Award marks return of Guernsey Post
THREE years ago it would have been unthinkable that Guernsey Post could enter the Awards for Achievement, let alone win anything.
Christmas 2002 saw some of the darkest days ever experienced by the company. Nothing seemed to be going right – mail was late or delivered to countless wrong addresses despite Guernsey Post emerging from the commercialisation process with state-of-the-art equipment and in new premises.
Complaints jammed the phone lines and the senior management team was mostly replaced following the debacle.
But on Thursday night, in front of the cream of Guernsey’s business community, the company walked away with the coveted prize for best large business.
‘It’s pretty good,’ admitted managing director Mike Hall.
‘It’s a double whammy because it’s incredibly prestigious and it marks the turnaround and has that double feeling of success because it marks our full rehabilitation.’
Much hard work has been done since the difficult times and the success has been felt all the way through the organisation.
‘We have had three successful Christmases since the debacle but I don’t think that should be the only yardstick.
‘We set ourselves a vision of operating within European standards and instead of 40% next-day UK delivery, like three years ago, it is now 90% of mail.’
And the feedback from customers is much more positive, from bulk mailers and domestic ones.
‘Our enquiry rate has dropped. Complaints fell 25% from 2004 to 2005. Mis-delivery complaints have halved and the fact that they have suggests that we’re getting there and I’m delighted to see that happen.’
The day after Guernsey Post won the award, Mr Hall wrote a personal letter of thanks to every one of the 300 staff, congratulating them on winning.
‘I sent the trophy back with one of the postmen and had it handed round the sorting office before it came back upstairs. Everyone was chuffed and remains so.’
It is probably touches such as this that have contributed to greatly improved morale.
‘We are on a virtuous spiral rather than a negative one.
‘People feel it and are much more buoyant. People tell me they enjoy coming to work.
‘We still have our discussions with the staff and unions, but industrial negotiations have been good over the last three years.’
Mr Hall said it had been essential the company looked long and hard at itself before even entering the award scheme.
A team was set up to examine all the achievements over the last three years to form the basis of the submission.
‘We didn’t go in for this flippantly. We knew the situation we were in three years ago and had to make very clear the turnaround that had happened.
‘We involved a group of people from across the organisation.
‘We put together the submission and took four people to the interview.
‘The panel grilled us for 25 minutes.’
Mr Hall said it felt like a huge achievement just to be shortlisted.
‘It felt like an accolade in itself.’
He was keen to thank Postwatch and the Office of Utility Regulation for their roles in helping Guernsey Post win the award.
‘I believe we couldn’t have achieved what we have without the quality-of-service targets set by the regulator. We’ve had our ups and downs, but the relationship is very good.
‘I would also like to share our praise with Postwatch. They all took it very seriously and we, the management, allowed ourselves to be grilled by them, which was tremendously stimulating. I don’t think a postal monopoly can do well without checks and balances from outside.’
