Winning as one
Working together as a joint force across the Nordics! That sounds great, but what does it really mean in practice? The Cost Leadership Program is tailored to combine our strengths to build a modern, high-performing business that is unbeatable in the future.
The world of parcels absolutely exploded during the pandemic and has continued to be an important part of the economy. We have all the ingredients to be the preferred carrier in the Nordics, but the parcels environment has changed and pressure from customers and competitors is rising. How can we continue to meet the essential needs of our customers and grow our business as a result?
Combining our potential Winning in Parcel through cost leadership is our top priority and will remain so for years to come. To meet the challenges of the world today and prepare for tomorrow, PostNord must continue to evolve its operational model to become more efficient at a sustainably lower cost. To make this happen, the Cost Leadership Program will transform our parcels business; it will lay the groundwork for further growth while ensuring we continue to delight our customers. As Program Management Office lead, Dan Emanuelsson is one of the key personnel working on the program’s implementation.
“We currently occupy a very strong position in parcel distribution in the Nordics; we have the scale, the infrastructure and the resources,” he says. “And we have our well-known and respected brand and the experience and spirit of our people. To remain competitive and keep on improving, the Cost Leadership Program aims to combine all our knowledge, ensuring we work as a joint force to harness the potential found in the Group as a whole. Our goal is to build the best parcel business in the Nordics, one that keeps on delighting our customers and consumers.”
Dan started his journey at PostNord 13 years ago as a controller in the mail business in Sweden. Since then, he has worked his way through the organization, witnessing the transformation from a national mail service company to a pan-Nordic parcel delivery corporation. This has included many cost leadership initiatives, but for him, things are different this time:
“The level of commitment we see from our leaders is new,” says Dan.
“Group and country leaders are fully aligned and are working together to make the Cost Leadership Program a success. We have enormous power throughout our markets, and the Cost Leadership Program will bring this potential under one umbrella, allowing us to excel in operations and other areas through common processes and shared best practices.”
Cherish our heritage
So, what does all this mean? The program revolves around seven areas of conduct, mainly in parcel operations, but all of them have significance across the whole of PostNord. Dan stresses that it’s not about an incremental change to cut costs. It’s about doing the things we do in a more efficient way and constantly improving our ways of working.
“Extreme external events have added to our challenges, and while we don’t know what will be coming next, we do know that we must be ready and able to continuously adapt,” he says.
“This means we need to look inward and see what we can change and influence ourselves – taking control of creating the best possible conditions for profitability.”
One area of improvement is to address cost leakage in operational practices. Dan explains:
“I truly believe that if we act as one PostNord, with standardized and simplified processes and products based on best practice in the markets and among other leading parcel operators, we will be able to improve operationally while ensuring we meet the essential needs of our customers.”
“So, by working with the same standards and procedures, from top to bottom, we will save time and focus on what matters to customers and consumers while generating opportunities to build skills and develop careers. The beauty of it is that with standardization and simplification also comes better quality – and the problems will be easier to fix.”
“During the launch of the Cost Leadership Program, our Group CEO Annemarie Gardshol said that we are all part of PostNord’s 400-year history and that it’s our turn and our duty to take hold of the baton and shape its future,” he continues. “And I agree: we need to take responsibility for future generations so we can hand over a stronger company to those who come after us.”
Text: Erika Bergqvist Lindwall Photo: Samuel Unéus