An Article "Trustworthiness, the morale of India Post" written by Brihaspati Samal.
The entire world celebrates the World Post Day on 9th October every year to mark the anniversary of the Universal Postal Union's (UPU) creation in 1874 (9th October, 1874) with a purpose to bring awareness to the Post's role in the everyday lives of people and businesses as well as its contribution to global social and economic development. The World Post Day 2023 is being celebrated under the theme “Together for Trust: Collaborating for a Safe and Connected Future” which resonates with the unity and strength of global postal network. A trustworthy and impactful postal system can be possible when the countless post offices worldwide will function with creativity, wisdom and unity. In a world where connections are paramount, the shared progress by embracing collaboration and unity can strengthen the bonds of trust. At this moment, India Post celebrates National Postal Week starting from 9th October every year by organizing its own national activities from the introduction or promotion of new postal products and services to the organization of open days at post offices, mail centres and postal museums.
So far as the trustworthiness of India Post is concerned, I have a memorable experience to share on this World Post Day.
While working as a Postmaster, one day I witnessed a man attended my post office with a complaint regarding non-payment of one eMO remitted to his village. After thorough checking in the system, I assured that the eMO had already been received by the paying office and would be paid soon which could not be possible. Though I registered a complaint in the WebCCC it was not fruitful. I registered a ticket in the Service desk with request for immediate solution. The reply of the service desk also served no purpose. I tried to connect the telephone number of the concerned post office and received the auto-generated voice, “This telephone number is temporarily out order” Being worried, I tried to repeat raising of frequent tickets, expediting reply in WebCCC, told the man to contact his village Post Office and somehow or other, the eMO was paid after undue delay of 3 months which was sent by him for Rs.2000/- when her wife was in dire need of money for medical treatment. Still the man was coming to the Post Office regularly and remitting Rs.1000/- or Rs.2000/- every month to his wife in addition to sending of letters and parcels to his kith and kin. In spite of regular complaints of delayed payment and delivery, he was a regular customer to my Post Office.
Out of curiosity, one day I asked him, “Every month you are complaining about delayed payment. Nevertheless, you are remitting every month through Post Office. What prompted you to rely on India Post? What the gentleman replied surprised me. As if, he was giving a beautiful speech before me on this largest postal network in the world which he had experienced for last 40 years.
Replying me in half-Odia and half Hindi, he told “Sir, My name is Narsingh Sharma and now I am 60. Forty years back, I left my village Amwanakchhed in Bihar at the age of 20 and came to Bhubaneswar in search of work. By birth, I am a carpenter and started carpentry work here @ Rs.5/- per day residing here in Shantipalli Basti. Since then, when there was no other means of sending money, letter and parcels to my family at my native village, I have been relying on your post office. At times, I have experienced, delay in delivery and payment. But my money, letters and parcels have reached safely. I have every confidence that the Post office will never breach my trust and till date I trust the India Post the most”.
I asked, “Have you a Post Office Savings Bank Pass Book in your name and in the name of your family members?” “No. But I have also a Bank Account and ATM card”, he replied. “You should have preferred it since a very easy process to get the money without any delay”, I told. But, rejecting my proposal straightway, he told, “My wife is illiterate and not able to operate ATM card. Besides, there is no ATM in my village. But the Dakia goes to my wife personally and hands over the money. My wife feels as if I give him. The letters I send to my wife not only carry my messages only but my love and emotions for her Sir. Will the Bank do it Sir? Is there any human touch in other mode of service except Dak?”
I told him, “The world is changing and so also India Post. We are also giving ATM cards which are linked with all banks. Will you prefer to open a Post Office Savings Bank Account in my office and take the ATM Card through which your wife can withdraw money from the local Postal ATM there? He suddenly said, “Yes”. I asked. “When you are not interested for Bank ATM, why do you prefer Postal ATM.” Without any second thought, he simply replied, “I have every faith on my local Dakbabu and Dak Khana. They are serving my family for last 40 years since I am in Bhubaneswar. Their trustworthiness is enough for me, Sir”.
I became thoughtful for a while looking at his face having no sign of discontentment. When I witness arguments and counter arguments of many people for silly matters during the business hours regularly, customers of this category remind us the importance of Posts. Even if people are suffering for the time being due to the transitional period of India Post when going from manual to digital, people still have confidence on its reliability, trustworthiness and service to the entire mankind with a human touch which makes India Post different from all others to remain relevant and reliable.
(Based on a fact happened with this writer while working as a Postmaster)
