At the end of the plan by 2010 less than 10 is

In mail, it does not pass as a letter to the post. And the position precisely, elle arise many questions on his mail. It is now far time blessed where Trenet could count "as many birds in the world / as many love letters / factor brings." Now in the head of all runs a more disturbing question: at the time of electronic mail, mail paper still has a future

And as if this existential anguish was not enough, another challenge came impose, liberalization of the mail market, now fully open to competition for the letters of more than 50 grams, or almost half of the turnover of the position. Thus, while air transport, telecoms, and even electricity markets have been liberalised in a context of strong growth of their activities, postal workers see new guests invite to their table to share a cake that shrank at sight of eye.

In contrast to their colleagues in the package, which the market explodes with the development of e-commerce, 180.000 employees post mail Division have a priori all fear of the Internet. Only consolation, erosion is slow. About 1 of decline between 2004 and 2005. Explanation of this inertia: contrary to conventional wisdom, greeting cards, letters of love and other more or less personal letters have become marginal in the turnover of the position. About 4 on the EUR 11 billion made by the institution last year. 85 of sales are intercompany mail (the rest being personal-business traffic).

That is why, under the leadership of its President, Jean-Paul Bailly, and the Director of mail, Raymond Redding, post has developed a two-pronged offensive strategy. On the one hand, a gigantic plan of modernisation of the tool, to cope with the arrival of new competitors, in terms of quality and costs, and the other a renewal of the offer to meet the technological challenges.

The plan, called "Cap letter quality", extends over the period 2004-2010 and represents a total investment of 3.4 billion. With a strong constraint that distinguishes it from the world of the private sector, its social obligations, both in terms of maintaining jobs, but also land-use planning.

First imperative therefore, catch European (particularly German) in industrial facilities. Because behind the factor hides considerable logistics in terms of sorting, transportation and computing course. Experimental plant of Gonesse brings together 800 people on 33,000 square metres to serve as the only Northern part of Paris. This building foreshadows major regional platforms that the group will install in the France. So far the sorting was at the local or departmental level. It will be more concentrated, with machines capable of more than 50.000 sort letters per hour. The objective is twofold: improve the quality, with 90 of mail received at destination to J 1 versus 79 in 2005, and reduce costs. Currently, yet one third of the mail is sorted by hand. At the end of the plan, by 2010, less than 10 is.

Second part of the counter-offensive, the development of the offer to flush out relays of growth. First marketing studies have reassured the strategists of the group. It is almost a love story that binds the French to his mailbox. While the chances of finding an invoice are far greater than those to meet a gentle word, he continues to want to open it every day. More surprising still, 93 of the French read fully their mail, including advertising! No media can claim such efficiency, and especially Internet. The physical need for paper remains entire, which persuaded the men of the position, as in the case of the written press, paper and Internet evolve more complementary and alternative. The first track will therefore be to develop direct marketing, even three times less used here in the US, including development of prospects files. A pole of database has to be put in place for this. Example, a trader could target a campaign on the people who come to move to his headquarters.

Another strong relay, the development of the activities of business services. No longer be regarded as a single carrier, but as a provider of solutions. Already a dozen subsidiaries advise, but also manage and check the mail of client companies. As a software company, La Poste proposes even complete outsourcing of a mail service or the management and updating of address files (12 of the French move each year). Leveraging its network of proximity, it proposes to the communities or associations a daily passage of the factor at the home of the elderly. For the press, newspapers porting services will be implemented. In total, the only services to businesses, representing EUR 250 million today, should double by 2010 and compensate for the erosion of the mail.

Final aspect of the development plan, the international. Raymond Redding, the Director of mail, considers that there will be a few years in Europe three or four large operators, able to follow their clients business beyond the borders. It to be part of those there, alongside Dutch post (TNT) and the German. But the clock is ticking. Deutsche Post has already put a milestone in France by buying a small private player and is the second Spanish actor. For the moment, 8 of the turnover comes international, in particular the United States or the United Kingdom.

The challenge would be to size for a private company, it is enormous for a public service which means at the same time rely on its 100,000 factors to maintain a relationship of proximity and remain one of the main tools of spatial planning. A new test of the ability of the State to grow one of the last representatives of the mixed economy to the French.