BT and More Than to Royal Mail: 'don't force us to switch

[DOM]

This does not make good reading!!


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BT and More Than to Royal Mail: 'don't force us to switch channels away from direct mail'

LONDON - The retail marketing director of BT, one of the UK's biggest spenders on direct mail, and the marketing director of insurer More Than, have called on Royal Mail postal workers to end the strike, or else face defection by direct mail users to other channels.

BT: heavy user of direct mail but also of other direct response channels

BT was the UK's second biggest spender on direct mail in the period July 2008-June 2009, according to Nielsen Media Research.

But Matthew Dearden, director of retail consumer marketing at BT, said Royal Mail strike action this year, with the potential for a nationwide strike, was "a concern".

"I'd say to all parties [involved in the strike] that we and all other clients of Royal Mail use [direct mail] because we believe in it and we need them to continue to provide the service. If it becomes unreliable we'll have to look elsewhere. But I have to say that's not in our mind right now."

Dearden said that BT had been "heavily focused on direct mail but now we realise there are many more ways to do direct response. But we'd rather not to be forced to abandon direct mail by an industrial relations issue."

Insurance giant More Than, a top 15 spender on direct mail, echoed Dearden's remarks. Pete Markey, marketing director at More Than, said the strikes so far had disrupted the insurance company's performance, as it did during the last strike in 2007.

"The worry I've got is we have a regular programme of direct marketing to drive response to our call centres," Markey said. "A postal strike disrupts our call pattern. It hits your call centres with higher calls at the wrong time. Insurance in particular is date-driven using renewal data [and a postal strike means] the window of opportunity starts to drop."

Markey added: "We need reliability in the channel as with any supplier relationship - it does start the question the future viability of the channel if there is going to be disruption. You almost have to search for alternatives."

BT's and More Than's remarks came as the Communications Workers Union (CWU) balloted its members on a national strike last week, following a series of regional disputes over modernisation plans. The result will be announced by 9 October.

Earlier this month Royal Mail denied claims that "mountains of undelivered mail" were stuck in Swindon because of strike action.

[DGP1]

Stop treating us like sh*t, work with us to get an agreement and the strikes wouldn't happen, the only reason we're in the situation we're in is because of the bullying and unreasonable workloads forced on us by management.

Plus, let them move away because that's what they're going to do anyway with or without the strikes.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

This does not make good reading!!

No your right but neither does the stuff that backs the strikes. Thats the trouble in Britain everyone looks at issues in a Black and White way, they don't see the different shades of grey - and RM are past masters at this they only see, or rather are only told what they want to hear.

I honestly believe that the culture of Royal Management has to change from the sycophantic and self serving approach that seems prevalent at the moment, to one in which strong managers with people skills can deal with local issues as they see fit rather that being told what to do from above. For a Dynamic business to respond quickly to changes and problems it should not be controlled from a central location with diktats from above. What it needs is strong local management with the authority to make decisions locally at all levels and it needs a workforce that is engaged and feels part of the solution, not the problem and that has a direct benefit (not just monetary) from changes to working practices. After all you always get a better work rate and loyalty from volunteers than you do from pressed men.

[POSTMAN]

Don't BT use TNT?

[DOM]

Don't BT use TNT?

They use RM Tracked for their broadband.

[DGP1]

Don't BT use TNT?

They use RM Tracked for their broadband.

I think you'll find that they use SD for their broadband routers but I'm sure if someone else was cheaper they would use them.

[Spedley]

And didn't we lose the Amazon contract?

I am quite interested to know what their 'other channels' are for junk mail.

[DOM]

And didn't we lose the Amazon contract?

I am quite interested to know what their 'other channels' are for junk mail.

Their advertising does not have to be in 'mail' form - Internet.....TV......Radio.......with the parcel delivered by competitors......newspapers.....magazines......etc

[DGP1]

And didn't we lose the Amazon contract?

I am quite interested to know what their 'other channels' are for junk mail.

Their advertising does not have to be in 'mail' form - Internet.....TV......Radio.......with the parcel delivered by competitors......newspapers.....magazines......etc

Would that be like like the spam mail that just gets sent straight to my spam folder or those banner ads that I just don't see anymore (just like most people) why don't the management just stop attacking us and instead listen to our views on what is and isin't possible.

[dvbuk55]

BT will not move from DSA, no one does it better, or cheaper in fact no one else does it and we make a loss on it so do we really need it - tracked items? - they twisted our arm to make 3 deliveries for the same item for a single price - and we now have a client who wants a signature for tracked items - which we should be saying no to and offer them the more expensive and widely acclaimed Special Delivery.

[SpacePhoenix]

And didn't we lose the Amazon contract?

I am quite interested to know what their 'other channels' are for junk mail.

I think we got the Amazon contract back a while ago.

[spiderman]

.

[BELIAL]

Same s**t every time we take action,and we always end up delivering it Wolf Wolf!

[Night Tonic]

Every time we take action. Says it all...

[Spedley]

Same s**t every time we take action,and we always end up delivering it Wolf Wolf!

I heard it was going to City Link which would mean we won't be delivering it.