Results
How do MARS machines help to improve the quality of service provided by La Poste?
Marie-Christine Martinez: Thanks to an industrialised production process right through to distribution, MARS machines help to improve the quality of service by providing a smoother and more fluid mail flow. Through sequencing, we can process letters in several different ways: by postcode or by region, and even with several types of mail either at the same time or by staging some of them during the day – the day before, the morning or the afternoon – depending on the priority level. The MARS sorting process is reliable with no errors. Automated sorting enables us to better identify and manage the workflow and allows us to know at what time products will be available to the postmen.
How many envelopes are sequenced each year by TTF-MARS machines at La Poste?
MC.M: Since 2009, La Poste has been processing about 10 million envelopes a day with its TTF machines.
Men and machines
What impact have MARS machines had on the working conditions and tasks of staff at your branch offices?
MC.M: Automation in branch offices has brought about a small revolution at La Poste. For postmen, in-house work has been simplified, making way for more direct contact with customers. Final sorting operations to the racks have been made easier by Complete Distribution Sorting (TCD). This has the advantage of helping to facilitate faster training of new arrivals or replacement postmen. Offices have reorganised their delivery rounds, taking into account the additional time that has been freed up by a reduction in manual sorting and working hours have been adjusted. Delivery round sorting machines have contributed to our improved working conditions set out in the French Post Office’s modernisation programme, “Cap Qualité Courrier"...
What are the benefits of MARS for its day-to-day users?
MC.M: The installation of delivery round sorting equipment in our mail centres has brought about a new role – production operator. We had to manage this new role, which involves sorting tasks on MARS machines, maintenance work and computer-based work on the IT system. Since 2006, 2 700 people have been trained, including supervisors and operators. Operators have discovered more job satisfaction in these new tasks and, for some, this has created a springboard for their careers. On the whole, the machines have been well-received because they have offered new responsibilities, which have motivated the staff. The machine is considered reliable, and has been designed to enable operators to carry out daily maintenance, with technicians intervening on a monthly basis for the higher level maintenance activities. Each site has a local stock of spare parts for eventual breakdowns. The attention given to acoustics has meant it has been well-received by both operators and postmen. Its ergonomics avoids repetitive gestures which can be the cause of muscular problems.
What is the feedback coming from the TTF staff?
The automation project has been accepted by the different parties and notably the Unions, represented at a national level by the CHSCT, before machine deployment began. The quality of the workstation has been much appreciated as well as the improved ergonomics of the MARS design. Today, despite some initial fears at the start of the automation project, it is clear that no site would now gracefully give up a TTF!
TTF Programm
As Project Manager, how do you explain its success?
MC.M: It results from SOLYSTIC’s good knowledge of the postal business and perfect symbiosis between the contractor and the project manager. The roles were well-defined during a co-construction phase that focused on listening to each other’s requirements through official dialogue. To which I should add the existence of a long-running and accessible project group both on SOLYSTIC’s side and at La Poste.
What were the most successful steps in the programme?
MC.M: Despite the fact that few postal operators had embarked on such a programme, the La Poste Management’s vision ensured the success of such a project. During the deployment phase, SOLYSTIC knew how to adapt to lead-times and site access restrictions while maintaining deployment objectives thanks to their expertise and organisation. The assembly team too contributed to the success of this project. Always in the role of listening to the customer, they knew how to propose adapted solutions. On the project management side, SOLYSTIC’s IT system has provided real useful reporting, both at the local and national level: shared by the different intervening parties, day by day as the workload increased, it has allowed the Project Manager to anticipate any eventual issues.
Characteristics
According to you, what are the most pertinent characteristics of the MARS?
MC.M: The MARS has responded to our requirements. It is a robust, reliable and economic machine that perfectly sequences envelopes. We are awaiting future product developments for even further mail sorting advantages.
Advices
Do you believe initial objectives have been achieved?
MC.M: Yes, project objectives have been achieved and return on investment is in line with forecasts.
If you were to re-do the project, how would it be different?
MC.M: The project has been executed as best as possible taking into consideration all the different parties involved. A little extra latitude could be improved at the very detailed level.
What advice would you give to a postal operator wishing to implement a programme to automate sequencing?
MC.M: When running this sort of project, it is vital to have several pilot sites and to listen to those involved in the project at all levels, in order to make the necessary adjustments. It is really necessary to create a network of experts in deployment and organisation. Finally, it is important to make sufficient investments in training, a key element of success: for one machine, we provided ten days of training per operator.
