Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia states that "marketing is a societal process that is needed to discern consumers' wants; focusing on a product/service to those wants, and to mold the consumers toward the products/services. Marketing is fundamental to any businesses growth. The marketing teams (Marketers) have the task to create the consumer awareness of the products/services through marketing techniques; unless it pays due attention to its products/services and consumers' demographics and desires, a business will not usually prosper long-term." (1)
Vancouver Mail Processing Plant
Canada Post Corporation (CPC) is one of the country’s largest employers and is an integral part of Canadian life. It employs over 60,000 employees and delivers almost 10 billion pieces of mail every year. When it was first created as a government agency in the 1800’s, it faced little or no competition. It was a monopoly. It became a Crown corporation in 1981 (2) and became responsible for its own performance. While still maintaining a monopoly on certain physical aspects of mail delivery, there is increased competition from the telephone, the facsimile machine, email and other alternatives for the delivery of mail such as FedEx and UPS. In the 1990’s CPC was identified in a government mandated review as a ‘sunset industry’. (3)
In response, Canada Post mapped a path to ensure its continual survival. In short, it had to ‘boldly go where no [post office] has gone before’.
History
Recognizing that it’s market share was diminishing, CPC realized that it had to start paying attention to its customers. In the 1990’s a Vision Statement was created for the company. After consulting with its various departments and managers, Canada Post stated that they "seek to be a world leader in providing innovative physical and electronic delivery solutions, creating value for our customers, employees and all Canadians". (4) It was recognized that the corporation had to change from just a physical mover of letters and parcels to one offering technology-based solutions to all Canadians.
Consumer surveys, market studies and focus groups were commissioned to provide CPC with direction and as a result… Canada Post has enlarged their field of products, both physical and electronic as well as engaging in strategic alliances.
Consumer surveys, market studies and focus groups were commissioned to provide CPC with direction and as a result… Canada Post has enlarged their field of products, both physical and electronic as well as engaging in strategic alliances.
As a Marketing Strategy
Canada Post restructured itself by physically re-aligning its workfloor, branching out into new venues and improving its lettermail delivery performance. Creating new products such as Xpresspost and Priority Courier and committing to Delivery Standards, CPC now offers choice and increased value to the consumer.
CPC has created employee recognition programs such as the Golden Postmark Awards, monthly news publications and joined various campaigns designed to raise public awareness such as Canadian Literacy and the fight against Mental illness.
Market segmentation was explored with different strategies aimed at different sections of the population, such as young people, entrepreneurs or large, established businesses. Each are approached with a different message or benefit, such as low price, fast service or market reach. All with the aim of making CPC they’re ‘partner of choice’.
Canada Post has embraced the Internet with the world’s first national, secure, Internet-based electronic delivery system, ‘EPOST’. Canadians can now electronically deliver bills, statements, or advertising material. Partnerships and alliances with other companies such as Purolator for enhanced parcel delivery and France’s LaPoste to create a secure, online communication channel for e-business are examples of how CPC is reacting to the marketplace. (5)
While the process of moving letters and parcels is tactical in nature, Canada Post has continued to refine how they achieve this already established goal. For example, one of the first steps taken was to hire outside auditors to measure and publicly report on lettermail delivery performance standards. (6) The decision to provide electronic delivery solutions is a strategic consideration since this was a brand new goal. (7)
A decision to move to new markets and products is an example of corporate strategy. (8) It was recognized that the existing technology platform was inadequate for the processes and new strategies that management was putting into place. To this end, a new Business Transformation program, based on SAP enterprise software was implemented.
Management at Canada Post is moving to a strategic plan that was first set in play after the Post Office became a Crown corporation. Having identified that a shift of mail to the Internet is underway, Canada Post has identified what must be done and is aggressively moving forward with acquisitions, such as the purchase of Purolator Courier, joint ventures and other collaborative strategies. Canada Post has realized that it can no longer operate as a monopoly and is using marketing as a tool to better align itself with today’s marketplace.
CPC has created employee recognition programs such as the Golden Postmark Awards, monthly news publications and joined various campaigns designed to raise public awareness such as Canadian Literacy and the fight against Mental illness.
Market segmentation was explored with different strategies aimed at different sections of the population, such as young people, entrepreneurs or large, established businesses. Each are approached with a different message or benefit, such as low price, fast service or market reach. All with the aim of making CPC they’re ‘partner of choice’.
Canada Post has embraced the Internet with the world’s first national, secure, Internet-based electronic delivery system, ‘EPOST’. Canadians can now electronically deliver bills, statements, or advertising material. Partnerships and alliances with other companies such as Purolator for enhanced parcel delivery and France’s LaPoste to create a secure, online communication channel for e-business are examples of how CPC is reacting to the marketplace. (5)
While the process of moving letters and parcels is tactical in nature, Canada Post has continued to refine how they achieve this already established goal. For example, one of the first steps taken was to hire outside auditors to measure and publicly report on lettermail delivery performance standards. (6) The decision to provide electronic delivery solutions is a strategic consideration since this was a brand new goal. (7)
A decision to move to new markets and products is an example of corporate strategy. (8) It was recognized that the existing technology platform was inadequate for the processes and new strategies that management was putting into place. To this end, a new Business Transformation program, based on SAP enterprise software was implemented.
Management at Canada Post is moving to a strategic plan that was first set in play after the Post Office became a Crown corporation. Having identified that a shift of mail to the Internet is underway, Canada Post has identified what must be done and is aggressively moving forward with acquisitions, such as the purchase of Purolator Courier, joint ventures and other collaborative strategies. Canada Post has realized that it can no longer operate as a monopoly and is using marketing as a tool to better align itself with today’s marketplace.
References
1) Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/marketing
2) Aaron Nichols, Lynn Haggerty, "Transforming the Business with CRM at the Core", Montgomery Research, Inc. - Thought Leadership, October 30, 2002, 1
3) Aaron Nichols, Lynn Haggerty, 1
4) Honorable Andre Ouellet, "Bold Thinking: Challenging Traditional Thinking at Canada Post Corporation", Pitney Bowes PostInsight – Industry Trends, October 5, 2000, 2.
5) Aaron Nichols, Lynn Haggerty, 102-104
6) Honorable Andre Ouellet, 5
7) Cornelis A. De Kluyver, Strategic Thinking, An Executive Perspective (Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall, 2000, 4
8) Aaron Nichols, Lynn Haggerty, 7
2) Aaron Nichols, Lynn Haggerty, "Transforming the Business with CRM at the Core", Montgomery Research, Inc. - Thought Leadership, October 30, 2002, 1
3) Aaron Nichols, Lynn Haggerty, 1
4) Honorable Andre Ouellet, "Bold Thinking: Challenging Traditional Thinking at Canada Post Corporation", Pitney Bowes PostInsight – Industry Trends, October 5, 2000, 2.
5) Aaron Nichols, Lynn Haggerty, 102-104
6) Honorable Andre Ouellet, 5
7) Cornelis A. De Kluyver, Strategic Thinking, An Executive Perspective (Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall, 2000, 4
8) Aaron Nichols, Lynn Haggerty, 7