"Automated mail processing has been a major factor for providing a better quality of service as well as reducing the total costs of the whole operation."

However, the delivery is still remaining as the main expensive aspect of the postal processing. In this scope, automated sequencing is now available and SOLYSTIC put its MARS sequencer on the market. La Poste has started the roll out of automatic sequencing machines (MARS) in branch offices and is using "MARS Observer ", an innovative Postal IT Delivery Business solution developed by SOLYSTIC and operationally managed by La Poste.

Pilot version, implemented in June 2002, is now operational throughout the country and provides La Poste with a management tool exceeding the performance of conventional information systems already in place. MARS Observer " provides, at the top level of the postal organization, key real time data as well as historical information on the daily performance of the branch office network to sequence the mail to be delivered. Next year all medium size branch offices of La Poste will also be using MARS Observer to thoroughly monitor every carrier route.


PROFILE: MARS observer
SOLYSTIC has developed MARS Observer in close collaboration with the various IT groups of La Poste. MARS Observer is an IT system covering all aspects of the daily mail delivery business; it embraces the in-house changes occurring in monitoring the "last delivery mile ".

MARS Observer Design
(Off the shelf hardware and software components). A Windows TM PC based Web MS II server application, proven SQL TM Data Base and CRYSTAL (TM) web based reporting system, together with a modular on line service based application and access and security controls are the key components of this user friendly, highly reliable solution.
High scalability and adaptability enable MARS Observer to be prepared for the following years, when all major branch offices of the delivery network will be using MARS.

Flexible architecture
The architecture is made up of three sub-systems:

>the command - control, which drafts the information from the peripherals of the machine, and makes it available,

>a communication module, which sends statistics to the MARS Observer, storing these pieces of information over a period of 5 years,

>a management application, accessible from several client posts, through a Web type user interface.

How does MARS Observer work?

With the help of a Web browser, the user connects himself/herself to the server and formulates his/her request. ASP (Application Service Provider) pages permit the display of menus, taken directly from the information stored by the Data Base on the management PC. These menus enable the user to specify his/her search criteria and to make a request. The Web browser communicates with the server through a status indicator dealing with the request. The result is directly transmitted to the browser.
Several users can access the information simultaneously.

SOLYSTIC has met Mrs Marie-Christine MARTINEZ from La Poste; she is in charge of monitoring the automatic mail sequencing operations in branch offices. As main user of this management system, she gave us her first feeling after a few weeks of operating MARS Observer.

"The tool has been operational in our Mail Management Supervision Centre since last June. Ten machines are currently connected, from ten different sites placed in three areas", she said.

How do you use this management system?
"This tool supervises the operations of the whole MARS machine network. It edits the statistics of every machine and is essential to the process used to carefully monitor our network. Operating data summaries are produced every day. These elements are useful indicators for the implementation of the new MARS equipment within La Poste".

What kind of information do you use the most?

"Up to now, it is the operating data. The key indicators, which we analyse every day, concern the network (checking that all of the machines are working properly), plus also specific information from each MARS machine:

>How many sorting passes have been carried out?

>Has the correct sort plan been used?

>How many pieces of mail have been processed?

>What are the volume and the nature of the rejected items?

We specially watch the end of session time which is important since it determines the availability of the mail for the postmen rounds , this data is key to monitor the quality of our delivery services to the end customers"

Are these indicators reliable and can they be used in real time?

"Absolutely. Some of them are very visual, others are in the form of tables and they enable us to generate summaries very easily. One of the major advantages is that it saves time because it provides overview. It prevents us from having to contact each branch office on a daily basis and enables us to concentrate on the difficulties which we have spotted. We can then contact the office , on which the problem has been detected, in order to determine its causes and to decide on the corrective actions to take, as quickly as possible. As far as the machine operator is concerned, its is reassuring for him to know that in case of an incident, there is production supervision and that systematic action will follow. In future, the popularity of the tool is going to increase".

How will these data be used?

"Apart from the global view, which we have already mentioned, we have an analytical approach to the information given. For example, the rejected items are split in two classes: the mechanical rejected items and others (out of sort plan ,Id-tags reading errors etc); they are analysed before being processed (ex: change of address in case of rejected items, out of sort plan). Other example :the operational throughput per MARS machine helps us to assess how the operators use the system or if they use it to its full potential (parallel working, use of special separators for certain delivery points, etc ). This analysis enables us to offer additional training when necessary".

What does La Poste expect from this tool?

"The managers of the local processing departments of La Poste are in need of help before their mission starts in the next few months. They require analyses, which have to be even more acute than ours. This management system will give detailed information on each round and especially on the use of special separators or on the absence of them for monitoring services dedicated to customers (forwarding,…). The advantage lies also in the amount of mail processed per round or even the balance of the workload between postmen; at last, it will also allow for an analysis of the performance deviations. Then, again, according to the results, we will take short or medium-term actions".

What are the next steps of the Mars machines' deployment and what functionalities of the management system would you like to operate?

"At the moment, certain data such as the operating time of the equipment, monthly syntheses, the forwarding process or the holding mail within the office , are not commonly used. They will be widely used with the deployment of MARS machines.
Today, the ten MARS machines in operation, sequence the "Household letter format". Soon, multi-machine sites (two per site) will be implemented, before starting to process CEDEX (mail for large and medium companies which is delivered by special carriers and which is not part of the standard round). In a near future, we have planned the implementation of sites equipped with Mars machines sequencing the mail of several small branch offices. By the end of 2003, fifty MARS machines will be connected to the tool. This is why we rely on the SOLYSTIC MARS Observer management system to assist us in this innovating but complex mission".

Conclusion
MARS Observer is a typical example of the future requirements that any postal operator will need to monitor the total processing operation of its network. It will provide the basic information that the Central supervision System will have to manage in real time and to take the appropriate decision when a problem occurs. In the near future, all postal operators will also be faced with new business constraints implying closer integration between the physical mail delivery process and the information related to it. All Postal operators will have to manage unique mail piece identifier for every mail piece and to provide value added services to their customers . "MARS Observer" is the foundation of the IT Process, which will be leading this new business.