RM agrees to examine concerns about earlier collections.

[NEWS]

PostCON

Royal Mail agrees to examine customer concerns about earlier final collections

* Research finds no widespread problem with collection and delivery times
* 9am final collections do not meet customers’ needs
* Postcomm secures agreement from Royal Mail to review morning final collections

Postcomm, the independent regulator for postal services, has secured Royal Mail’s agreement to assess further the needs of its customers in all those geographic areas where the final daily mail collection is being made before noon.

Postcomm’s intervention was prompted by concerns raised over Royal Mail bringing forward some final collection times, mainly in rural areas, to as early as 9am. Postcomm wanted to find out how widespread these practices were and whether these changes cause significant problems for mail users.

Postcomm has reached an agreement with Royal Mail which has been informed by some extensive market research and by a public consultation. The consultation found that, although earlier collection times do not present any widespread problems, final collections at 9am do not meet customers’ needs.

Postcomm chairman Nigel Stapleton said:

“Royal Mail has responded positively to Postcomm’s consultation by agreeing to review all of its morning collection times. We expect the company will strike an appropriate balance between the needs of all mail users and the cost of satisfying such needs when it makes changes to current practices.

“The research has found a generally high level of customer satisfaction with the services provided by Royal Mail and that, overall, most people are satisfied with current collection and delivery times. For this reason, Postcomm have decided against taking any regulatory action at this time. We will, however, keep these collection and delivery issues under close scrutiny and will continue our research into how effectively Royal Mail is meeting customers’ needs from the Universal Service.

“We attach the highest priority to Postcomm’s duties to secure the Universal Service and also to protect the needs and interests of all mail users, especially vulnerable users and people in rural areas. Early collections or later deliveries could have adverse effects on these mail users’ ability to communicate by post, and therefore on the future health of the mail market.â€