Given the cooperative nature of IPC, the scope of IPC’s services is determined jointly with our members. For each service, IPC develops a written and agreed Service Business Needs Statement (SBNS), defining:
- Customer need(s) that are to be satisfied and the benefit that will result
- Resources and processes necessary to provide the service
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the service delivery performance
- The way in which costs are split between the users of the service
- The validity period of the service
Once a new service is approved, it will have its own Service Management Plan (SMP) describing: the scope of the service, the list of activities required to deliver the service, the processes, and dependencies. It will also include the KPIs used to set targets and measure the service delivery performance against target.
Posts join the IPC services that best fit their needs. Not all of IPC’s member posts join all services. Some services are used by many posts (for instance the Global Customer Service System is used by over 180 posts) while others are used only by a few posts (the Sprinter Network is used by nine operators and the IPC Tray Pool used by 25 posts).
To join an existing service, posts can contact the IPC team or manager in charge of the service (the contact details for each service are mentioned in this catalogue). The final decision will be taken by the steering committee of the relevant service.
For IPC services to fit the needs of members, new services can be initiated at their request. To qualify as an IPC service, the activity needs to aim at improving cross-border performance and be relevant to the wider postal community. A core group of interested posts can be set up to develop the service together with IPC before it is launched and opened to other members.
To enhance interaction and allow members to be closely involved in the development of new services, in line with the IPC 2025 Strategy, and the review of existing ones, a Business and an IT Council composed of senior member representatives have been launched.
This service catalogue and the service sheets can be accessed on the IPC website and will be updated annually.