The company said this week that in its first month of opening, the new facility has served more than 2,300 customers.

The Centre was developed following a five-month refurbishment of a previous mail collection and postage sales area in the Postal Headquarters, which mainly served as a mail collection facility, with limited retail services available.

Now the facility offers all post office services from three counters and two self-service machines, including foreign exchange, vehicle licensing, banking services, MoneyGram transfers and packaging sales.

The self-service units include a touchscreen Pay & Post kiosk allowing customers to avoid queues when carrying out general postal transactions. The machines allow customers to weigh, stamp and pay for package shipping.

The kiosk also provides bill payment services for utility and telecoms customers as well as government rates.

A self-service PO Box facility is also available in the new Centre, allowing customers subscribing to the PO Box service to pick up their mail without having to queue.

Queuing has also been cut down with a new single queue system, with more space provided for customers waiting for service.

Opening hours for the new Centre are from 7am to 7.30pm Monday to Friday, and 7am to 12.30pm on Saturdays.

Lisa Duckworth, the Isle of Man Post Office’s commercial director, said that Christmas volumes did boost customer numbers since the new Centre opened on 3rd December, but said overall footfall was up on previous years.

“The new Centre is a welcome addition to Postal Headquarters for our customers,” she said. “Not only can they choose from any of the services we offer, but we have long opening hours designed to suit the busy lives everyone leads and with convenient parking right outside, the new Centre enhances our customers’ experience.”

The Isle of Man Post Office said it had also incorporated the needs of disabled customers into its refurbishment, working with the Disability Access Office run by Douglas-based charity Crossroads Care. As a result, the Centre offers a hearing loop to gel those with hearing aids, a disabled level counter and tactile signage.

Source: Post&Parcel/Isle of Man Post Office

Tags: Isle of Man, Isle of Man Post Office, Kiosk