Households may accept fewer postal deliveries

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Households may accept fewer postal deliveries for longer opening hours, says Consumer Focus

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Households may be willing to accept a reduced number of postal deliveries, including the end to next day delivery, in return for Post Offices and sorting offices remaining open later, research has found.

People would also expect Post Offices to open in more convenient locations to make picking up signed-for packages and letters easier, which would help to make up for the number of branches that have closed.

The findings are contained in research by Consumer Focus into how the postal service should change in the digital age where the “use of mobile phones and the internet replaces letter-writing”.

Consumer Focus, which carried out 28 focus groups across Britain, said that in the future people “will use the postal service in a different way”.

Its research found that there has been a shift from people sending letters to people receiving parcels due to the rise of online shopping.

The group said that households are “prepared to see the removal of the distinction between first and second class post as they see little meaningful difference” between the two.

This means that people could be willing to accept the end of next-day delivery. Consumer Focus said that households appear prepared to accept reduced deliveries during the week, while businesses would be prepared to lose Saturday deliveries.

It said: "Although expected to decline, the majority of residential customers want to see the collection and delivery of letters continue under the Royal Mail structure and subject to regulation and monitoring.

"They accept, however, that six day delivery and collection might not be sustainable and therefore settle on a compromise of a three or four day a week delivery with a two-day rather than next-day delivery time."

It found that while some consumers do not trust first class mail to be delivered on time, others said they increasingly use Special Delivery services to guarantee next-day delivery.

However people would want other things in return, such as a greater range of options for picking up mail.

Consumer Focus found that people are frustrated with the “inflexible” system for picking up packages if they are not at home. Under the current system, people have to queue outside sorting offices which are only open for a limited number of hours.

People said that they should be able to specify a place of delivery as well as have the option of picking up parcels or letters from local pubs or corner shops. They also want longer opening hours at existing Post Offices and sorting offices.

The Post Office has committed to maintaining its network of 11,800 branches at its current size, although 6,500 closed in the last decade.

Consumers also want the “one price goes anywhere” pledge of Royal Mail to remain. They also want reliability of mail pick-up and delivery.

Robert Hammond, director of postal policy at Consumer Focus, said: “The communications market is changing dramatically and quickly, and post can not be left behind.

“Consumers tell us that post will still have a role in their lives in five years’ time and the postal service must reflect their changing needs.”

Mr Hammond said that if the changes were implemented, it would have implications for the so-called Universal Postal Service, which is enshrined in law and ensures that the post is delivered to every home in the UK, for a set price, six days a week.

He said that the changing needs of households would “potentially involve changes to existing regulation and legislation”.

“There is growing tension between the substance of the universal postal service and its sustainability. But that means that policymakers will need to think long and hard about how to ensure that technological advance and changing markets deliver good value and services to customers, particularly the most vulnerable,” said Mr Hammond.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: “We will study the report in detail. We are committed to the universal service and to keeping the customer at the heart of our business. Anything that provides further insight into what customers want is of value.”

Consumer Focus said that it carried out the research to see “how the postal service should change to meet the needs of consumers in the digital age, as use of mobile phones and the internet replaces letter writing”.

Meanwhile postal regulator Ofcom on Friday confirmed plans announced in March that it will cap the price of second class stamps for large letters and small parcels.

[stokes11eg]

Don't think so! Taken from a survey of about five hundred people!

[fishtank]

The group said that households are “prepared to see the removal of the distinction between first and second class post as they see little meaningful difference” between the two.

Without the distinction between first and second class we could,in theory go back to early starts and delivering mail at a time more suited to the customer....just a thought.

[DirtyHarry]

I won't be holding my breath, fishtank.

[SpacePhoenix]

The group said that households are “prepared to see the removal of the distinction between first and second class post as they see little meaningful difference” between the two.

Without the distinction between first and second class we could,in theory go back to early starts and delivering mail at a time more suited to the customer....just a thought.

If anything I would expect deliveries to start later, with the driver of each P&L pairing doing a collection afterwards. With less time pressure there would be no need for RM to deliever so early in the day, they could then send the first wave of stuff from MCs to DOs after six in the morning saving them money on allowances for drivers.

[Lounge Lizard]

The group said that households are “prepared to see the removal of the distinction between first and second class post as they see little meaningful difference” between the two.

Without the distinction between first and second class we could,in theory go back to early starts and delivering mail at a time more suited to the customer....just a thought.

If anything I would expect deliveries to start later, with the driver of each P&L pairing doing a collection afterwards. With less time pressure there would be no need for RM to deliever so early in the day, they could then send the first wave of stuff from MCs to DOs after six in the morning saving them money on allowances for drivers.

With competition one might expect Royal Mail to deliver earlier in the day because that's what the public want but, no, TNT in West London are using part-timers between dropping their kids off at school in the morning and picking them up in the afternoon.

[fishtank]

With less time pressure there would be no need for RM to deliever so early in the day, they could then send the first wave of stuff from MCs to DOs after six in the morning saving them money on allowances for drivers.

In a purely hypothetical situation like this the ability to sequence mail during the day for delivery the following day would allow RM to strip out large numbers of night shifts which would dwarf any payments for drivers.
As i said it's purely hypothetical but i would imagine with a more flexible delivery time scale the bulk of processing would be done during the day,with the distribution done at night.

[hubbahubba]

I'd tend to agree with FT.The costs saved by doing away with Nights,then add in deliverys going over to all part-time,which would also result in massive savings would be seen as easy pickings for a thirdparty interested in making a quick buck for its shareholders.Those same shareholders which would no doubt include MP's and their friends and families,who could manipulate the situation,and well turn this pipedream into a reality!

[SpacePhoenix]

I'd tend to agree with FT.The costs saved by doing away with Nights,then add in deliverys going over to all part-time,which would also result in massive savings would be seen as easy pickings for a thirdparty interested in making a quick buck for its shareholders.Those same shareholders which would no doubt include MP's and their friends and families,who could manipulate the situation,and well turn this pipedream into a reality!

If they were to do away with nights at MCs then most MCs would probably need extending or replacing at many MCs probably haven't got the room to process inward and outward at the same time.

I wouldn't be surprised to see in the next few years all the current pricing structure to be axed. The current PiP bit would stay but all items would go at the same rate as whatever the first class rate at the time is (with no standard parcels or 2c rate offered). Tracked will probably replace SDs eventually (or at the very least 9am specials get axed)

[Judgee]

"Consumer Focus found that people are frustrated with the “inflexible” system for picking up packages if they are not at home. Under the current system, people have to queue outside sorting offices which are only open for a limited number of hours."

...or they could just ask for a redelivery when they are going to be home!

[SpacePhoenix]

"Consumer Focus found that people are frustrated with the “inflexible” system for picking up packages if they are not at home. Under the current system, people have to queue outside sorting offices which are only open for a limited number of hours."

...or they could just ask for a redelivery when they are going to be home!

...or they could just get the items delivered to their place of work in the first place!

[RedBagMan]

... or set up a "Safeplace" or a "Designated Neighbour" ...

[Straight4ward]

People said that they should be able to specify a place of delivery

Er, can't you do that when you order something? I think it's called the "Delivery Address".

[fishtank]

I remember when a similar survey said that customers didn't really mind getting their mail later in the day.
They certainly seem to moan a great deal about something they allegedly didn't mind.

It's pretty obvious that if you frame a question in a certain way you can more or less get any answer you want and the agenda and conclusions for this "research" were set long before a single question was asked...by Royal Mail,now it will be moulded into a blueprint for the future of the business and any dissenting voices will be silenced by the same old excuse that was used for later deliveries..."it's what the public want".

It's not what the public want though,it's what a small sample of the public would put up with as a minimum level service...which shows exactly what direction the business is heading in.

[clashcityrocker]

...or they could just get the items delivered to their place of work in the first place!

Sometimes you have to have it delivered to the address your debit/credit card is registered to. (Paypal for instance)