Postcomm's latest post office network annual report. L13975
Postcomm’s latest post office network annual report
Read MoreTag: UK
Greater focus needed on creating a sustainable and viable post office network for the future
On 8th October 2007 Postcomm published latest post office network annual report.
Postcomm, the independent regulator for postal services, has called on the Government and Post Office Ltd to ensure that the sustainability of a viable post office network is their top priority once the current closure programme is completed.
Postcomm does not regulate post offices but it does monitor and research developments in the network and provides independent advice to the Government. This is in the form of an annual report which is published today – entitled “A sustainable customer focussed network” – along with supporting research on “Access to postal services”.
Among its recommendations, the regulator has identified that the network will need:
a clear vision and a combination of commercial products and services that can attract and retain new customers – for example, Post Office Ltd has run trials with Argos, where customers were able to collect online purchases from their local post office, and is working on other propositions;
more links with commercial partners who recognise and can benefit from Post Office Ltd’s brand strength – for example, its joint venture with Bank of Ireland to sell financial services which is attracting 50,000 new customers every month;
stronger links with communities to identify ways in which they can work with Post Office Ltd and the Government to help sustain the provision of local postal services.
Private rivals urged to save post offices in the UK
The UK’s postal regulator, PostComm, will this week call on private businesses competing with the Royal Mail to help sustain the country’s flagging post offices.
In its annual report, PostComm will urge private postal operators such as UPS and DHL to strike a deal with the Post Office to use its branches as holding areas for undelivered mail.
Currently, if members of the public are not at home to sign for their privately delivered parcels or registered letters they are returned to company depots which are often situated far from the delivery address.
Private delivery staff sometimes have to visit a property up to three times before the mail is delivered or customers are required to collect it themselves, often at premises far from their homes.
PostComm will suggest that private companies could make an arrangement with the Post Office for undelivered mail to be held at branches close to the customer’s home. This, it will argue, would save both time and money for the private companies and generate extra business for the struggling Post Office network.
A spokesman for PostComm declined to expand on the plans. However, he did confirm that the regulator will be recommending a number of ways in which the Post Office can make money from the numerous private rivals that have come onto the market since the postal service was opened up to full competition last year.
Read MoreRoyal Mail claims UK postal strike is flagging as rivals target business
The Royal Mail claimed that support for the controversial postal strike was “weakening” yesterday as talks between the two sides aimed at bringing an end to the disruption continued.
The Royal Mail, in its statement, maintained that “50 per cent more people” were working compared with previous strike days.
It said: “Attendance at strikes across the country varied hugely with up to 90 per cent of our people working as normal in some offices and with about 35,000 people coming to work as usual during the first 24-hour period of action. This is around a third of people due to be at work. We expect this level to rise over the next few days.” The Royal Mail said “the high level of attendance” meant it was continuing to process mail and that deliveries were taking place across the country, although at reduced levels.
The two-day strike – over a 2.5 per cent pay offer, job cuts, changes to working practices and plans to change the company’s generous final-salary pension scheme – was called by the 130,000-strong Communications Workers’ Union and started on Thursday. A second stoppage planned for Monday means the dispute will paralyse deliveries for a week.
A CWU spokeswoman said: “We are not at all concerned by Royal Mail putting that out. It is always possible to find offices where more people have turned up, but we know we have the overwhelming support of our members.”
The spokeswoman said in response to criticism that the strike will damage the postal industry: “We are very concerned about the future of Royal Mail, which is why we found ourselves in this position. We don’t feel that the business is addressing the problem of competition effectively and we are incredibly keen to have an agreement. That is why we are still in negotiations.”
Read More2007 Business Customer Review. L13977
2007 Business Customer Review. L13978
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