ゆうパック遅配 顧客第一の視点を忘れるな

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 9, 2010)
Japan Post Service must put customers first
ゆうパック遅配　顧客第一の視点を忘れるな（7月8日付・読売社説）

If a door-to-door delivery company cannot deliver parcels to customers on the promised delivery day, it has little prospect of survival amid the fierce competition in the industry.
　荷物を約束の期日に届けられないようでは、宅配業界の厳しい競争を勝ち残るのは難しい。

Major delivery delays have occurred in the operations of Yu-Pack, a nationwide home delivery service offered by Japan Post Group.
　日本郵政グループが全国展開する宅配便「ゆうパック」で、大規模な配達の遅れが発生した。

Japan Post Service Co. integrated its Yu-Pack program with the Pelican parcel delivery service of Nippon Express Co. on July 1. But mishaps involving the operation of newly introduced information processing terminals occurred frequently, due to employees' inexperience in using the devices, among other reasons. Since it is the summer gift-giving season, parcel deliveries were peaking, further complicating the problem.
　７月１日に日本通運のペリカン便と統合したが、新たに導入した情報処理端末などに不慣れなため操作ミスが多発した。お中元のシーズンで、荷物が多かったことも混乱に拍車をかけた。

Consequently, more than 300,000 parcels were delayed by periods ranging from 12 hours to more than two days. It took a full week for Japan Post Service to bring the situation almost under control.
　結局、３０万個を超える荷物が予定より半日から２日以上も遅れ、混乱がほぼ収拾するまでに１週間もかかった。

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Unforgivable blunder

This is a major blunder by a professional distributor that cannot be easily overlooked. Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Kazuhiro Haraguchi summoned Japan Post Service President Shinichi Nabekura to the ministry to express disappointment over the delays. Haraguchi demanded Nabekura submit a report outlining the hows and whys of the problem and specifying actions the company will take to improve the situation.
　物流のプロとして、あまりの失態である。原口総務相も郵便事業会社の鍋倉真一社長を呼んで遺憾の意を伝え、経緯や今後の対応などを報告するよう求めた。

Japan Post Service must thoroughly investigate why these problems happened and take all necessary steps to prevent their recurrence.
　郵便事業会社は、原因を徹底解明し、再発防止に万全を期さねばならない。

Japan Post Service planned to catch and surpass Yamato Transport Co. and Sagawa Express Co., the two giants in the industry, by integrating Yu-Pack and Pelican services to boost earning capacity. Yet Japan Post Service's plan fell apart from the beginning.
　ゆうパックはペリカン便との統合で収益力を高め、ヤマト運輸と佐川急便という業界の２強を追撃する構えだったが、出足からつまずいた形となった。

Japan Post Service had stated that its preparations were more than sufficient. However, there is no question the company failed to properly train its employees in the new work process.
　会社側は、準備は万全だったと釈明しているが、研修による作業手順の徹底など、備えが足りなかった面は否めない。

It has been reported that Japan Post Service proceeded with the July 1 integration, fully aware it was in a busy season, to speed streamlining of the deficit-plagued Pelican service. Thus, the company deserves criticism for lacking a "customer-first" perspective.
　赤字続きのペリカン便の合理化を急ぐため、繁忙期を承知で７月の事業統合を強行したとされる。「顧客第一」の視点が欠けていたと言われても仕方あるまい。

Japan Post Service management took lightly the problems that began on July 1 and did not even acknowledge them until Sunday. This attitude has resulted in the loss of consumer trust. It is important the company strictly examine where the blame lies as it assesses the problems. That will be the first step to enable the company to make a fresh start.
　１日に始まったトラブルを軽視し、４日まで発表しなかった経営陣の姿勢も信頼を損なった。こうした判断のどこに問題があったのか、厳しく検証することが、出直しの第一歩となる。

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Establish stable system

Due to the delays, some catalog retailers were forced to change from using Yu-Pack to other home delivery services to send their goods to customers. The high degree of accuracy--delivering parcels to the minute--is the hallmark of the home delivery business.
　遅配をきっかけに、商品の配送をゆうパックから別の宅配便に切り替えた通販業者もある。時間通りに配達する精度の高さが、宅配便の命である。

To prevent customers from taking their business elsewhere, Japan Post Service must establish a stable collection and delivery system as soon as possible. It is also important the company take sincere steps to compensate customers for damages brought about by the delays, such as for the costs of parcel reshipment.
　顧客離れを防ぐため、安定した集配体制の確立を急がねばならない。商品の再発送など、遅配によって生じた被害への誠実な対応も重要である。

With the wide use of e-mail, the use of postcards and letters has decreased, causing dwindling revenue for the postal business. Amid this backdrop, we see no end to postal service-related scandals such as a large quantity of undelivered mail.
　電子メールの普及で、はがきや手紙の利用が減って、郵便事業はじり貧になりつつある。にもかかわらず、郵便物の放置など不祥事が後を絶たない。

The Yu-Pack delays took place under these circumstances. Some analysts point out the problems might greatly damage the operations of Japan Post Service.
　その中で起きた今回の遅配問題だ。経営に大きなダメージを与える恐れも指摘されている。

Not only Japan Post Service management, but all its employees, should be fully aware of their responsibility to unerringly operate the important distribution network and redouble efforts to tighten up their corporate discipline.
　経営陣はもとより、全社員が大事なネットワークを担う責任を改めて自覚し、緩んだタガを締め直してほしい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 8, 2010)
（2010年7月8日01時58分 読売新聞）