Needs Evaluation

The problems of post offices appear to be similar to those of banks: long lines and slow service are common, the services provided may be desired past the usual operating hours, and the locations provided for service are often sparse and inconveniently-located. From the postal worker's point of view, many of the common tasks, such as stamp vending or rate determination, are monotonous and do not require the attention of a human worker. These observations suggest a demand for a system which can alleviate or eliminate these problems entirely.

TURBOMail proposes as a possible solution to these problems the use of a kiosk or wall-installation unit similar to an ATM to perform the basic functions of a post office. These units may be incorporated into existing post offices to increase the parallelism of service for customers who wish to perform tasks within the functionality of the TURBOMail system, and be placed in public areas such as in malls or on street corners to provide both temporal and spatial accessibility. Shifting the burden of tasks from the postal desk clerk to these systems also allows post office workers to concentrate on other tasks in the branch office, potentially increasing the efficiency of the post office as a whole.

[Continue] [Back] [Home]