Courier costs are challenged by new nationwide collection service (UK)

Today, Royal Mail Special Delivery announced a package collection and delivery service for all UK businesses. Any business can arrange for documents and packages (See Note to Editors 1) to be picked up from their office and delivered the next morning to any location in the UK for less than #10.

Collection on demand, is a critical service for businesses and Royal Mail has responded with a service that is often up to five times cheaper (Note 2) than the major competitors' equivalent services.

Other benefits of the new service include:

– Ordering from your desk, on line, or over the phone

– Inclusive compensation of up to #250 in the event of loss or damage is included within the price (For an additional charge customers can be covered for up to #2500)

– Easy tracking of an item by phone or Internet

– Payment can be made through an existing franking machine, by credit /debit card, by using stamps, or via an existing account (NB: you don't have to be an existing customer to use the service)

– Any location in the UK is covered by the service

– Any number of packages handled per order

– Items up to 10kg in weight can be collected

– Royal Mail Special Delivery uses a separate network to the standard mail network for its letters and packages

"Finally, businesses have a much cheaper alternative for the collection and delivery of their important packages and documents. All businesses stand to benefit considerably from this service, however, the ones that stand to benefit the most are those based in remote locations. Many courier services won't pickup from the more remote locations. We realise that businesses exist everywhere and everyone should be able to have a cost effective service and not be penalised for where they are based, our network makes this possible," comments Gillian Wilmot, Director, Mail Markets, Royal Mail.

Businesses that have been involved in the trial are also positive about the benefits:

"We recently used Royal Mail Special Delivery, Collection on Demand service to carry out a highly targeted mailing to our key customers by developing a miniature briefcase, containing our brochure," commented Barry Smith, co-owner ABS Cases, bespoke case manufacturer. "We invested significantly in the mailing and needed to be 100% confident that the package would arrive not just on the right desk but in the actual hands of our target client. Special Delivery Collection on Demand gave us that next day guarantee at the most competitive price. Sales were made as a direct result."

Notes to Editors:

1. Standard collection charge for customers without an existing business collection or Special Delivery contract is #5.50

2. Competitive Cost Comparison: –

Company Cost quoted on up to 1/2 kg Guaranteed Delivery Time

package London to Edinburgh
(by 12 noon next day)
Interlink #22.40 (+VAT) Premium Delivery by 10.45am
Delivery next day
TNT #37.50 (+VAT) Delivery by 12.00
noon

next day
Securicor Omega #17.00 (inc. VAT) Diamond By 10.00am next day
Service
City Link #20.45 Delivery by 12 noon
next day
Business Post #15.99(+VAT) Delivery by 12 noon
next day
Royal Mail Special #4.00 plus By 12 noon the next
Delivery Plus extra #5.50 for day
'Collection on Demand
Service' = #9.50

Ordering Information: Customers can order collections by calling the sales centre by 12:00pm noon on: 08457 950950 or order and pay for the collection on line via http:/ /www.royalmail.com/specialdelivery by credit or debit card.