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Keeping you up to date
News from Royal Mail
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Service Updates for customers
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Royal Mail: Strike action
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Royal Mail Statement
Royal Mail’s Managing Director, Mark Higson, said today: “In the first week of October, Royal Mail will have successfully completed the major efficiency changes planned for 2009, both nationally and in London, under the 2007 Pay and Modernisation Agreement.
“This level of change is higher than has been implemented in any previous year and has been essential as a response to the accelerating decline in the number of letters – down around 10% against last year.
“The changes include the introduction of more flexible working as we respond to the changing marketplace and ensuring people work the hours for which they are paid, using the tools for the job such as new automated sorting equipment and handheld tracking devices. Taken together, this means that over 85% of mail is now walk sorted with Royal Mail on track to complete its modernisation plans, of which these changes mark the latest phase.
“As always, the company will be focusing on delivering excellent customer service over the vitally important run-up to Christmas when letter numbers reach their seasonal peak. Royal Mail calls on the CWU to abandon its unjustified strikes and to help the business deliver the service our customers deserve.
“We also again invite the union to re-engage with our agreed industrial relations framework at national and local level. We again urge the union leadership to continue talks with us about building a strong future for our business as we build on these changes and further modernise and improve efficiency through 2010 and beyond – in line with our transformation plan and the Pay and Modernisation Agreement.”
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Young Letter Writers Competition
Royal Mail’s letter writing competition for children aged 7-11 asks your students to write to ‘My First Class Hero’.
The hero can be real, fictional or imaginary – a soldier in Afghanistan, Rebecca Adlington, Usain Bolt, Hannah Montana, JK Rowling, Cheryl Cole, Nelson Mandela, a friend, family member or even a pet.
We are looking for imaginative and creative letters with a purpose, that tell us why he or she is their hero.
Entries will be judged in two age categories 7-9 and 10-11. We will also have a third ‘special achievement’ category.
The closing date is the 27th November 2009
Find out more about the Young Letter Writers Competition
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Christmas recruitment has now commenced
Royal Mail delivers to every address in the UK and we're going to be busy over the festive Christmas period. We'll be sorting more than 130 million items each day, nearly double the normal amount, and we need help from extra people.
This December we will:
• Employ around 17,500 additional staff
• Have vacancies across the country
• Have a variety of shifts at most locations
Would you like to help? If so, you can search and apply for a range of seasonal jobs in your area, all offering competitive rates of pay.
Applying on-line is quick and easy, and your application is important to us. Once we've received it, we'll invite you to select a registration session and come along for a face-to-face discussion, where you'll have the opportunity to explore your options.
For further information on how to apply for a Christmas casual vacancy or if you are having problems applying, please see our Christmas Recruitment FAQs
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Royal Mail announces successful launch of Sustainable Mail™
More than 60 customers have signed up to Royal Mail's Sustainable Mail™ service since it was unveiled in April this year.
Organisations including BHS, EDF Energy, Standard Life Healthcare, Hotel Chocolat, National Grid, Oxfam, NS&I and Black Horse Personal Finance have all signed up to the new bulk mail service, which offers a lower price tariff for direct mail that meets environmental standards.
More than 30 million pieces of direct mail have now being delivered through the Sustainable Mail™ service, which encourages responsible behaviour by offering a lower price tariff for direct mail that meets newly developed environmental standards.
Sustainable Mail™ is priced up to 4.7% lower than standard Mailsort® prices* and will be available to companies that meet criteria based on three key environmental needs – improved sustainability, minimised waste and increased recyclability.
Matthew Neilson, Head of Environmental Solutions at Royal Mail, said: “There has been tremendous interest in Sustainable Mail™ and we are delighted that so many brands have signed up to the service. The organisations involved have met our strict criteria, and we are sure they will be joined by many others willing to take advantage of this product and work with us to reduce waste and improving production."
*Sustainable Mail™ will be available on all variants of Mailsort®, except for Mailsort® Light, and for letters and large letters only.
The full Sustainable Mail™ specification is available at www.royalmail.com/sustainablemail
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Advertisers miss a trick with 16 to 24 year olds
Companies that fail to target 16 to 24 year olds through the post could be missing out on valuable sales, according to research and exclusive video diaries on www.mmc.co.uk. The site is Royal Mail’s new industry resource to provide intelligence, inspiration and innovation for marketers and help them make the most of direct mail.
The majority of this young demographic receives less than one piece of branded direct mail through the post a week, yet research shows that 90% open all their post and the age group is the most responsive to such campaigns, with 71% having acted on the mail they have received.
And an exclusive video diary giving valuable insight into how this audience treats the mail that lands through their letterbox is available on www.mmc.co.uk.
Traditionally, 16-24 year olds are considered to be strongly influenced by digital media but the survey, by BMRB (TGI), revealed that high mail media responders within this age group were 31% more open to trialling new brands than high internet users within this group.
Additionally, mail was found to be the most effective channel amongst 16-24 year olds to generate word of mouth activity. Outdoor followed by newspapers were the next most effective media at driving WOM. High DM responders in this group are also 19% more likely than average to be active and impulsive consumers. Full details of the research can be found on the site.
Antony Miller, Head of Media Development at Royal Mail, said: “The research clearly shows that advertisers are missing a trick with this valuable audience as they currently have low exposure to the channel but are also high respondents. There is a wealth of opportunity here for brands wanting to target this hard to reach and media savvy audience in a way that really appeals and engages.”
The video diaries on www.mmc.co.uk, created by Quadrangle, can be accessed directly
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Clear Prospects™, the new data solution for SMEs
A new online data tool for SMEs has been launched by Royal Mail. Clear Prospects™, an easy-to-use online service, enables companies to grow their business by enhancing and expanding their customer database.
Clear Prospects™ - available at www.royalmail.com/clearprospects gives SMEs the ability to increase the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns by cleansing and enhancing existing customer data. In addition, SMEs can also use Clear Prospects™ to purchase new suitable records.
A typical database of 5,000 records can be enhanced and prepared for a mailout in just 15 minutes – by correctly formatting addresses, identifying duplicates and cleaning against suppression files. Additional data is available to purchase for as little as 5p per consumer or 11p per business record.
To get SMEs started, businesses that register for Clear Prospects™ will receive a free data audit, and can also purchase two records for the price of one until August 31st on a minimum order of £10.
Clear ProspectsTM has been developed in conjunction with UKChanges, the latest company to join Royal Mail’s expert data supplier framework. Launched in January 2008, the framework brings together specialist companies to deliver a portfolio of data services to help companies improve their direct communications.
Keith Jones, Head of Data Strategy at Royal Mail, said: “Direct mail is an extremely powerful channel to retain and recruit customers, and underpin business growth. Solutions such as Clear ProspectsTM simplify and speed up the campaign process.”
Find out more about the benefits of Clear Prospects and register for a free data audit at www.royalmail.com/clearprospects.
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Royal Mail hits First and Second Class mail targets
Royal Mail has announced that the targets for First and Second Class mail - alongside those for business bulk mail - have been met in the financial year ending March 2009. The news was released in Royal Mail’s recently-published annual customer quality of service report.
The report showed that 93.0% of First Class mail arrived the day after posting and 98.5% of Second Class mail arrived within three working days of posting, with the result that both services were precisely on target. In addition, there was a target-beating performance for Standard parcels and European International mail over the last year.
Mark Higson, Managing Director of Royal Mail Letters said: “I’m proud of the performance of Royal Mail’s postmen and women. The quality service to customers last financial year came as we made significant progress modernising the company ... we are determined to keep delivering the best possible service as we continue transforming Royal Mail to ensure it competes successfully in an open competitive market.”
View the latest quality of service report.
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Improved Track & Trace capability from the Post Office
Royal Mail has introduced improved tracking capability for some of its tracked and signature services such as Special Delivery and Airsure with an extra track at the beginning of your purchase at a Post Office Counter. Up to now the first 'visible' track or scan has been deployed when items reach our Mail Centres, we are now scanning all such letters and packages on acceptance over the counter at Post Office branches. You now get greater peace of mind from the extra and earlier tracking.
You can track the progress of your item by going to www.royalmail.com/trackandtrace
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Success stories leading the way in nationwide campaign to help small businesses grow
One hundred of the UK’s brightest success stories – including a mix of booming small businesses, outstanding organisations and other bodies – are sharing tips for success with other companies and organisations as part of a Royal Mail initiative to help UK firms thrive.
The 100 leading lights from around the UK are being enlisted to share their stories and provide advice through a new online service developed by Royal Mail to create tailored growth packs.
A specially designed microsite asks businesses and organisations to fill in a short questionnaire and analyses the information to create the free growth packs, which contain advice, product recommendations and inspiring case studies from other companies of a similar size and sector to theirs. Advice provided ranges from information on finding new customers and keeping existing ones as well as ways of saving time and money.
The online service – available at www.royalmail.com/growth - is part of Royal Mail’s nationwide ‘Partner for Growth’ campaign, celebrating success and supporting growth among the UK’s 4.4 million small and medium sized businesses.
The growth packs and in-depth case studies provide recommendations to others and outline some of the challenges the top 100 trailblazers have faced as well as their tips for success.
Sam Remer, Managing Director of ilovejeans.com, one of the organisations signed up to the campaign, said: “Ilovejeans.com has benefited enormously from the right advice given to us at the right time. In the last three years, we’ve experienced rapid growth, now selling 200 pairs of jeans a month, with an average order value of £100. “By being part of this campaign, we and others taking part can share the benefits of our collective experience with other entrepreneurs, and hopefully support others in meeting their growth plans.”
The year-long Royal Mail campaign aims to offer continued support and practical guidance to the businessmen and women who are the lifeblood of the UK economy. So far almost 15,000 businesses have created tailored growth packs.
Tim Rivett, Royal Mail’s Head of Small Business, said: "This exciting new campaign will help us reach out to our business customers. Whatever sector or field they operate in, Royal Mail can be a vital part of their success. This initiative showcases the great number of ways our services can help them improve the quality, cost and reputation of their operations.
“Whatever an organisation’s size, ambitions or objectives, we want to work closely with them and forge long-lasting and dynamic partnerships.”
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International incident bulletin
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