Royal Mail’s performance is slipping (UK)

Postwatch commissioned Ipsos MORI to establish whether customers perceived Royal Mail service had improved, stood still or declined over the past two years.
The results showed that 43 per cent thought it was worse, 42 per cent believed it was the same and only 14 per cent that it was better.
Millie Banerjee, Chair of Postwatch, commenting on the results said: “It is not surprising that the vast majority of customers believe Royal Mail’s performance was either getting worse or was standing still during a two year period which included major disruption caused by industrial action.
“Many deliveries are made later in the day than they used to be. Some customers will consider this to be a worse service even if on average during the two years more 1st class mail was delivered next day than previously. It is important that customer perception is dealt with alongside the hard figures of Royal Mail’s performance.
“Adam Crozier has acknowledged that Royal Mail needs to become more customer-focused. It certainly needs to engage with customers to show it really does care about every item of mail arriving safely and on time. It needs to start to talk up mail as a product. These findings should give Royal Mail food for thought. Royal Mail must both be and be seen to be confident, customer-focused and efficient. Gloomy statements about the poor state of the postal industry damage customer confidence and perceptions and do nothing to improve Royal Mail’s position.”
Ipsos MORI conducted the survey by telephone using random digit dialling from the 2 to 6 July 2008. A representative sample of 2036 adults, across all age and socio-economic groups in England, Scotland and Wales were asked for their opinions.

Postwatch commissioned Ipsos MORI to establish whether customers perceived Royal Mail service had improved, stood still or declined over the past two years.
The results showed that 43 per cent thought it was worse, 42 per cent believed it was the same and only 14 per cent that it was better.
Millie Banerjee, Chair of Postwatch, commenting on the results said: “It is not surprising that the vast majority of customers believe Royal Mail’s performance was either getting worse or was standing still during a two year period which included major disruption caused by industrial action.
“Many deliveries are made later in the day than they used to be. Some customers will consider this to be a worse service even if on average during the two years more 1st class mail was delivered next day than previously. It is important that customer perception is dealt with alongside the hard figures of Royal Mail’s performance.
“Adam Crozier has acknowledged that Royal Mail needs to become more customer-focused. It certainly needs to engage with customers to show it really does care about every item of mail arriving safely and on time. It needs to start to talk up mail as a product. These findings should give Royal Mail food for thought. Royal Mail must both be and be seen to be confident, customer-focused and efficient. Gloomy statements about the poor state of the postal industry damage customer confidence and perceptions and do nothing to improve Royal Mail’s position.”
Ipsos MORI conducted the survey by telephone using random digit dialling from the 2 to 6 July 2008. A representative sample of 2036 adults, across all age and socio-economic groups in England, Scotland and Wales were asked for their opinions.