Financial Times

Postman-turned-salesman
By Rasadhi Attale
Next time the neighbourhood postman comes calling with your mail, be prepared for some friendly sales talk. Dozens of postmen from the Postal Department have a new assignment - selling Mobitel pre-paid cards. They have an incentive to do so; of the 6 percent commission that the department gets per sale, the salesman (postman) gets one percent.

This is an attempt by the department to add value to its services and bring a new face to the Post Office. Idling counter staff created by the drop in post office transactions such as money orders or telegrams are being geared to tackle the new range of services the department plans to offer with pre-paid Mobitel talks being one such service.

While postmen busily distribute letters are they prepared to take on another activity? “They are willing to undertake this extra service. Since Mobitel provides many incentives they are happy to take the responsibility of this extra service. It is extra revenue for them,” noted Sherwin Senadheera, Post Master General (PMG). Numerous competitions not just for the postmen, but also post masters and post offices are being organised as incentives.

Mr. Senadheera doesn’t believe that postmen since they carry cash would be a target for robbers as initially they would carry only 100 cards per day.
“Being a well known figure in the area who has a good rapport with society, I don’t think he will be harmed,” he added.

The new services will be provided across the country except in the North East. Initially these cards were to be offered through post offices but then came the novel concept of “Mobitel services to your door step”.

The department is also planning other services such as speed service of delivering HSBC credit cards, business mail and advertising through, mail etc.
Officials from the department and Mobitel told reporters at the launch of the tie-up last week that all mobile top-up cards since April 6 are available at post office counters.

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