Author: Archive

Deutsche Post Cost-Cutting Expected

Posted by | Aug 14, 2002 | |

Deutsche Post AG (G.DPW) regularly boasts that 95% of the letters mailed in Germany arrive the next day – a sign of efficiency given the country’s size. But the message Deutsche Post itself sent to investors when it was partially privatized two years ago – that it’s a solid investment in volatile markets – has gone astray. And this has put the spotlight of the need for greater efficiency in its core business. The company, which is also active in the parcel delivery, logistics and financial services markets, was supposed to offer investors the best of the old and new economies. It was argued that the company would enjoy a lucrative guaranteed domestic mail monopoly for several more years while turning itself into a leading international logistics firm. But the sharp economic slowdown and two regulatory blows have altered the outlook, causing the shares to halve in value since they were issued. Now the company is scrambling to cut costs. The question is whether Deutsche Post, still 69% state owned, can find the savings to put the punch back into its initial sales pitch.

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Royal Mail will stamp out lost post

Posted by | Aug 14, 2002 | |

The moves have been proposed to cut the number of letters that go astray each year.
The Royal Mail is drawing up an action plan in the wake of revelations that nationally 500,000 letters are lost each week. Regional statistics are not available. The figures were released in Royal Mail’s report to consumer watchdog Postwatch. Royal Mail spokesman Dan Panes said: “We’re committed to improving significantly to ensure customers get the best service possible.
“Every letter is very important to us but there’s always going to be a certain amount lost.
“You’re never going to get rid of the problem completely because human error means they’ll go to 24a instead of 24b.”
He said of the 500,000 lost letters, 100,000 are due to “exterior influences” such as theft for which staff cannot be held responsible.

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Norway seeking new ways to modernize postal services

Posted by | Aug 14, 2002 | |

According to the Aftenposten, the Norwegian Postal Administration is currently negotiating with more than one of the four largest mail companies in Europe in order to form an alliance. Europe’s mail companies are gearing up for the complete liberalization of the postal market. The EU has decided that in the period 2003 to 2009 the sector will be gradually opened up to competition. Among the preparations currently underway are acquisitions and alliance-building. The Norwegian Postal Administration has confirmed that it is having discussions with one or more of the four largest players in Europe, but declined to say when it expects the talks to reach a conclusion.

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500,000 letters a week go astray

Posted by | Aug 13, 2002 | |

THE Royal Mail admitted yesterday that an estimated 500,000 letters or parcels are lost or delayed every week.
Thousands of letters are delivered to the wrong house by mistake, its research shows. Thousands more go astray because they are badly addressed. The figures follow an announcement by the company’s parent, Consignia, that there will be fewer deliveries. It plans to merge the first and second class services and charge customers up to pounds 14 a week for pre-9am deliveries – although take-up of the scheme has so far been scant.

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Recent courier market survey reveals DHL domination of Middle East

Posted by | Aug 13, 2002 | |

A recently conducted research program on the courier industry revealed that SNAS/DHL, the region’s leading express courier company and the first one to operate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia dominates the air express delivery consistently delivering to customers before 9:00 am and before 12:00 pm, announced Harlis Malkic, Country Manager of SNAS/DHL.

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Spanish Post Registers 2002 First-Half Profit

Posted by | Aug 13, 2002 | |

Correos y Telegrafos, Spain’s postal services operator, recorded a 53.8 per cent increase in pre-tax profits to 21.46m euros during the first six months of 2002. Turnover was up 10.2 per cent at 814.2m euros between January and June 2002.

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Consignia to compensate for lost and late letters

Posted by | Aug 13, 2002 | |

Consignia is facing the threat of financial penalties running into millions of pounds after breaching its licence and admitting that Royal Mail is losing half a million letters a week.
The postal regulator Postcomm criticised Consignia yesterday and disclosed that it could have fined the company £8m for failing to achieve its performance targets last year. But the regulator decided that this would be counter-productive in view of the £1.5m Consignia is losing each day.
Instead, Postcomm now intends to introduce a scheme whereby Consignia will pay compensation to customers rather than fines to the Government for failing to meet its targets. The details of the scheme will be announced in the next month alongside proposed price controls on Consignia.
Postcomm said it was concerned at the Royal Mail’s failure to meet standards of service to customers in the 2001-02 financial year. The proportion of first-class letters arriving the next day was 91.5 per cent against a target of 92.1 per cent, but in some individual postcode areas it was considerably worse.

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