Royal Mail hits First and Second Class delivery targets
Royal Mail hit its delivery targets in its latest financial year, some of the toughest standards for any postal operator in Europe. Ahead of its first results statement as a private company, Royal Mail said this week that it achieved both its First Class and Second Class delivery targets in the 12 months up to the end of March 2014.
The company, which had struggled a little to hit First Class targets previously, as network modernisation affected performance, delivered 93.2% of First Class Mail by the next working day, against a 93% target.
The latest Quality of Service report stated that 98.9% of Second Class mail was delivered within three days, against a 98.5% target.
Royal Mail, which is required to publish its delivery standards since it is universal postal service provider in the UK, also exceeded its 91.5% next-day target in 114 of 118 postcode areas for First Class stamped and meter franked mail.
Sue Whalley, chief operations officer, said Royal Mail staff had continued to deliver to a “very high standard”, against one of the highest service specifications in any major European country.
She said: “Alongside a greater focus on customer service, we have continued to modernise our operations over this period in one of the biggest transformation projects in UK industry. I would like to thank our postmen and women for their ongoing commitment and dedication.”
Royal Mail’s service performance was measured by consultancy TNS, by mailing 690,000 sample letters and parcels to more than 6,500 addresses.
The company, which was floated on the London Stock Exchange back in October 2013, is expected to release its annual results on Thursday.
Dave Ward, deputy general secretary of the Communication Workers Union, which represents more than 115,000 Royal Mail workers, said postal workers could be “proud” of meeting delivery targets during a major transformation programme.
He said: “These results just go to show that despite the unregulated competition that Royal Mail has to face, the hard work and dedication of our members is paying off.”
