20-11-2018

Due to a software problem, the hand scanners used by Swiss Post delivery staff did not always save the signatures of letter and parcel recipients over a two month period. As a result, registered consignments lacked signatures. Swiss Post has developed a solution for the software problem and undertaken measures to prevent such incidents occurring again in future.

The hand scanner is an important tool for delivering letters and parcels. Our mail carriers use it to record the signatures of recipients, which then serve as evidence that the registered letters and parcels have been delivered correctly. The hand scanner records the signature as well as the geodata (GPS) during delivery against signature. Due to the software problem, the devices discarded signatures from 11 August 2018 to 13 October 2018 without issuing an error message if they were unable to retrieve the geodata. This means the devices did not save the signature images of 74,000 letter consignments and 440,000 parcel consignments.

Around 18,000 scanners re-programmed throughout Switzerland

The specialists at Swiss Post resolved this technical issue with a software update on 13 October 2018: the 18,800 hand-held devices have now been re-programmed with the update. Swiss Post regrets that this issue took place and has now established additional checks to ensure that the software functions properly.

The actual route of a consignment can now be traced independently of the signature. This also applies to the names of the recipients who have accepted the consignments in question, and means that Swiss Post can check whether consignments have been delivered by tracking.

Source: Swiss Post

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