Post offices `not ready for new charges'

A third of post offices are not ready for the introduction of postal charges based on size rather than weight, a Government watchdog has warned.
Postwatch predicted long queues at post offices on Monday as the new regulations come into effect.
The Royal Mail said postage for more than 80% of items, including business post, will stay the same or be cheaper.
The change was being introduced so prices reflected more fairly the actual cost of collecting, sorting and delivering mail, it said.
A survey conducted by Postwatch found that 37% of offices had not put up a poster explaining the changes, known as Pricing in Proportion (PiP).
Leaflets explaining the new system were not available at 32% of 307 offices visited and 34% did not have a measuring template displayed so that customers could check the size of their post.
Under PiP, the price of an average first class letter will be 32p but if its length exceeds 240mm, its width 165mm or its thickness 5mm, it will be classed as a large letter. This will cost 44p to post if it weighs less than 100 grammes.
Anything more than 353mm long or 250mm wide or 25mm thick will be considered to be a packet and will cost between GBP 1 and GBP 4.74, depending on its weight.
A third of post offices are not ready for the introduction of postal charges based on size rather than weight, a Government watchdog has warned.

Postwatch predicted long queues at post offices on Monday as the new regulations come into effect.

The Royal Mail said postage for more than 80% of items, including business post, will stay the same or be cheaper.

The change was being introduced so prices reflected more fairly the actual cost of collecting, sorting and delivering mail, it said.

A survey conducted by Postwatch found that 37% of offices had not put up a poster explaining the changes, known as Pricing in Proportion (PiP).

Leaflets explaining the new system were not available at 32% of 307 offices visited and 34% did not have a measuring template displayed so that customers could check the size of their post.

Under PiP, the price of an average first class letter will be 32p but if its length exceeds 240mm, its width 165mm or its thickness 5mm, it will be classed as a large letter. This will cost 44p to post if it weighs less than 100 grammes.

Anything more than 353mm long or 250mm wide or 25mm thick will be considered to be a packet and will cost between £1 and £4.74, depending on its weight.

Judith Donovan, the chairman of Postwatch's Trade Association Forum, said they were concerned that post offices were not ready to help customers.

“Basic sources of information such as posters and leaflets should have been available at all post offices well in advance.

“A third of post offices failing to do the bare minimum points to a potentially complacent approach in introducing what will be the biggest change to our postal service since the Penny Black.

“Yet, our survey results revealed that as late as the start of August post offices were not ready. Basic sources of information such as posters and leaflets should have been available at all post offices well in advance of PiP's introduction.

“While we understand that in the immediate post-introduction period Royal Mail will be flexible in terms of not surcharging customers who have underpaid postage, the best way of ensuring that customers are paying the correct amount is by making every effort to alert them to the change and its implications.”

A Royal Mail spokesman said the Postwatch survey results were not surprising as the research was conducted before the distribution of templates, posters and leaflets to Post Office branches had been completed.

“Nearly 20,000 counter clerks, subpostmasters and their staff have now been trained and are geared up to handle customer queries about the new prices.”

Andy Furey, national officer of the Communication Workers Union said: “It is appalling that Post Office Ltd is ploughing ahead with swathes of closures in the run-up to this massive change in the business.

“Crown Office staff are skilled workers who are specifically trained to deal with and explain to customers changes of this nature. By systematically cutting jobs in the Post Office, franchising out the service to inexperienced retailers and down-sizing the network Royal Mail has bitten off the helping hand it needs to implement this business change.

“Royal Mail's advertising campaign on PiP says `For everything you need to know… pop into any Post Office branch'. The only problem is, there's not going to be many left if they carry on axing them at the current pace, and franchised offices often lack the experienced staff who make the service work so well.”