Hongkong Post's territory-wide network of 128 post offices provides an efficient and convenient postal service that meets changing community needs.
In support of the Government's Scheme $6,000 announced in March 2011, Hongkong Post was appointed as the sole agent of the Government to provide registration and payment services to eligible applicants who do not have a local bank account in their sole name. All post offices, apart from the two mobile post offices, accept registration forms, and 56 designated post offices serve as cheque distribution centres. We provide a highly effective service for the Scheme and have handled a total of 310,000 registrations and 230,000 payments up to 31 March 2012.
Hongkong Post provides a range of delivery solutions to facilitate end-to-end distribution of goods purchased over the internet. During the year, we launched a new counter collection service that enables customers buying from group purchase website to collect their ordered products at six selected post offices. Other counter agency services include serving as an agent for Customs and Excise Department on registration for use of the Road Cargo System (ROCARS) whereby shippers and truck drivers can register at 16 designated post offices. We also act as the agent for Tradelink and provide service on conversion of trade declaration in paper form into electronic message for submission to Tradelink at 20 designated post offices.
We also leveraged on our comprehensive delivery network and infrastructure by providing fulfilment services for e-merchants dealing with lightweight products as well as receipt and despatch services between government offices and between public libraries to facilitate the exchange of returned books.
The use of postage labels for bulk ordinary and registered mail helps speed up counter transactions. This service was rolled out at seven additional post offices in March 2012. A total of 20 post offices now offer the service.
We have an ongoing programme, launched in 2007, to renovate our post offices so as to provide enhanced customer experience. By 31 March 2012, we had refurbished 29 post offices. A new and user-oriented design introduced at Mong Kok Post Office has proven successful in offering improved service provision, customer experience, operational efficiency as well as a better working environment for staff. The design won a silver medal at the 2011/2012 A' Design Award out of over 3,600 entries from 140 countries. This is an international design award competition which has earned patronage of several institutions, including the Como Department of Culture and Bureau of European Design Associations.
A total of 29 post offices were retrofitted with barrier-free access facilities by 31 March 2012. We will continue to work closely with Architectural Services Department and other government departments to review and install barrier-free access facilities at other post offices as far as practicable by June 2014.
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