POST MANAGERS CONFERENCE
Cost cutting key: Post Fiji winners
Post managers around the country were recognised for their industrious ingenuity at the organisation’s second annual awards ceremony.
The awards were held at The Pearl Resort, Spa and Golf Course in Pacific Harbour, drawing about 70 workers of Post Fiji.
Chief executive officer Anirudha Bansod said the awards were based on a prescribed criteria, with the number of awards bumped up from last year.
The awards were presented according to revenue and net profit at each post office, against the people at each station, he said.
“A major issue is the stock variances, which is recognised at the awards night,” Mr Bansod said.
“We are also working on their level of customer service.
“We hope the awards will encourage them to work harder for the next awards.”
Among Post Fiji’s biggest strengths was its human resources, each of whom fully understood executed their roles according to their respective job descriptions, he said.
Changing business structure
Post Fiji’s continued success lies in part in the change to its business structure, which at first was met with some questions from workers, Mr Bansod said.
“But once they understood that, they are all focused on to achieving the certain goals and objectives,” he said.
“We are not a competitor.
“We are a very small player compared to all these big players, but we want to have our own market share.”
Post Fiji is working to launch other strategic core businesses.
e more strategic partnership, which has the similar core interest with the post Fiji’s operations.”
The underlying theme from winners of the Post Fiji annual awards was laden with cost cutting at all levels.
Keeping costs low
Overall best post office award winner was Nausori post office, which is managed by Imdad Ali.
Mr Ali said he was surprised and encouraged by the win.
“I will use this to work harder in reducing the overheads,” he said. “Our win was because we had the most profits with the least expenses. I’ll get back to reducing expenses even more internally – and it’s usually in the small things such as stationery.”
Nausori Post office employs 15 people.
Kasa Luvu, post manager of Naitasiri, manages the office single handedly. She won the overall prize for managing a post office single handedly.
She serves an average of 20 customers a day.
“This win would not have been possible without the customers that trickle through daily,” Ms Luvu said.
“Now that Post Fiji will be trading basic groceries, we can expect more volume of customers.
“I have the best customers from my province. They made this victory possible.”
Team work
Nadi Post office won the award for setting the record in least variance for a post office with more than 10 workers.
Post manager Jope Vukice said the win was owed to team work. “In order to reduce costs, we have to work as a team, and ensure that staff morale is high,” he said.
Post manager Pacific Harbour MukesH Chand received the award for the least variance in a post office manned by two to nine workers. He said the second annual awards was a great initiative for team building , for open dialogue, and a mind opener.
“While some of our colleagues from the outer posts were unable to make it, we are thankful to personally acquaint ourselves with our peers from other posts around the country who are here,” Mr Chand said.
“Otherwise, we would not know what the other looks like as we mostly communicate via telephone and emails.”