Maltese businesses are generally satisfied with the overall quality of postal services, according to a Business Perception Survey published by the Malta Communications Authority.

A total 83% of respondents claimed to be satisfied with the overall quality of postal services as provided by MaltaPost.

The majority of respondents (57%) claimed to have received the same volume of addressed letters in 2014 and 49% claimed to have sent the same volume of addressed letters.

The proportion of respondents who claimed to have sent more letters decreased from 7% in 2014 to 4% in 2017. Those who claimed to have sent more letters cited reasons such as marketing campaigns (40%) and an increasing client-base (33%).

The majority (86%) pointed to email as the reason for sending fewer letters, followed by online payments (21%) and eBusiness solutions (such as websites) and messaging services (9% and 13% respectively).

Respondents were asked if they would find a five-day delivery week acceptable.

While in 2014, 33% had replied in the positive, this figure had now gone up to 44%. Mail is currently delivered on a six-day schedule (Monday to Saturday).

Asked whether they would prefer delivery removed from Monday or Saturday, 80% of respondents claimed that they would prefer Monday-Friday delivery.

A total 86% of respondents who claimed that a five-day week would not be acceptable were willing to pay higher postal prices to maintain a six-day schedule.

When compared to smaller businesses and bulk mailers, large businesses showed the greatest openness towards the idea of a two-day lead-time for mail delivery.

Unlike their smaller counterparts, larger businesses were more likely to send a parcel (42% against 24%).

Larger businesses were more likely to visit the MaltaPost website.