SHEIKH BADER BIN KHALIFA AL KHALIFA Assistant Under Secretary of Post

UNITED WORLD: The Bahrain Post is one of the oldest institutions in the country. Could you tell us about the milestones in its history and how did it come to be the modern and efficient organization it is today?

SHAIKH BADER BIN KHALIFA AL KHALIFA: The postal service worldwide is a very old service, as you can appreciate here in Bahrain. In 1884, it was documented that mailed items were coming through the mail system already. For many years, Bahrain was a protectorate, so the Royal Mail was taking over the mail services. In 1952, mail service was localized and Bahrain became more involved in running the postal service. Then with the independence, it eventually became a 100% Bahraini entity.

The postal service has been evolving and adapting to technology and to people's way of life. The volume of mail is gradually decreasing with the introduction of emails and mobile phones. There are more and more computers in use and we are less dependent on paper. Nowadays, the transformation of postal services has to be focused on introducing new products for the end user. This is exactly what we are trying to do in Bahrain Post - provide a broad range of services under one roof and transforming into a multi-service provider, as a one-stop shop for customers. I believe that this is our main strength. We also have a variety of post offices, so we have one that is independently located, and those that are located in shopping malls and other commercial areas. That allows us to increase our market share. Not only are we located in residential areas, but also in business areas and shopping malls. Using different locations and different types of commercial entities in terms of a separate building, or a kiosk in a commercial complex, is all part of our strategy. This is the main strategy that we are implementing for growth.

We are also working on a legal framework that would be beneficial for both, the operator, as a universal service provider, and the end user, be it individual or corporate, private or public. Perhaps, in this case, the government body could be a regulator.

UNITED WORLD: Is the regulatory body going to be separated from the government?

SHAIKH BADER BIN KHALIFA AL KHALIFA: Yes, I think they should be separated, but it should still be under the government umbrella. The regulator should be in charge of supervising the day to day business of different companies and customers, addressing customer's complaints, setting the framework for different parties, etc. The government should oversee the regulator and make sure that everything is done in the most transparent possible way.

UNITED WORLD: Bahrain Post is introducing information technology in order to provide highly efficient services through automated operations. How is this benefiting the final consumer?

SHAIKH BADER BIN KHALIFA AL KHALIFA: The public has benefited, but we will not achieve the full result until we have a comprehensive list of services. This means that we should have at least 20 or more different services. Right now we have about 13 different services and we are below our expectations and our potential. I would like to see another 15 to 20 new services. Then we could actually say that we have reached our target in terms of providing our clients with a variety of services, as well as materializing the strategy of offering numerous services under one roof.

UNITED WORLD: Presently, through Bahrain Post one can renew his car insurance and pay utilities, like electricity and water. What else is in store for the future?

SHAIKH BADER BIN KHALIFA AL KHALIFA: I always think of it as a triangle. The first vertex would be the customer confidence. The second would be Bahrain Post providing a standard of service that is acceptable to the clients. And thirdly, customers should have the confidence to use the postal service. We have to be capable of meeting their expectations because we perform a service on their behalf. Therefore, if they do not see us as a qualified agent, they would never come to us.

We provide financial, governmental, and private sector services. In terms of financial services, Western Union would be the premium service for money transfer. We need to be able to provide financial transaction at a lower cost as well. Then the customers would have a choice. Everything would depend on the cost of the transactions. We could also do money exchange, remittance for cash, encashment of checks, and other financial activities

The other type of service would be more of a government services. We are working now with the pension fund to have their payments done at post offices. For private companies, we rent space at the post offices to offer their services. We have done that with a telecom operator, insurance companies, etc. It is a matter of providing a service to the customers. Whether it is our office taking care of the transaction or just providing an area for another company to do it, it would not matter as long as the service is there.

UNITED WORLD: How do you go about educating the customers about the new services available?

SHAIKH BADER BIN KHALIFA AL KHALIFA: Bahrain is a small community so advertisement has a large impact . I would say that we have two types of customers: those who adapt quickly, and those who are hesitant to try something new. We get to serve different segments of the society. Those who adapt quickly usually just walk in and have the service done. But there are those who like to take their bills, stand in a queue, wait and pay when their turn comes.

We believe that by increasing the number of services and giving them more time, we can surely get everyone on board. Also, the location of the post offices plays a big role, so those who work long hours can just pass-by the nearest post office on their way home, which is very convenient.

UNITED WORLD: What have been the most popular services so far?

SHAIKH BADER BIN KHALIFA AL KHALIFA: The most popular by far are the utility bills because they are due on monthly basis. Which combines electricity, water, and municipality charges in one bill. We are in the process of negotiating with the Electricity and Water Authority in order to get more benefits. For example, if you have a disputed bill for 100 BHD, and you reach an agreement wherein you settle the disputed bill over a period of 3 to 4 months, you would not be able to pay this through the post office because we do not accept payments on an installment basis. So you would have to go back to the Electricity and Water Authority. We would like to be able to provide our customers with this kind of service too, in order to be more efficient and avoid having to send people back.

UNITED WORLD: How does the postal service contribute in developing an investment friendly business environment?

SHAIKH BADER BIN KHALIFA AL KHALIFA: The quality of services that we provide makes a significant contribution to the private sector. We are the first among the GCC countries in terms of quality of distribution and delivery. We do final address or home delivery since 1982, while some GCC countries still do not have it. If banks are unable to find ways to send credit cards to the correct address, if bills get delayed, or the monthly statement of accounts for a particular company does not arrive on time, it would create a chaos.

The more efficient the postal services are the more benefits will the companies have. This is not only applicable to a particular sector or company, it affects the private sector as a hole. Take any credit card company; if they do not get their bills to the customer on time, they will not get paid on time. The cycle of money transaction gets affected.

Another example is American Express, whose regional headquarter is in Bahrain. They have innumerable customers and their funds are not only coming from Bahrain, but from all over the region. Therefore, our standard of quality has to be on a certain level acceptable to the private sector, and we have to work continuously to improve that.

UNITED WORLD: Bahrain Post is preparing for a privatization process. When do you expect the results of the open tender to be announced?

SHAIKH BADER BIN KHALIFA AL KHALIFA: First a legal framework has to be set in place. This goes hand in hand with the privatization of the Bahrain Post. I believe that it should happen in 2008, but unfortunately, for the time being, I cannot be more specific.

UNITED WORLD: What will be the benefits from partnering with the private sector in terms of quality of services?

SHAIKH BADER BIN KHALIFA AL KHALIFA: It is a set of benefits, which would make the organization more corporate. Now, since we are a government agency, processes take a longer for approving and setting up a new service. As a corporation, their would be a management team and a board of directors behind it. That set-up entails quicker decision making and greater efficiency for processes like buying new equipment, hiring and laying off of employees, setting up new services, constructing a new office building, etc. The whole process would be very different from what it is right now.

The private sector would also bring the necessary expertise and financial input to make Bahrain Post more independent. The resulting corporation would be like any other company. We will be able borrow money and take advantage of the benefits available to other companies.

UNITED WORLD: What is going to be the impact of the privatization and restructuring on the current human capital of Bahrain Post?

SHAIKH BADER BIN KHALIFA AL KHALIFA: Currently, we have 432 employees at Bahrain Post. Since the post office is one of the oldest entities in Bahrain, we have a large base of loyal civil servants working for us. There is a privatization law that first and foremost, provides benefits to long-serving employees for early retirement. Those who would like to retire can benefit from that program and leave. Those who would like to stay will have to go on a new training program. This is an ongoing process that we are currently using as we have changed from working manually 6 years ago, to automation and implementation of new software programs.

UNITED WORLD: The GCC countries are moving towards a customs union and a single currency. What would be the effect of GCC integration on Bahrain Post?

SHAIKH BADER BIN KHALIFA AL KHALIFA: We are in the process of starting a joint courier company. This would not only be effective in the GCC, but we would also have a presence in North Africa and the Indian subcontinent. This is one of the fruits of our meetings. There are other points also, such as having an annual exhibition for stamp collectors. We also participate in stamp exhibitions around the world. We have been to Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States. I believe that in June 2008, we will participate in Romania.

The main objective is to bring out our part of the globe to the rest of the world with a unified voice, because we share a common background. A stamp is tiny but it holds a lot of meaning. It encompasses factors like culture and history, so by presenting it to the world we showcase our heritage to the world. We are then able to leave an indelible mark on the world map.

UNITED WORLD: Bahrain Post is one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions that have been carrying a long yet dynamic tradition of excellence. As the head of this organization, what are the main challenges that you encounter?

SHAIKH BADER BIN KHALIFA AL KHALIFA: I seriously believe that the challenges have not started yet. The main challenge will be the transformation from what the Post is right now to what we want it to be. The challenges will be setting the legal framework, establishing a regulator, and transforming Bahrain Post into a corporation with private sector partnership. And all this should happen in 2008 - 2009.

UNITED WORLD: Could you please give our readers a brief background of your career, and how you ended up with Bahrain Post?

SHAIKH BADER BIN KHALIFA AL KHALIFA: I went to the American University in Washington DC and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. I worked at Bahrain Post in 1995.

Dealing with the different aspects of the organization every day is quite unique. I discovered that because we have an operations side, we would also be dealing with stamp collectors. Apart from the typical service we provide, we are also accountable to their criticisms. The collectors criticize the colors we use, the artist we picked, the design chosen for the stamp etc … They hold these stamps dearly like if they were their own children!

We have many of these stamp lovers here in Bahrain and across the region. We receive orders from people from all over the world. We have 3,000 fixed members who collect every single stamp issue that we release. Apart from the criticism, we also receive many compliments. In the end, I am not only involved in mail services, but it goes way beyond that and I love my job.

UNITED WORLD: What final message would you like to convey to the readers of USA Today?

SHAIKH BADER BIN KHALIFA AL KHALIFA: Our part of the world is experiencing a unique time in history. The region itself is in a unique place between the east and west and Bahrain stands in the middle of all this exciting transformation. We are experiencing a truly remarkable growth in terms of investments coming in.

I truly believe we are witnessing very special times. After 9/11, the investments that came back from the US, Europe and the rest of the western world, added to the revenues from high oil prices are now contributing to the growth that we are experiencing. Indeed, it is an exceptional time in a remarkable part of the world, and I would like to invite American companies to come and invest in Bahrain.

UNITED WORLD: Shaikh Bader, thank you very much for your comments.