The week that was: 9 December 2011
Royal Mail has big problems with its website, USPS applies to regulators to slow down First Class Mail, and DHL Express hosts a visit from Prime Minister David Cameron…
USPS files to slow down First Class Mail
This week saw the US Postal Service formally applying to US regulators to adjust key service standards in order to dramatically downsize its processing network.
At the heart of the changes is an end to overnight First Class Mail deliveries for end-to-end mail, something the network was build around as mail volumes grew up to 2006.
USPS executives said slowing down First Class Mail would allow the Postal Service to consolidate its operations from the current 461 processing plants across America into 200 or less, to respond to the loss of 30% of First Class Mail in the last decade, and the expectation of a further 47% decline in volume by 2020.
UK Prime Minister visits DHL Express
The British Prime Minister David Cameron dropped round for a visit with DHL Express this week, to talk with staff and discuss the importance of international logistics.
The visit to DHL Express UK headquarters in Feltham tied in with campaigning for a local election, but allowed DHL staff to question aspects of government policy including efforts to tackle high fuel prices.
With growth in UK exports slowing in recent months, it was also an opportunity for Cameron to find out how logistics companies like DHL can facilitate the expansion of British small businesses into foreign markets.
Royal Mail issues apology for website problems
It’s the worst time of year for things to go wrong, but they have done for Royal Mail’s website.
The British postal service has had to apologise after its online postage systems started double-charging its customers, and in some cases refusing to allow postage to be printed after payment.
With IT contractor Capgemini working hard to fix the problems, Royal Mail has refunded incorrect fees and offered thousands in compensatory bonuses to customers affected.
Deutsche Post loses appeal over EU State Aid probe
The EU General Court ruled as inadmissible Deutsche Post’s latest appeal to draw a line under European investigations into financial help from the German government in the 1990s and 2000s.
A spokesman for the world’s largest logistics company said it was expecting the whole process to take a few years to resolve, but is considering whether to make a final appeal to the Court of Justice to prevent the EU Commission investigating German government support for its pension programme.
The moves originally stem from complaints into German government assistance for Deutsche Post’s parcel services way back in 1994.
And finally…
Research was published this week suggesting that the amount of American bills being paid via digital channels is set to double by 2014…
