Belize Postal Services’ Digital Upgrades

The Belize Postal Service has modernized its system and is catching up with delivery services like Amazon. Customers now have more control over their packages. They can see when their items are on their way from the post office and when it has been picked up by the receiver. There is also an option for all queries to be answered through an AI chatbot called “Edith”. It’s an update that has been long in the making. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

The Belize Postal Services has gone digital. Customers can now track their items and receive real-time updates and notifications on the status of their packages.

 

Employee, Belize Postal Service

“What will happen is when the item comes into the post office the item is given a barcode. The individual then comes to the app, where it is, then entered into, whereby the sender’s name, address and phone number which is very important. The phone number is very important. it is an imported into the system. Once that is completed, both the sender and the receiver are going to get a text with a link telling them exactly everything about their package cost the destination the expected time of arrival all that information is there.”

 

Your items will then be handed over to the drivers that are tasked with transporting these packages across the country. At every step of the process, the package is scanned to provide updates to customers on the status of their deliveries.

 

Employee

“So they know when the package leaves for example San Ignacio to Belize city. They brought the package at nine a.m. and at one p.m. that package is moving so they know the package left at one p.m.. by  four o’clock in the afternoon the packages in Belize city they know that it is ready to be picked up so they have enough information so they can schedule when stopping at the post office because they now know when it is there.”

 

The Belize Postal Services is also able to deliver packages directly to the homes of their customers with the address provided at the office. Marsha Price, the Postmaster General, says the digitization of their services has been long in the making. She explained that the delay in rolling out the upgrades was due to a lack of the necessary financial resources.

 

Marsha Price, Postmaster General, Belize Postal Service

“It allows us to provide what the customers were asking for. People have been asking to see where their packages are, so that allows us to at least bridge some gap in this digital divide, like I mentioned earlier. Financing was the aspect and now we have the support of our ministry that is allowing us or financing us to have these sort of applications that the customers have been requesting for years so that is something that is though it is now available now all our process have been manual so this is one of them we can track internationally but nothing domestically so this helps out customers and it will pull more customers so it is something that we so desire.”

 

Price says the Belize Postal Services anticipates an increase in its revenue with the new level of visibility it is providing to customers.

 

Marsha Price

“We have the most affordable prices and er provide same day delivery, so we are doing more for our customers, we provide that culture of excellence, giving our customers the best end-to-end experience. So, affordable pricing, being able to track your packages.”

 

Xeina Schnarr, the Postal Supervisor at the post office’s express department, explained that customers will no longer be required to spend time in long lines at the post office during drop-offs.

 

Xeina Schnarr, Postal Supervisor, Belize Postal Service

“Let’s say you have twenty packages and stand in a line and wait for a receipt you can just drop off those packages because now with this system you will automatically get a text as the sender and the receiver will also receive a message and with real time tracking telling you that you posted it in Belize City and let’s say you are sending it to San Pedro. You will get a message saying that you posted it the time we process it and the time it leaves office when San Pedro receives it and when it is ready for delivery or pickup.”

 

Paul Lopez

“What information do they have to provide when they drop off the package?”

 

Xeina Schnarr

“Just like as you address a regular letter the sender’s information which includes the name and address whatever district and the phone number it is the same thing for the receiver’s information it is the same thing just like how you address a regular letter.”

 

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.