Transcript
SIOSIFA POMANA: We had started with government to partner in getting an addressing system, but we found it has been very time consuming [and] it cost a lot, actually, when we did this back in 2012. So we just parked it and, you know, looked around for options that would be feasible and would help - particularly for the purpose of us here at Tonga Post - and when we came across What3Words we thought, 'Brilliant, this is the solution that we really need right now.' It's ready, it's available and it's something that we could just roll out.
JAMIE TAHANA: Because Tonga's like a lot of Pacific countries where addresses, street numbers, street names even, aren't really a thing, isn't it?
SP: Yeah, we're badly addressed and we rely on directions. As you know, it's more like 'OK if you want to find my house just come to this particular village, look for the green mango tree - if it's still green - and turn left and you'll see a shack and talk to the guy there, he'll show you where my house is probably a few blocks down.' For us in the post to deliver mail, that just makes it really really tough. Particularly now in a time when people really want their mail right now. So a quick way to do that is to really pinpoint where their location is and pinpoint that accurately, not just by direction.
JT: So how exactly does it work? It's a three word system, isn't it? Three random words that will become your address.
SP: Yes, it's driven by technology, it's by a smart device and on an app that's created by What3Words. That's how you pinpoint this particular address that's three words. It works by a grid that's three metres by three metres and according to GPS. So for us, being in Tonga where we don't have formal addresses - we go by villages and the island group they're in - to have this, this will help us, first, to pinpoint the delivery point so we know exactly the place we're delivering it to. But to know that is through this campaign where we will rolling out to people - actually, we will visit homes starting with a pilot that we're doing with our PO Box customers. So we'll visit their homes and give them their three-word address. It's a random three words, but at least for us at the post we will know exactly where people are.
JT: OK so say I'm sitting here in Central Wellington and want to post you in Nuku'alofa a letter, what would I be writing on that envelope then?
SP: So part of the plan is that we will not replace the current way that people in Tonga have been addressing mail to Tonga. For example, an address for Tonga would just be a name, a village, the island group, and Tonga. So what we're planning is to just keep that, but at the bottom add that random three words and when it gets to us it helps our guys to really accurately read and know exactly where these people are.
JT: So when does this all kick off? You've got an awareness campaign just getting underway, when do you hope to have this in place?
SP: That's right, so we'll spend the rest of February doing the campaign, and come March that's when we'll start piloting with our PO Box customers.
