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As the Turkish postal system tries to implement modern technology and introduce innovative products, notorious delays and lost mail continue to be a major headache to customers.



As a state agency, the Postal and Telecommunications General Directorate (PTT) has the monopoly on postal services in Turkey. Alternatives to the PTT exist and offer added security. Almost all major international carriers operate in Turkey. DHL, UPS and FedEX are among them. Some national carriers, including MNG, Yurtiçi and Sürat Kargo have a strong presence in local markets, too. They are much more expensive compared to the services offered by the PTT.



Some argue that postal employee morale is very low because the staff is overstretched and is expected to provide a wide variety of services. The PTT, now 168 years old, is tasked with many functions in addition to handling mail, including utility bill payments and ticket sales.



Birlik Haber Union Chairman Ali Erdoğan says the major reason for low morale among workers is that employees do not receive any returns on their hard work. Each employee is overburdened with work. "Hiring more workers, improving their morale and offering vocational training will reduce such problems," adds Erdoğan. He is optimistic that the situation will improve. "The PTT's condition is improving every day, although some problems persist."



Most customer complaints focus on delayed delivery. At times, packages and letters are lost. Even registered and insured mail is prone to problems in the Turkish postal system. Erdoğan concedes that there may be problems in the system, but denies that this is the fault of the PTT as an enterprise. He says there are some bad apples and blames the problems of lost and damaged mail and parcels on disgruntled and greedy postal workers.



He explains that PTT investigators are doing their best to overcome abuse in the postal system. "Since overseas mail is more open to abuse as people believe that valuable goods are being sent from abroad, the PTT is more sensitive to this issue," says Erdoğan. He adds that the PTT's Supervisory Commission intervenes in such cases, evaluating and firing employees found guilty of accusations levied against them.



PTT employees are not to blame for all faults, however. Legal regulations forbid sending valuable items via regular post so money or other valuables lost on their way to their destination cannot be refunded or otherwise compensated for.



The PTT is liable to compensate the sender for lost or damaged parcels that were insured beforehand. The PTT administration is responsible for the value declared at the time of mailing. Compensation, up to the insured value and mailing costs, is paid to the sender.



Most private carriers have the same policies on cash and valuable papers. Parcels or letters containing money or valuable papers should be insured. Turkish Telecommunication Workers' Union (Türkiye Haber-İş) General Secretary Ali Deniz says the PTT service is as good as that offered by private cargo companies, adding that problems with the system are not the fault of the corporation but that of individuals. He also says that a new barcode system is currently being used for packages containing valuables.