Become a member

SPS Operational Guide end-to-end service standard calculator
The online SPS Operational Guide is available to all operators and publishes the information provided by each designated SPS operator on the scope of their service and all operational aspects of their SPS delivery service. The SPS Operational Guide is a working tool used by SPS staff around the world for detailed information on the SPS services offered by designated operators.

Members have exclusive access to the SPS Operational Guide end-to-end service standard calculator. The calculator takes onto account validated standards which can be used to determine the service standard by destination to sell to their customers.

SPS Reports and SPS SMART
SPS SMART is an online single monitoring and reporting tool that allows daily performance monitoring in order to address operational areas that require attention and monitor the impact of improvement activities. SPS reports that are provided monthly and quarterly are stored in the reporting hub of the tool. Currently, SPS delivers reports on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis, covering:

• End-to-end performance
• Pay-for-performance
• Export performance
• Transport performance
• Delivery performance
• Data quality and timeliness of transmission
• M40 compliance reports
• Supply Chain: transportation, customs, transit and returned SPS items
• Import performance
• Customer Care

The SPS Standards and Measurement team supports members’ efforts to define and validate reliable standards for export, transportation and delivery segments.

SPS Pay-for-Performance Accounting System
SPS accounting is quarterly, based and reported in accordance to the SPS Pay-for-Performance Plan. Participants do not have to reconcile paper SPS statements and perform a manual check as every quarter they receive electronic accounting documents, based on tracking data This significantly reduces administrative effort and serves as an incentive for delivering high‑quality service.

In addition, members can continuously monitor their accounting status through the PfP cockpit and dashboard within SPS SMART.

SPS Market Intelligence
SPS Cooperative members have access to the UPU’s experts market insights designed to help SPS Cooperative members increase their share of the cross-border package market to help grow SPS.

SPS Customer Care System - i-Care
Members of the SPS Cooperative have free access to the SPS Customer Care System, i-Care, that enables them to make inquiries about the status of their SPS item.

SPS Force Majeure
SPS Cooperative members can submit force majeure claims in cases when a delivery was not possible to complete for reasons beyond its control and which are not attributable to any act or failure of the designated operator (events such as war, acts of nature, and destruction of facilities).

Merchandise Returns Solution for SPS (MRS)
SPS Cooperative members can use MRS through the SPS network which provides e-commerce merchants and on-line buyers ease of use in returning SPS items.
 
SPS Barcode Labels
To encourage the use of standardized barcodes for tracking SPS items, SPS Cooperative members can order SPS self-adhesive barcoded labels. 

SPS Online Label Application
The SPS online label application allows customers of SPS Cooperative members to complete an SPS label, including important information in the customs declaration, which can be used by posts to generate and send pre-advice messages to the destination post.

Access to SPS Publications
SPS publications include SPS Cooperative regulations, procedures and recommendations for the provision of SPS service:

• SPS Business Strategy: outlines how the SPS Cooperative will work to achieve its goals.
• SPS Rules of Procedure: provides the rules and obligations of SPS Cooperative membership.
• SPS Standard Agreement and Procedures: establishes the terms for the exchange of SPS items between SPS operators.
• SPS Standards: describes the standards required for the SPS product.
• SPS Reports Guide: provides a description of all indicators measured in SPS reports.
• SPS Pay-for-Performance Plan: provides guidelines to implement SPS Pay-for-Performance.
• SPS Customer Care Manual: details the management of SPS Customer Care.
• SPS Cooperative Guide: brings together important information on the SPS Cooperative and its activities.

SPS Cooperative General Assembly and Global Workshop
SPS Cooperative members are invited to take part in the SPS Cooperative’s annual General Assembly and Global Workshops held in Berne, Switzerland. These events provide opportunity for members to exchange views, collaborate and determine the future of SPS.

SPS Symposia
SPS Symposia are organized at the regional level to provide an opportunity for senior managers from Cooperative members and key stakeholders to engage in a high-level forum on the future direction of SPS tailored to the needs of each region. 

SPS Training
Regular training is a priority for the SPS Cooperative which provides support to SPS operators in order to strengthen their SPS service. Staff from members of the SPS Cooperative participate in SPS workshops with the aim to:

• improve knowledge and mastery of operational, customer care and marketing aspects of SPS,
• develop understanding of the SPS Cooperative's goals and programmes,
• facilitate communications and exchange of expertise between participants,
• identify potential solutions for operational and management issues.

SPS Regional Coordination
SPS Regional Coordinators work with members to monitor performance and identify improvement opportunities. Each Regional Coordinator is the primary contact for members in their respective region, and monitors progress  to identify specific needs at both the country and regional level.

SPS Twinning 
The SPS twinning project involves two (or more) Posts, representing high-impact trading lanes, working cooperatively to improve SPS service performance. These improvements have a positive impact on the quality of service of the global network, leading to an increase in SPS volume and revenue.

SPS Performance Awards  
The Cooperative's SPS Performance Awards recognize and reward outstanding SPS service. The SPS Cooperative presents Gold, Silver and Bronze awards to operators that provide an excellent SPS service for worldwide partners in the SPS delivery network over a full year.
 
SPS Customer Care Awards
SPS customers deserve excellent service when sending items internationally. Each year SPS Cooperative members’ customer service performance is measured. Only when SPS member posts achieve the high-standards set out in the SPS Cooperative's Business Plan will they receive an SPS customer care award in recognition of the quality of their customer service.

SPS Communication
The SPS Cooperative publishes news stories about SPS Cooperative member developments and activities, including successful initiatives to grow the SPS business and improve service performance, through:

• the SPS website. Full access is only available to SPS members.
• SPS Link newsletters
• Broadcast messages.

SPS Consultations and Ballots
SPS Cooperative members take part in decisions that impact SPS. Regular consultations and ballots offer opportunities for SPS operators to share their views and shape the SPS product according to market needs.

SPS Cooperative Board
SPS members elect nine members of the SPS Cooperative Board who are responsible for defining the policies and strategies of the SPS Cooperative, proposing standards and procedures for the SPS product, and managing the budget and the implementation of SPS Cooperative programmes.

Thank you for your interest in joining the SPS Cooperative; please use the information below to work out your postal administration's level of membership.

The SPS Cooperative Rules of Procedure (articles 2 and 3) describe two levels of membership:

Full members
To be considered as a full member of the SPSC, the designated operator must:
 
3.1 be both an importer and an exporter of SPS items with at least two other designated operators;
3.2 possess a tracking system for SPS in full production with all SPS partners in accordance with the SPS Standards;
3.3 obtain written or electronic proof of delivery for all SPS items and provide such proof to SPS origin operators on demand;
3.4 employ the SPSC's standardized system for dealing with international SPS inquiries and operate it in accordance with the SPS Standards;
3.5 comply with requirements 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 before formalizing its request to join, and with requirement 3.4 within six months of joining.
 
Import members
To be considered as an import member of the SPSC, the designated operator must:
 
4.1 be an importer of SPS items from at least two other designated operators;
4.2 possess a tracking system for SPS in full production with all SPS partners in accordance with the SPS Standards;
4.3 obtain written or electronic proof of delivery for all SPS items and provide such proof to SPS origin operators on demand;
4.4 employ the SPSC's standardized system for dealing with international SPS inquiries and operate it in accordance with the SPS Standards;
4.5 comply with requirements 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3 before formalizing its request to join, and with requirement 4.4 within six months of joining.