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A new package of services for Maningrida

16 June 2015

West Arnhem Regional Council Customer Service and Senior Administration Officer Natasha Bond receives training from Australia Post's Tim Burton on the new FlexiPOS system at Maningrida Post Office. The new system gives residents a wider range of bill payment, banking and communications services. West Arnhem Regional Council Customer Service and Senior Administration Officer Natasha Bond receives training from Australia Post's Tim Burton on the new FlexiPOS system at Maningrida Post Office. The new system gives residents a wider range of bill payment, banking and communications services.

THERE’S a whole lot more to a post office than licking and sticking a stamp these days.

Particularly in remote communities, the post office has evolved into a pivotal hub of technology where people can do their business - pay bills, withdraw money and do their banking - and even buy prepaid credit for their mobile phone.

In Maningrida, through its partnership with Australia Post, the West Arnhem Regional Council (WARC) runs the post office both as a service to the community and as a commercial activity, with the intention of using any operating surplus to improve local services.

Last month the Council combined a training program with the deployment of a new computer system to provide Maningrida residents with access to a whole new range of services.

On Thursday May 7, WARC Manager Contracts Claire Smerdon travelled to Maningrida with Tim Burton from Australia Post Retail Network Partnerships to assist with the training and the installation of a new FlexiPOS system.

“Tim travelled to Maningrida to oversee the final installation of the Australia Post computer system and to give our employees Kerry Kanene and Natasha Bond some valuable training,” Claire said.

“Australia Post staff provide fantastic ongoing support for our staff, and are actively working with Council to identify ways of expanding this business and services to the community.” 

Australia Post began the rollout of its FlexiPOS system in November last year, visiting various communities to discuss how the needs of its customers are changing and how the local businesses are responding.

The new FlexiPOS technology provides Australia Post customers access to products and services including:
•    Banking services
•    Payment by EFTPOS and credit card
•    Mobile phone recharge vouchers
•    Prepaid cards
•    Postage assessment and postage label printing

Claire told The Wire that the new system made standard post office transactions much simpler.

“Purchasing stock, sending letters and parcels, and sending money orders is much quicker and easier, especially as customers now have the option of using their eftpos, debit or credit card for transactions,” she said.

“Now Maningrida residents will have access to a much broader range of services through the Council office, including paying bills and fines, depositing cheques, purchasing pre-paid credit for mobile phones, and doing bank transactions.”

According to Christine Corbett, Executive General Manager Postal Services, Australia Post is determined to maintain the role of the post office as a provider of “vital, trusted services in communities throughout Australia”.

“Despite the challenging retailing conditions of the past four years we have maintained the number of post offices at a consistent level – just over 4400 outlets, with more than 2500 in rural and regional Australia,” Christine said.