Based on our experiences the problems and difficulties experienced by organizations can be categorized into three parts:

Messaging Services:

There exists a general uncertainty about whether a document is delivered/collected on time every time arising from:

• Poor coordination of deliveries and collections.
• Weak audit trails arising from simple recording system (delivery book).  

Administration Headaches:

It is very difficult to effectively and efficiently monitor the tasks of messengers. Administration headaches include:

• Managing the messengers, in terms of duplication of deliveries.
• It is practically impossible to monitor the messengers time because of the variables involved- traffic jams, parking, identifying delivery points, waiting time for collections, vehicle breakdowns etc.
• Finding replacement messengers when routine messengers are on leave, off sick etc.
• Maintaining the personnel records for the messengers; pay, leave, overtime.

Escalating Overheads:

The direct and indirect overheads relating to document collections and deliveries are quite phenomenal. Costs include:

• Salaries for messengers and drivers used in document collection and deliveries
• Direct transport costs for motor vehicles, fuel, insurance, repairs, taxis
• Postage costs for posting of letters within Nairobi . The local postage costs have.
• Costs for messengers running personal errands for employees – delivering mail, payment for utilities, delivery and collection of personal items.
• Time costs for messengers waiting to collect documents or submit documents especially at government offices, embassies (for visas), etc.
• Overtime costs for deliveries after office hours.