By Ayanna Kirton, Staff Reporter
THE POSTAL Corporation of Jamaica (Post Corp) and Cool Corporation have agreed to make post offices the newest retail outlets for "Cool Cards", a line of prepaid electronic calling cards.
Cool Cards, the island's leading distributor of plastic and electronic phone cards, has invested approximately $100 million to equip all post offices with the necessary point of sale materials and to promote the venture.
Chairman of Post Corp, Lance Hylton, said the move is projected to provide about $15 million per annum in revenues for Post Corp. He added that an alliance with a company like Cool Cards symbolised the on-going process of modernisation which the Postal Corporation of Jamaica had been mandated to undertake by the government in response to changing technology.
"Modernisation and financial challenges have made the post office more of a commercial centre rather than just a building, from which mail is distributed," said Hylton at the official signing of the contract with Cool Cards. The agreement was formalised on Monday, at the Central Sorting Office in Kingston.
OPPORTUNITIES
Cool Card's $12 million marketing initiative would present marketing opportunities for Post Corp, enhancing its image which had been heavily criticised in the past for its lack of publicity, he said.
Andrew Grant, managing director for Cool Cards said the new deal would make the Postal Corporation the largest distributor of Cool Cards, providing prepaid cellular phone cards for all local mobile service providers, prepaid Internet cards (Infochan's Net Kyaad) and Carib Tel's overseas calling cards.
The managing director said Cool Cards would keep abreast of calling card products available in the local market regardless of the company providing the service as part of the company's commitment to increase the range of choices for local consumers.
"Our goal is to become a one-stop-shop for all calling cards," said Grant.
Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer of Post Corp, Dr. Blossom O'Meally Nelson said the "Cool electronic calling card" would help to alleviate costly, tedious inventory management.
The addition of Cool Cards to its list of commercial partners would also mean an increase in the sale of services provided by the Postal Corporation of Jamaica, she said, further taking the company towards its goal of modernisation and profitability.
