Post offices forced to work off-line due to software fault
A software fault has meant that staff at post offices across Belgium have been able to access bpost’s computer system. With staff having to work manually queues have been longer than usual at the country’s post offices. Some post offices in Brussels even remained closed as a result of fault. The Belgian post office bpost advised customers to only go to post offices if they urgently needed to so.
Bpost’s spokeswoman Barbara Van Speybrouck told VRT News that on Monday morning issues arose starting up an IT application used in the post offices. As a result post office counter staff have had to do everything manually. The software failure means that financial transaction can’t be carried and that the procedures surrounding the sending registered letters and parcels have to be completed by hand. This has led to long queues at post offices the length and breadth of Belgium.
In Brussel a number of post offices such as the one at Brussels North Railway Station have remained closed.
It is unclear how long it will be before the software issues are resolved. IT experts will work through the night if necessary in order to ensure that normal service can be resumed on Tuesday. The software issue have not impacted the sorting or distribution of letters and newspapers.