Tag: Royal Mail

The UPU publishes its world postal statistics for 2006

Posted by | Dec 10, 2007 | |

Letter volumes are stabilizing, the growth in parcel volumes is continuing, and postal revenue is sharply up: these are the three major trends highlighted in the worldwide postal statistics for 2006, published today by the Universal Postal Union.
Since 1875, the UPU has gathered statistics from the operators designated by UPU members around the world to provide the universal postal service. Of the 191 UPU member countries, 163 responded to the 2006 questionnaire. The figures are therefore based on information provided by participating Posts and UPU estimates.

With a total of 433 billion mail items, domestic letter-post traffic was slightly up compared to 2005, returning to the same level as in 2000. The strongest growth was in Africa (+2.1 pct), while the Arab countries saw the biggest drop (-2.5pct). Generally speaking, advertising items had a positive impact on mail volumes, which have faced heavy competition from electronic communications over the past few years.

Volumes of international letter post (5.5 billion items) were down 2pct overall, though there was wide regional variation, with volumes up 8.1pct in the Caribbean, and down a full 15 pct in Africa.

With a total of 6.235 billion items in the domestic and international services combined, parcels traffic was up 4.8 pct compared to 2005.

The biggest rise in domestic parcels traffic was seen in Africa (+11.7). For the international service, it was Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) which saw the biggest increase (+21.4pct). The delivery of merchandise ordered via the Internet is thought to be one of the growth factors.

With a total of 204.8 billion SDR* (equivalent to 308.1 billion USD), worldwide postal revenue was up 13pct compared to 2005. This growth was shared by three-quarters of UPU member countries. Letter post still generates more than half (52.3pct) of operating revenue, but this figure was 7.7pct lower than in 2005. Meanwhile, revenue generated by parcels and logistics services rose by 6pct to contribute 27pct of global revenue. Financial products accounted for 14pct of revenue.

*SDR = Special Drawing Right, the UPU’s official unit of account. At 31 December 2006,
1 SDR was worth 1.5044 USD.

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Royal Mail set to deliver a record 120 million items ordered online (UK)

Posted by | Dec 9, 2007 | |

Online retailers are set to enjoy a bumper Christmas this year as Royal Mail predicts it will deliver a record 120 million items ordered online this festive season – double the number handled just three years ago.

The UK’s 27 million online shoppers are expected to spend GBP 15 billion online in the run up to Christmas, up 60 per cent on last year, according to industry body IMRG.

Royal Mail has been working with internet retailers to plan for the online rush for Christmas presents and to ensure it delivers a high level of service.

And to help online stores offer the best service possible, Royal Mail recently launched two new services to improve the delivery experience for shoppers. Royal Mail Tracked enables retailers to provide their customers with a tracking number when the goods ordered are dispatched so that the shopper can track the progress of the delivery themselves. And the Safeplace service also gives shoppers the opportunity to specify a safe, alternative delivery point, such as a shed, porch or neighbour, should they not be at home to receive the item.

Royal Mail’s Home Shopping Tracker Study 2007 revealed that the average online shopper now purchases over 27 times a year, spending GBP 1,221. But the role of catalogues in the virtual world is a strong as ever, and shoppers who browse them before making purchases online spend GBP 1,526 a year – 25 per cent more than those who don’t.

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Royal Mail ‘Address Detectives’ prepare for festive postcode challenge

Posted by | Dec 7, 2007 | |

Royal Mail today urged people to postcode their festive greetings as 5,400 “address detectives” face up to the challenge of helping 400 million poorly addressed and written cards to their destination this Christmas,

Millions of people are expected to sit down this weekend to start writing their Christmas cards to friends and family,

Royal Mail expects to deliver more than two billion items over the festive period but estimates 400 million cards and letters will not be able to be read by its automated sorting machinery either because the postcode has not been included, the item has been poorly addressed or the handwriting style is difficult to read.

Nearly 4,200 “address detectives” have been recruited for the festive season to support the 1,200-strong team who will decipher the addresses of items that cannot be read automatically so that the letters can still be processed by the sorting machinery rather than by hand.

Alex Batchelor, Royal Mail’s Marketing Director, said: “Mail volumes almost double on peak days in December and it is important that people properly address their Christmas cards and use the postcode. Letters and cards that have clearly written addresses and a postcode can be read by our machines and handled 20 times faster than by hand.

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Royal Mail Retail Compensation to Receive Overhaul

Posted by | Dec 6, 2007 | |

After a public consultation and a close look at Royal Mail’s compensation scheme, Postcomm is proposing changes to the way in which compensation claims are dealt with. The idea is to simplify the process and make it fairer.

Postcomm was concerned that there were inconsistencies in the way in which claims for retail customers were processed and with guidance from Postwatch, a new scheme is being proposed.

Retail customers should, say Postcomm, face less difficulty for claims where post has been lost, damaged or delayed with changes to:

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

Nigel Stapleton, Chairman of Postcomm said: “Royal Mail’s compensation schemes for their retail customers have developed over many years and have become difficult for customers to understand. Recognising this, Postcomm has worked closely with Royal Mail and Postwatch to try and find ways to cut through the complexity and make sure mail customers have access to a clear, fair and user-friendly compensation system.”

“Postcomm is committed to remove prescriptive regulation where possible and the development of competition for the business of the largest mailers means we are proposing to do so by withdrawing the regulated bulk mail compensation scheme from April 2009 in favour of solutions based on individual customer need.

“While the overall volume of lost, damaged and delayed post is very small in the context of the total amount of mail carried by Royal Mail, every item is valued by customers and they should be properly compensated when there are such problems.”

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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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