Tag: Royal Mail

Postwatch Warns Of Turbulent Times Ahead For UK Postal Industry

Posted by | Sep 25, 2008 | |

Postwatch, the UK watchdog for postal services, is to be disbanded, the majority of staff being made redundant. In just six days time, the work of postwatch is to be scaled-down and merged with energy watch and the National Consumer Council to form ‘Consumer Focus’.

Chair of Postwatch, Millie Banerjee, has written to Pat McFadden, the Minister responsible for the postal industry, giving her views on the challenging and turbulent times faced by the key players in the UK postal industry but was only cautiously optimistic that with the loss of regional representation, customers would be adequately supported and that there were likely to be “interesting and turbulent times ahead”.

Alongside the letter was a copy of Postwatch’s final publication, ‘Post, present and future’. The book gives a brief account of the postal scene as seen from Postwatch during its seven years of operation and some thoughts on the future and the challenges ahead. In her forward to the book, Millie listed the issues (the pension fund deficit, the cost of providing the universal postal service, declining mail volumes, poor industrial relations and the need for support for the post office network) that have come to dominate the postal sector.

She said she hoped that the forthcoming review of postal services would lead to speedy and positive action from the industry and the Government but from October 1st, championing the cause of postal customers would be shared among a number of organisations, notably Consumer Focus, Consumer Direct, Royal Mail, Post Office Limited and Postcomm.

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Businesses worried by Royal Mail changes

Posted by | Sep 23, 2008 | |

Small businesses are being hit financially after the morning collection was abandoned by Royal Mail, a situation that could get worse when more Post Office branches close, the Forum of Private Business (FPB) has said.

A Post Office spokeswomen said that the developments are “the way it is” after a network change carried out by Royal Mail.

Director of financial services company Gaia Partnership Brigid Benson claimed that errors are no more commonplace since the changes were implemented.

A spokesman at Postwatch, the watchdog, in turn suggested that the current Post Office network is “unsustainable” in its existing guise.

Because the “long-term” future of the system has to be strengthened, managed change is the correct idea, he added.

He also asserted that customers are encouraged to give feedback before any alterations are made.

The National Federation of Retail Newsagents has this week said that retail outlets with sub post offices facing closure should look at other ways to generate income.

Citing a report carried out by the government, the FPB added that smaller firms have not benefited from Post Office restructuring.

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Catalogues are a hit with ‘Tech Generation’ of younger shoppers (UK)

Posted by | Sep 22, 2008 | |

Almost two thirds of young consumers use a catalogue to shop, new Royal Mail research revealed.

Royal Mail’s Home Shopping Tracker Study 2008 revealed that 54 per cent of all adults use catalogues, either for buying directly or helping them with online or in store purchases. But for the 16 to 34-year-old age group this figure is even greater at 62 per cent – demonstrating that the ‘tech generation’ of young shoppers is embracing catalogues in the greatest numbers.

The annual study also revealed that the 37 per cent of shoppers who consulted a catalogue before making purchases online in the past year spent 13 per cent more than those who did not. Online shoppers spent GBP 1,502 on average but the figure rose to GBP 1,694 for those who used catalogues first.

The research also revealed:
• 62 per cent of consumers now shop from home – the highest ever recorded level, representing a 35 per cent growth since 2005
• Online shopping grew by 13 per cent in the last year with 44 per cent of adults now shopping via the web
• 98 per cent of consumers are highly satisfied with online shopping, with convenience being the key driver for 69 per cent, ahead of price, which was singled out by 33 per cent of online shoppers
• 71 per cent of home shoppers and over half (56 per cent) of non home shoppers like to receive catalogues, most preferring to get them through the post
• One in three non home shoppers browse a catalogue for at least one store purchase
• 75 per cent of home shoppers keep catalogues as a reference source for prices, browsing and ideas – and two fifths keep catalogues for over four months
• 85 per cent of home shoppers say that they recycle their catalogues

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Search begins for successor to Royal Mail chief (UK)

Posted by | Sep 22, 2008 | |

The government has begun a search for a successor to Allan Leighton, the Chairman of the Royal Mail, who will step down from his post after seven years when his term expires next March.

Mr Leighton, Royal Mail’s longest-serving Chairman, took up the position at the state-owned group in March 2002, having joined the organisation as a non-executive director in 2001.

Mr Leighton believes the group is now in a strong position to recruit a new Chairman. Significantly, the Hooper Report on the future of the postal services market, by Richard Hooper, the former telecoms regulator, is due to be published next month. The report will examine the degree to which private capital should be involved in the service.

The government extended Mr Leighton’s tenure last year, ending a search for his successor after a number of unsuccessful approaches to several businessmen, including Sir Philip Hampton, the Chairman of J Sainsbury.

Industry sources said Mr Leighton, who has a reputation as a turnaround specialist, is likely to want to do one more “big job”. They said he had already fielded some offers.

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Gavin Macrae appointed Director of Market Development (UK)

Posted by | Sep 19, 2008 | |

Gavin Macrae has been appointed Director of Market Development at Postcomm, the postal services regulator. He will report to the newly appointed Chief Executive, Tim Brown.

Gavin joins us from Royal Mail Letters where he was Director of Product Marketing. He has more than 22 years experience of working in a variety of operational and commercial roles within Royal Mail Group, including leading on new product development and innovation.

Mr Macrae joins Postcomm on 20 October 2008.

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