Austrian Post: The new handhelds are an important building block for [our] digital transformation

Österreichische Post AG has rolled out over 11,000 handhelds from February to July 2024.  The handhelds are an important tool for delivery staff, who can use them to  scan parcels or obtain signatures from recipients.

The mobile devices are becoming faster and more ergonomic, making the individual work steps even easier. In total, Austrian Post is investing almost nine million euros in new hardware and software.

“The new handhelds are an important building block for Austrian Post’s digital transformation. We are thus creating a new digital infrastructure with which our delivery staff can process Austrian Post’s product and service portfolio on a daily basis, from parcels with online orders to voting cards or delivery in the anteroom. Our employees and subsequently our customers will benefit from this technological boost,” says Walter Oblin, Deputy Director General, Member of the Management Board for Mail & Finance, Österreichische Post AG.

“Digitization makes the everyday work of employees easier and at the same time brings more opportunities for customers. Austrian Post’s investment in new, more modern equipment is the best example of this. In public administration, we are already pioneers in Europe in this area. I am happy when digitization also finds its way into companies. Both are necessary to keep jobs and thus prosperity in the state,” said Claudia Plakolm, State Secretary for Digital Affairs.

“As an attractive employer, Austrian Post equips its employees with a bundle of innovations. These include modern EVs, AutoUnloaders for truck unloading, AutoStore for storage and picking, and advanced handhelds. With ergonomic handling and an intuitive interface, all delivery drivers will receive a new mobile device that supports them in their work and from which our customers benefit through faster processes,” explains Peter Umundum, Member of the Management Board for Parcel & Logistics, Österreichische Post AG.

At the same time, the new handhelds create the basis for future expansion stages such as card payment directly with the delivery person, neighbourhood and route planning, route guidance or the control of post boxes. The ongoing software update ensures a high level of IT security, and hardware and software also enable the development and integration of additional applications. The software used is an in-house development by Austrian Post. The optimal interlocking of hardware and software allows the performance of the handheld to be exploited even better.

THE NEW HANDHELD OF THE POSTAL WORKERS: ZEBRA TC 27
Extensive tests were carried out before the purchase, in which delivery drivers from six delivery bases were involved in order to put the various devices through their paces in everyday life. Their shortlist evaluations were incorporated into the bid evaluation, from which Zetes Austria GmbH emerged as the best bidder with the Zebra TC 27.

The Zebra TC 27 has a powerful 2.1 GHz processor, 8 GB RAM, 64 GB flash memory, a six-inch display with a resolution of 1080 x 2160 pixels, scratch-resistant Gorilla and additional bulletproof glass, 16 MP main and 5 MP front camera as well as a lithium-ion battery with 5,200 mAh. The devices run on Android and have guaranteed upgrade options. This mobile technology package enables fast scans of shipments in high quality, as well as a fast NFC connection, good visibility of the display in direct sunlight and only minor restrictions in the rain.

With SOTI Mobicontrol and SOTI XSight, Austrian Post is also introducing a new mobile device management system. The software solution offers fully flexible mapping of organizational structures on multiple levels, emergency management tools with real-time maintenance, logs and videos, as well as comprehensive health analysis in terms of battery, app usage, network coverage and much more for all handhelds, while complying with data protection guidelines.