Tag: Royal Mail

Royal Mail helps trace dormant account holders

Posted by | Apr 12, 2007 | |

Royal Mail has developed a solution to help banks and building societies proactively trace dormant account holders using more than 16 million records from its database of home movers.

Using data compiled from its Mail Redirection service over the past 16 years, Royal Mail has tested its dormant account tracing service with a number of financial companies, with a success rate of up to 60 per cent.

The Commission of Unclaimed Assets’ yesterday launched a comprehensive campaign to reunite owners of dormant accounts with their money. This follows the Economic Secretary’s proposal to release unclaimed capital from dormant accounts to a newly created social Investment Bank charged with stepping up the fight against poverty and social exclusion. There is currently an estimated GBP 15 billion in dormant accounts across the UK.

“Tracing lost customers isn’t just an opportunity for financial organisations to demonstrate that they are acting fairly and responsibly towards their customers, it also represents a business opportunity. It will give banks and building societies the opportunity to re-establish contact with customers and encourage them to reinvest the dormant funds or consider other products. The ‘feel good’ factor of reuniting a customer with money they may not be aware of has the potential to improve customer relationships with their financial providers.”

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50,000 mail jobs 'set to be axed'

Posted by | Apr 11, 2007 | |

UP to 50,000 postal workers could lose their jobs in the biggest cuts in the history of the Royal Mail.

Almost a third of staff in the letters division could be hit, under plans to modernise the ailing business.

The cuts would be on top of 35,000 jobs which have gone through redundancies over the past five years.

This news comes as talks continue between union leaders and management over demands for a 27 per cent pay rise for working a shorter week. Royal Mail claim it would cost about GBP1billion, money it says it has not got.

An announcement is due next week.

There are reports that up to 30 per cent of full-time staff in the letters division could lose their jobs. With 160,000 people employed on Royal Mail letters, that would mean 48,000 cuts.

Royal Mail dismissed the reports last night, describing them as “speculation”. But they come at a worrying time for the postal giant, which has been forced to make major changes. Opening up the postal market to full competition, at the beginning of the year, has brought a sudden influx of foreign operators.

The new entrants have targeted the business customers who make up the vast majority of Royal Mail’s profits. Money made from bulk mail is used to subsidise the loss-making letters division.

Royal Mail announced an 86 per cent collapse in half-year profits in February, down from GBP159million to GBP22million.

The company loses GBP4million a week on its creaking network of post offices: for every stamped letter, it loses about 6p. Bosses say they have been forced to announce emergency plans to close the final-salary pension scheme to new entrants.

The Government has now stepped in to prop up Royal Mail finances, with a five-year, GBP1.7billion restructuring programme.

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Royal Mail reports on postal samples' success

Posted by | Apr 11, 2007 | |

In 2006, 69% of consumers in the UK used a free sample that they received through the mail, and a further 37.6% redeemed a money-off voucher or coupon, according to a report published by the Royal Mail. This equates to more than 31.1 million free samples or money-off vouchers mailed by stores and brands that were used by consumers. A further 15% of consumers who received vouchers or samples requested more information, while an additional 36% at least read or examined the vouchers or samples before disposing of them. According to Bill Jenkinson, market development manager for Royal Mail, “This shows that free samples are appreciated by consumers and are very effective at driving product trial. Consumers also respond positively to money-off vouchers, whether by redeeming them or requesting more information.” The report, conducted by TNS for Royal Mail, interviewed a sample of 2,500 consumers that were representative of the country’s population.

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Prepare for turmoil in Royal Mail

Posted by | Apr 10, 2007 | |

Confrontation in Royal Mail is virtually guaranteed as the public sector pay curbs dictated by the government are combining with bosses’ determination to cut costs in order to compete against TNT and other private mail operators.

Across the public sector chancellor Gordon Brown has told workers they will get only a 2 percent rise. Postal workers are facing even worse.

As Socialist Worker went to press the pay offer remained “closed” – a secret between bosses and union leaders. Details were expected to be released this week, but there are already plenty of indications about what Royal Mail want.

According to leaks seen by Socialist Worker, there will be no (or a very low) basic pay rise. In order to get a lump sum of a few hundred pounds, workers will have to assist in plans to save around GBP 350 million in operating costs.

Over 20 conditions must be met to reach this 90-day business plan target.
Bosses also want the pension age to rise to 65.

Royal Mail has told CWU union officials that it is going to implement savings whether the union likes it or not.

Meanwhile the Daily Express reports that up to 50,000 postal workers could lose their jobs in the biggest cuts in the history of the Royal Mail.

Almost a third of staff in the letters division could be hit, on top of 35,000 jobs which have gone through redundancies over the past five years.

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GLS changes product names in France

Posted by | Apr 5, 2007 | |

GLS has changed the names of its products and services in France to bring them in line with the standard offers in 12 other countries on the continent.

The group has harmonised the names of its products across Europe in the English language and this will clarify its offers to clients, chief executive Rico Back said.

Next-day delivery of its Business-Parcel is available till 18.00 in France. Express-Parcel is delivered the second day (J+1) before 13.00, while Euro-Business-Parcel (formerly Euro Pass) is for rapid shipment throughout GLS’ 35-country network.

New services include: Pick&Ship, where parcels are picked up from destinations other than the client’s usual one; AddOnInsurance, for extra insurance cover of parcels; and DocumentReturn, allowing the return of documents in exchange for delivery of a parcel.

InNight-Parcel, InNight-SmallParcel and InNight-Solution provide urgent delivery, respectively, of packages up to 30kg, envelopes and parcels up to 2kg, and high security mail and documents, such as those between banks.

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