According to Avenir Suisse, the Post is threatening to deteriorate into a rehabilitation case, if no reforms are introduced. In a published research paper of the Think Tank is to demonstrate why and how the business model of the Swiss Post should be sustainably renewed. The study, commissioned economist Samuel Rutz considered in all three business lines of the Post (letters, Postfinance and Postbus) comprehensive reforms as necessary.
1. The Post as a risk for the taxpayer
The Swiss Post will become a target for the liberal think-tank Avenir Suisse. In a study by Economist Rutz sounds the Alarm and calls for the privatisation of the Post, after the mid-March published a consolidated net profit of the state has located operation with 405 million Swiss francs, an increase of 122 million Swiss francs below the previous year’s value. The Post should not be a costly, taxpayer-to berappe remediation case in point, need for action, warns Avenir Suisse. The study author believes in efficient ways to the supply of the population, and sees no need for the state is needed to position the public Service.
2. Google and co. sounds like competition for letter mail
The analysis is sobering: In the postal sector in Switzerland provides a basic service that annually 350 to 400 million Swiss francs in costs, although fewer and fewer letters are sent. A luxury solution, such as Avenir Suisse. Since the beginning of the 2000s, in Germany, around a third will be sent fewer letters. In other countries in Europe, the value is collapsed by half. E-Mail, Messenger Services such as Whatsapp, and SMS, traditional communication replace. The Trend means, according to the study authors, that Google, Facebook and co. are increasingly becoming competitors to the Post. “The Post is in the area of primary care in a rigid regulatory corset arrested,” according to the study. Specifically: The Federal Council as the owner expects from the Post, that is, for example, post offices or branches for 90 per cent of the population must be within 20 minutes on foot or with public transport. The post make a thick Minus responsible. The conclusion: Avenir Suisse, is now calling for a reduction in standards and an abolition of the residual monopoly of the Post office on letters up to 50 grams in weight. At the same time, the think tank wants to form a public invitation to tender for the basic service – a technology-neutral way, i.e. without defining the letters in the paper. That would put the Post under the pressure of competition, even if she didn’t get the job.
3. The package on the market-no rescue
The package market is growing, but, according to Avenir Suisse, the only good news: In contrast to the letter market, the volume of packages sent out has increased steadily in recent years, in the past year by almost seven per cent to 138 million. Thus, more money flowing through the coffers of the logistics unit postal logistics. However, that is not likely to help in the long term, The fully liberalized parcels market is increased according to Avenir Suisse, increasingly competitive, which puts pressure on the result. “Is unrealistic, therefore, to hope that the future profit decline in the letter market due to the positive volume development can be absorbed in the package market.” In addition, for example, DHL, the logistics subsidiary of Deutsche Post had announced in the past year to a comprehensive pick-up points network in Switzerland, to build and to want to all households and not just companies. New competition is expected to get the Post to feel.
4. The profit of the post Finance are under pressure
The post Finance 2.9 million customers and invests annually approximately 1.1 billion transactions In the country and abroad, which is equivalent to around 3 million transactions per day, such as Avenir Suisse, calculates that. Thus, the share of the market by Postfinance in the payment services market amounts to 60 percent. The payment wouldn’t be threatened also, if the post of Finance had the mandate to provide a basic supply, according to the study. The contract had a child from a different time. For many years, could rely on the Post to your daughter as a reliable supplier of high profits. That it was not financially ordered at the post Finance in the light of the low interest rates the Best show but now, among other things, the announced reduction of 500 jobs last summer. The operating result declined in 2018 to 220 million Swiss francs. In 2017, there were still 549 million Swiss francs. In a low interest rate environment, Postfinance been suffering from the credit and mortgage ban. The Bank should be converted into a private company limited by shares, and the Swiss Post, then your majority give up, concludes Avenir Suisse.
5. The Postbus AG as a special case
“The state as a bus operator,” headlines Avenir Suisse smugly, and the Post looks to be not in the role to operate the Postbus AG. With the exception of Switzerland, there is, therefore, no more Mail, which is a bus company called your Own. The post car have illustrated scandal, which risks are connected to the state and the taxpayers. The Postbus AG, which has no reason supply order, should be privatised and sold, and the no-Profit rule will be reviewed in the regional passenger traffic, so that competition can play. (Editorial Tamedia)
Created: 21.03.2019, 15:19 PM
