Greater role of postal industry in driving Iran’s economic growth
By Zohreh Molavi
Guest contributor
As Iran’s economy needs diversification and expansion, the importance of a robust postal industry cannot be overstated. The postal sector has a crucial role to play in facilitating commerce, enhancing connectivity, and fostering entrepreneurship across all corners of the nation.
By leveraging its extensive network, the postal industry can emerge as a key driver of economic growth and development in Iran.
The postal system can be considered as one of the basic infrastructures of the e-commerce boom in Iran, especially in the issue of handicraft exports and the online retail business market.
The postal industry is much more than just a means of sending letters and parcels. It is an essential infrastructure that connects businesses, entrepreneurs, and consumers throughout the nation. The postal industry plays a crucial role in facilitating commerce, supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and enabling logistics and supply chain operations.
By offering a range of value-added services, such as financial transactions and e-commerce fulfillment, the postal industry can serve as a catalyst for economic growth.
SMEs are the backbone of Iran’s economy, representing a great part of businesses in the country. However, these enterprises often face substantial challenges in accessing financing and expanding their reach beyond local markets. The postal industry can help bridge this gap by offering a range of financial services to SMEs, including micro-lending, payment processing, and insurance. Through these offerings, the postal industry can support the growth of SMEs, enabling them to expand their operations across the nation and beyond.
With the rise of e-commerce, the demand for reliable and efficient fulfillment services is rapidly increasing. The postal industry can leverage its vast network of post offices and delivery routes to offer robust e-commerce fulfillment services to businesses and consumers. By streamlining the fulfillment process and offering real-time tracking and automated notifications, the postal industry can enhance the overall customer experience, driving repeat business and fostering online commerce.
Efficient logistics and supply chain operations are critical for the success of any enterprise. The postal industry can play a vital role in this area, leveraging its network of post offices and delivery routes to offer last-mile delivery services and optimize supply chain operations for businesses. This results in reduced transit times, enhanced operational efficiency, and cost savings for enterprises across various sectors.
Access to financial services remains a significant challenge for many Iranians, particularly in rural areas. The postal industry can help bridge this gap by offering a range of financial services such as savings accounts, money transfers, and bill payments which enables individuals and businesses in underserved areas to access financial services, fostering entrepreneurship and economic growth in these regions.
Innovation and entrepreneurship are key drivers of economic growth, and the postal industry can play a pivotal role in fostering these attributes. By providing access to funding, offering mentorship and training programs, and collaborating with start-ups and SMEs, the postal industry can create an enabling environment for innovation and entrepreneurship to thrive. This results in the emergence of new businesses, products, and services, enhancing the overall competitiveness of Iran’s economy.