SUPERINTENDENT OF parcels at the Central Sorting Office (CSO), L. Joy Williams, credits the efficient processing of items by staff in her department for the 25 per cent average monthly growth in the volume of parcels processed between January and April 2004.
During a tour of the parcel floors at the CSO, Ms. Williams said: "In the past we had become complacent. What I have noticed is that whenever parcels go out quickly there is an increase in volumes."
The superintendent underscored the important role played by the Customs Department in the postal service, saying that "the customs officers must be present at most of the stages of processing. They determine the duties which must be paid and the items to be detained for various reasons. They also conduct interviews. If the complement of customs officers is reduced this can adversely affect our performance."
Despite this occasional challenge, Ms. Williams and her team are highly motivated. They work on a single shift which covers normal working hours. A quota system has been implemented by the supervisory team on the parcel floors, that rewards team members with various tokens and incentives for meeting production targets.
Returning to the recent growth trend, Ms. Williams said: "If this level of growth continues, it would require us to increase our effort on the parcel floors."
