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Postcomm proposals aim to simplify Royal Mail's compensation schemes

Posted by | Dec 6, 2007 | |

Royal Mail’s current schemes are inconsistent and difficult for customers to understand.
Proposals aimed at simplifying current schemes to make them easier to use.
Postcomm proposes to remove bulk mail from the compensation scheme in April 2009.

Postcomm, the independent regulator for postal services, has outlined proposed changes to Royal Mail’s compensation schemes for lost, damaged and delayed mail to make them fairer and more suited to customer needs.

The regulator has conducted a public consultation and worked closely with Royal Mail and Postwatch to address concerns about the complexity of Royal Mail’s current compensation schemes for retail customers and some inconsistency in how they are applied.

Following this review, Postcomm is proposing to remove bulk mail from a regulated compensation scheme for delay. Competition for bulk mail customers has developed to a point where the regulator is proposing that it is more appropriate to move towards a market driven option allowing the growth of schemes which reflect the differing needs of large mailers.

Royal Mail’s retail customers should face less difficulty in pursuing their claims because, for retail mail that has been lost, damaged or delayed, the proposals aim to simplify and align:
– the processes for making a claim;
– the evidence required to support a claim; and
– the compensation payments themselves.

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Deutsche Post head under fire for selling shares at key moment

Posted by | Dec 6, 2007 | |

Deutsche Post Chairman Klaus Zumwinkel came under fire Thursday for selling share options after it became clear the German government would push through a minimum wage for the sector.

Economics Minister Michael Glos queried the timing of the sale in remarks to the mass-circulation Bild newspaper

Deutsche Post rejected the criticism, saying there were only restricted windows when board members could sell shares, and Zumwinkel had made use of one of them in a legitimate way.

Deutsche Post surrenders its monopoly on delivering letters in Germany at the end of the year. It has already surrendered its parcel monopoly as part of the privatization process that began in 1991.

Zumwinkel, who sold his share options on Monday, cashing in 4.73 million euros to make a profit of almost 100 per cent, has been a vigorous critic of the postal liberalization programme instituted by the European Union.

Presenting half-year results in August, he referred to an “unparalleled slashing of worker benefits” and accused the European Commission of creating “chaos” in the postal market.

Deutsche Post’s competitors in Germany were paying 40 per cent less than the starting pay at Deutsche Post. “A stop must be put to this,” he said.

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Decisions on Kent Post Office Branches Announced

Posted by | Dec 6, 2007 | |

Post Office Ltd today announced decisions on the future of Post Office® branches across Kent, following a six week public consultation ending on 12 November. Post Office® services will be provided through a network of 295 branches, which supports the national accessibility criteria introduced by the Government and ensures that 99 pct of the county’s population will either see no change to their existing branch or will remain within one mile (by road distance) of an alternative branch.

The plan confirmed today means that 56 branches will close in Kent, with the first closures scheduled to take place in January. These branches were detailed in the Area Plan proposal published on 2 October 2007.

Two branches originally proposed for closure – Cliff’s End in Ramsgate and Hawkhurst – will now remain open following a review of the issues raised during consultation and of factors relating to geography, the availability of local transport and access to alternative branches, local demographics and the impact on local economics.

At Cliff’s End, having taken into account local feedback, Post Office Ltd was concerned that alternative branches were not sufficiently easy to reach and that the viability of the branch’s retail business, which provided a critical service for the community, would be threatened. In Hawkshurst, further review during consultation demonstrated the difficulties that customers would face reaching an alternative branch further from the main shopping area of the village.

Additionally, as a result of the information provided during the six week public consultation process, improvements will be made to 18 branches in Kent to improve accessibility, particularly for customers with disabilities, or to increase capacity by providing additional counter positions.

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UPU seeks support for express money order

Posted by | Dec 6, 2007 | |

Universal Postal Union (UPU) is mustering the support of regional postal organisations for its International Express Money Order service which is designed to provide speedy electronic money transfer through the postal network backed by the UPU-developed IFS (international financial services) software.

Gulf postal organisations were introduced to the new service at a workshop held recently in Dubai under the chairmanship of Emirates Post. The participating countries included the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia and Djibouti.

Speaking on the occasion, Henri Biadala, head of the working group on IFS, La Poste, said the new product was part of UPU’s efforts to eliminate paper-based remittances and grab a larger share of the remittance market by providing affordable money transfer through the postal network.

“This workshop is part of a series of regional workshops initiated by UPU to familiarise all stake holders with the IFS-based International Express Money Order,” said Biadala.

“IFS is a reliable, adaptable and easy-to-use tool and can be installed in the remotest areas of the world. The pilot projects have already been successfully carried out in many countries.”

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Post PNG-CPL JV offers health, postal services

Posted by | Dec 6, 2007 | |

Post PNG and City Pharmacy Ltd have formed a venture to provide postal and health services in areas without access to full pharmaceutical outlets.

The Post PNG management is spearheading this initiative. Also, a number of the venture’s branches will house a new ANZ branch to offer deposit and withdrawal facilities to local residents.

Each outlet, which will be managed by a senior pharmacist, will provide health and postal services.

After completion of renovations, customers will be treated to a modern, comfortable and convenient shopping environment.

Two pilot projects are underway – the Bialla branch which is to open before Christmas and the Maprik branch which will start business in the New Year.

These new outlets were hoped to save the people of Bialia and Maprik the trouble of spending time and money travelling to major centres for their pharmaceutical and banking needs.

Eighteen new outlets will be set up nationwide by next year.

Post PNG and City Pharmacy also planned to open 18 additional new pharmacies and a number of new ANZ branches in areas where these services are not fully available.

This new venture was hoped to improve the quality of life of the rural people.

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Postcomm proposals aim to simplify Royal Mail's compensationschemes

Posted by | Dec 6, 2007 | |

Postcomm has outlined proposed changes to Royal Mail’s compensation schemes for lost, damaged and delayed mail to make them fairer and more suited to customer needs.

The regulator has conducted a public consultation and worked closely with Royal Mail and Postwatch to address concerns about the complexity of Royal Mail’s current compensation schemes for retail customers and some inconsistency in how they are applied.

Following this review, Postcomm is proposing to remove bulk mail from a regulated compensation scheme for delay. Competition for bulk mail customers has developed to a point where the regulator is proposing that it is more appropriate to move towards a market driven option allowing the growth of schemes which reflect the differing needs of large mailers.

Royal Mail’s retail customers should face less difficulty in pursuing their claims because, for retail mail that has been lost, damaged or delayed, the proposals aim to simplify and align:

* the processes for making a claim;
* the evidence required to support a claim; and
* the compensation payments themselves.

Read More

China hosts international meeting on UPU strategy

Posted by | Dec 5, 2007 | |

An international meeting on the Nairobi Postal Strategy is taking the 4th and 5th December in Guangzhou (China). The meeting ends a cycle of seven regional round tables held over the past few months to gather the views of UPU member countries on the future sector strategy.

The first round table was held in Moscow (Russia) last June and the last one in New Delhi (India) last week. Through this consultative process, some 400 participants and over 170 countries have been able to put forward their views on the future strategy.

This strategy, based on the three dimensions of the sector, contains four objectives: improved interoperability, promotion of sustainable postal sector development, stimulation of the universal postal service, and promotion of market and postal service growth.

For Pascal Clivaz, Director of Finance and Strategic Planning at the International Bureau, “one of the most important lessons of the round tables has been to find out that objectives are similar throughout the world, although the order of priority is not the same”.

The strategy will be implemented through the regional development plans prepared by the International Bureau for the UPU’s main geographical regions and should make it possible to strengthen the postal sector as an essential element of the world economy.

The UPU’s four-year roadmap will be submitted to the Postal Operations Council and Council of Administration in January and February 2008. It will then be presented for adoption by member countries at the Nairobi Congress.

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Air Contractors bags French post

Posted by | Dec 5, 2007 | |

AIR Contractors has acquired French postal provider Europe Airpost.

Exclusive negotiations were completed on 30 November between Air Contractors and La Poste.

A number of formalities, including the privatisation approval of EAP will now follow. These are expected to be completed by early February 2008.

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