“Data is perhaps the area where we’ve come the furthest,” he says. “We’ve set up a data platform, have a strong central team, and a center of excellence in analytics. We also have data and analytics teams to support our various business units. With the platform now in place, we bring in data based on different use cases of the business needs.”
A challenge along the way is to identify which areas will be topical in the future in order to get a jump on collecting relevant data.
“What kind of data do we need now and what do we need later, and how does it produce the data?” he asks. “When we know that, we have to change the production process to get it because quality data is one of the most valuable assets companies have.
Focus on the simplest fix
In the midst of all the work with transformation, the question is how to also manage working with innovation and test new technology.
The first thing Hellberg points out is that many people start at the wrong end — with the tool and what you can do with it. Instead, it’s better to start from the problems that need to be solved or see how to take care of the opportunities you have.
“Then it’s about finding the simplest method,” he says. “It can be with paper and pencil, Excel, or machine learning. Whatever is easiest should be used. When it comes to gen AI, we must first fully understand it in order to use it properly.”
An example of where PostNord innovatively uses technology is a solution to monitor the degree of filling trucks, using surveillance cameras and a digital twin used in a sorting terminal to simulate changing flows.
But even if PostNord’s IT department gathers once a year to test ideas and think creatively, Hellberg believes it’s vital to maintain a culture of innovation.
“The most important innovation is the one that takes place on a daily basis when we constantly make things a little smarter,” he says. “This is what happens between the business and IT, between the store and our specialists. It’s not about finding silver bullet projects. Successful companies advance incrementally every month.”
A culture of safety
At the same time that PostNord is building for the future, there are ongoing cyber threats in the background. PostNord is a socially critical company, so it does feel exposed.
“We’re aware that we as a company are very visible,” he says. “We have a large surface to the outside world. For us, as for all companies, security is high on the agenda, but we have a dedicated people in all our development teams. But should any bad actor strike, you’re exposed. That’s how it is.”
In addition to protection against the attacks themselves, he thinks it’s important to also work on restoring the systems.
“How quickly can we come back with the systems and limit damage?” he asks. “In addition to the shell protection being strong, you must have a strong ability to come back.”
And PostNord has a clear ambition to be around for a long time.
“There’s a pride for our history among those who work here,” he says. “Our CEO says we’ve existed for 400 years, and what we do now we do to exist for another 400 years.”
