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SINGAPORE: At the new General Post Office (GPO) at Paya Lebar, users can send registered mail 24 hours a day, without needing to rely on postal staff over the counter.



It’s the first such service in Singapore using the revamped SAM kiosks at the GPO, Singapore’s largest post office which was launched on Monday (Oct 9).





SingPost described the facility as the future of the post office.

A new-generation SAM kiosk at the self-service section of the General Post Office. (Photo: Afifah Ariffin)

"The GPO is SingPost's first Smart Post Office, in which traditional brick-and-mortar outlets are augmented by a digital network that offers anytime and anywhere access to postal and other essential services,” said SingPost in a news release.

It added that the GPO, with its “future-ready” facilities, gives customers an improved experience and greater control over the services that they need.



Singapore's first dedicated philatelic store. (Photo: SingPost)

The award-winning multi-channel SAM platform, for instance, has been redesigned.



The new kiosks, located in the post office’s 24-hour self-service section, are powered by Apple iPads, to give users a “modern, user-friendly interface on high resolution, responsive touch-screens,” said SingPost.

Colonial-era red pillar posting box. (Photo: Afifah Ariffin)

It added that users across all of the SAM channels – the physical kiosk, web and mobile app – will enjoy a common experience as they "share a common cloud technology backbone" and design interface. The cloud also "reduces the lead time for new commercial partners to roll out billing services from six weeks to one".

The self-service area of the post office also houses the largest POPStation, with 143 lockers for users to collect, send or return parcels.

With 143 lockers, the POPStation at the General Post Office is Singapore's largest. (Photo: Afifah Ariffin)

In addition, there is a dedicated philatelic retail store offering the full range of national stamps as well as associated merchandise.



CELEBRATING HERITAGE

The design of the GPO incorporate elements from the former facility at the Fullerton to reflect the postal company's rich heritage.



For example, one of the iconic colonial red pillar posting boxes was restored and set up at the philatelic store. Mail that's dropped into this box will be postmarked with a special date stamp in red ink.

Earlier versions of the SingPost posting box. (Photo: Afifah Ariffin)

There is also a heritage video wall telling the story of SingPost's evolution "from a colonial municipal department to a dynamic postal and eCommerce logistics company", said SingPost.

The General Post Office of Singapore stamp set designed by Wong Wui Kong marks the opening. It comes in four denominations, 1st Local, 60 cents, 90 cents and S$1.30.

General Post Office of Singapore stamps issued on Monday (Oct 9). (Photo: SingPost)

Pre-cancelled First Day Covers affixed with the complete set of stamps are available at S$4.05 each. A folder called the Postal Journey of Singapore, which includes the GPO stamps and those featuring significant postal buildings in the city's history, are on sale for S$25.

"The opening of the GPO is a significant milestone in SingPost's transformation and a fitting celebration of World Post Day," said group chief executive Paul Coutts. "Just as it was with the former GPO at the Fullerton Building, the GPO at SingPost Centre marks the central role that SIngPost continues to play in connecting people across the country and with the rest of the world."

The new post office is located in SingPost Centre, which also houses a retail mall.