Tag: Standard Mail

Postal chief lifts hopes by ruling out price hikes

Posted by | Sep 12, 2008 | |

Hong Kong Post has no plans to increase charges.

Postmaster General Tam Wing-pong made the promise while reporting last year’s total postal volume increased 6percent, netting a profit of about HKD 400 million.

The registered airmail service recorded the highest increase – 21 percent.

But Tam estimated that both figures would shrink, though not significantly, in the coming year given economic fluctuations and fierce competition.

With soaring oil prices and international calls to increase terminal dues, Tam said there is pressure to raise postal charges, and warned that the HKD 470 million 2006-07 profit would shrink to HKD 400 million for the next period.

Tam added that Hong Kong Post will develop other revenue streams such as e-commerce.

To maintain postal volume, Hongkong Post will spend about HKD 2 million on a one-stop e-commerce platform in November when customers may buy products from recognized retailers, with the department providing postal services such as logistics and mail delivery.

Tam hopes to attract customers from all over the world to services and products that will be retailed by small and medium-sized enterprises.

Hongkong Post will also try out automatic mailing machines in certain post offices.

Hongkong Post this year distributed 31 million promotion leaflets on the Legislative Council election.

1 USD = 7.78095 HKD

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Royal Mail pays GBP 12 million in compensation (UK)

Posted by | Sep 4, 2008 | |

The company paid a total of more than GBP 12 million last year for customer complaints ranging from loss and delay or letters to rudeness from staff.

Customers made 1,439,245 complaints last year and in total 555,416 of them received compensation.

Stephen Alambritis, of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Ninety per cent of small businesses rely on the Royal Mail. If goods are delivered in a poor state, or do not arrive at all this rebounds on the business.”

A spokesman for the company said: “The complaints equate to about one for every 15,000 letters and packets posted out of the 20 billion items Royal Mail handled last year.

“They covered a range of issues in a year when there was a prolonged period of industrial action, but quality of service has since improved with the large bulk of mail now being delivered at target levels or above.”

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Postal costs to rise – Australia Post

Posted by | Aug 31, 2008 | |

Despite an AUD 562 million profit last year, Australia Post will put up postal charges from next month.

The cost of posting a standard letter will rise to 55c from September 15, a 10 per cent rise.

But Australia Post argues it is the first for five years and is justified because of rising costs.

The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission has approved several increases including a 10c rise for large letters and greeting cards to AUD 1 and barcoded letters up from 95c to AUD 1.08.

Pensioners are not happy.

“It may be only a small rise, but it’s still 10 per cent after all,” said Charmaine Crowe, policy co-ordinator of the Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association.

“Older people do use email, but . . . if they cannot afford a home computer then a large number still rely on sending letters.”

She said it strengthened the case for a rise in pension payments.

1 USD = 1.07044 CAD

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Royal Mail quality of service report shows large majority of mail hitting or beating target (UK)

Posted by | Aug 29, 2008 | |

Royal Mail’s quality of service report for the spring quarter of 2008 shows more than 90 pct of all mail hitting or exceeding target.

Mailsort and Presstream bulk mail services beat their targets along with First and Second Class PPI (Postage Paid Impression) mail and Standard parcels. The report showed 91.9 pct of stamped First Class Mail arrived the day after posting – against a target of 93.0 pct – while 98.7 pct of Second Class mail arrived within three working days, ahead of the 98.5 pct target.

The report published covers the first three months of the 2008-09 financial year but the most recent figures covering July show that First Class stamped mail is again beating its 93.0 pct target level.

Ninian Wilson, Royal Mail’s Operations Director, said: “Royal Mail’s postmen and women put a huge effort into getting First Class stamped mail back above target level and the latest results show their hard work has paid off but we will not relax and are determined to keep delivering the best possible service to all our customers.”

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Secured Mail to Get GBP 1.6m Investment

Posted by | Aug 14, 2008 | |

UK postal operator Secured Mail, is set to expand after securing a GBP 1.6m investment from Manchester-based Aquarius Equity Partners.

Secured Mail, one of 22 licenced postal operators in the UK, operates a fleet of vehicles and has a well established client base. According to MD Mark Bigley, the investment will give Secured Mail a much-needed boost for growth and enable the business to become an even bigger player in the postal industry.

Steve Sealey at Aquarius said Secured Mail was just the business model it was looking for and that it was an ideal investment in an emerging market.

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