman Post Forum 2018 features an exhibition from December 10 to 12, at SQU Cultural Centre, highlighting the company’s business functions. On display is a state-of-the-art post office model offering a window into the future of postal services.
Other activities include industry-related public workshops led by a host of speakers, including international motivational speaker Dr. Pawan Agrawal, whose session “From Zero to Hero” delivers a great story about supply chain management.
Omani speakers’ workshops include “Post Innovation” by Khalid Al Haribi, Founder & Managing Director of Impact Integrated, and Dr. Ali Al Shidani, Director of Research Centres & ICT Research at the Research Council.
The workshop, “The Art of Post”, by Hashar Al Mandhari, CEO of Alalamah Marketing, highlights how postal services can affect arts and build identities, while another workshop called The “Lean Lego Game” introduces participants to ways of eliminating waste.
In order to tap into new growth opportunities, Oman Post is diversifying its portfolio into a broad range of new service areas. E-commerce represents a tremendous opportunity, as consumers become increasingly comfortable with ordering items online. The Matjar online address forwarding platform allows customers to establish a virtual address in the United States and other countries at competitive prices. Additionally, traditional brick-and-mortar is making the transition to the digital environment. For example, Oman ePost is an advanced digital postal service that combines the e-mail system with traditional mail services, allowing subscribers to receive printed mail and parcels without the need to subscribe to a conventional mailbox.
Al Balushi concluded, “While there is definitely a shift in the mindset across the world when it comes to postal services, it is all about customer satisfaction. Oman Post is investing in technology in every aspect of its business portfolio and operations, while taking into account quality assurance, business excellence, and added value for its stakeholders.”