Courier February 2014

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myroyalmail.com

January 2012

.com THE ROYAL MAIL NEWSPAPER

FEBRUARY 2014

CUSTOMER IS KING WE’RE WORKING really hard to make sure we keep customers like British Gas happy and loyal. Courier looks at how we’re doing it, and finds out from chief customer officer Mike Newnham why it’s so important. Turn to pages 3 to 5

FREE SHARES UPDATE

by BETHANY REID

ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES will soon receive their Share Incentive Plan (SIP) 2014 allocation. Due to HM Revenue & Customs rules at the time of Royal Mail’s flotation, eligible employees are receiving their Free Shares in two allocations. They will receive their SIP 2014 Free Shares as soon as possible in the new tax year, which starts on 6 April 2014. Eligible full-time employees entitled to a total of 725 Free Shares • 613 Free Shares already awarded on 15 October 2013, as SIP 2013 allocation • 112 Free Shares to be awarded in SIP 2014 allocation. Eligible part-time employees entitled to a pro-rata number of Free Shares based on paid hours between 10 July 2013 and 13 October 2013 • Already received SIP 2013 allocation • Entitled to receive the number of SIP 2014 Free Shares shown on informal allocation notice. For both the SIP 2013 and SIP 2014 allocations, Free Shares must be held in the SIP for at least three years from the date of each allocation before they can be sold or removed from the SIP, except in certain circumstances. ELIGIBILITY To be eligible for SIP 2014 Free Shares, you need to have been continuously employed by Royal Mail from 10 July 2013 and remain employed when the Free Shares are awarded in April 2014.

More information • Watch Your Guide to Owning Shares and Private Sector Royal Mail on content on demand • Read Your Guide to Owning Shares and Royal Mail Employee Share Offers booklet • Visit myroyalmail.com/ employee-share-offers

more details Turn to page 7 for14 Free Shares about your SIP 20

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February 2014

Moya

TO BE THE BEST, WE MUST PUT THE CUSTOMER AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO

Greene

MOYA ON DELIVERING… FOR OUR PEOPLE Applications are now open for this year’s engineering, motor vehicle and project management apprenticeship scheme (page 13). Our apprenticeships equip young people with the skills they need to forge a successful career. Voting is also open in this year’s Chairman’s Awards for Excellence (page 20).

MY VIEW

CHAMPIONING OUR CUSTOMERS

FOR OUR CUSTOMERS Our focus on the customer remains a top priority (pages 3 to 5). The top four sources of customer complaints and how we’re addressing them are outlined on page 3, alongside case studies of enquiry office people and how they are working to give customers a better experience. Two of our important customers are featured on page 5, with a focus on the Relay team’s work with British Gas as we mark a year of our partnership.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Power to you... driver Dave Baker (left) collects from Derren Baker, team leader at the British Gas national distribution centre (see page 5)

IT’S GREAT NEWS that CWU members have voted to accept the groundbreaking agreement on an agenda for growth, industrial stability, pay and protections. It’s believed to be the first agreement of its kind in the UK and includes legally binding terms covering industrial stability and protections, together with a three-year pay deal. Now is the time to look forward. By working together we can create a strong foundation for the continued success of our business. CUSTOMERS AT OUR HEART It’s in all our interests to ensure Royal Mail is the market-leading delivery company in the UK. To be the best, we must put the customer at the heart of everything we do. On page 4, chief customer officer Mike Newnham explains how our customer strategy is helping us to achieve this. We need to listen and understand what

MEET THE TEAM

our customers want, meet their needs and keep their loyalty. It makes a huge difference to what people think of us when we do this. Examples include giving customers enough time to answer their door or making sure their parcel is delivered first time. We know that, after getting your parcel delivered right to your home, Delivery to Neighbour is the next preferred option by some margin. But, failing that, we can still improve customer satisfaction by filling in P739 cards correctly. And it’s not just parcels delivery where customer service is important. It runs through our organisation, driving the technology improvements we must make, the steps we’ve taken to cut complaints, the introduction of new products like Mailmark and Local Collect, new shipping systems for our large customers…the list goes on. Throughout this, we’re using customer and market insight to inform our priorities so we know what we are doing matters. We must always remember that our customers have plenty of choice. If we put

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Deputy editor: Jo Gurman

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them at the heart of what we do, they will continue to choose Royal Mail. We’re getting better at this. But the competition is getting better too. So we have to keep our eye on the ball. BUILDING ON OUR SUCCESS It’s great news that eligible employees will soon receive their second instalment of Free Shares. As early as possible in the new tax year, each eligible full-time employee will receive 112 Free Shares, bringing their total to 725. This will build on your existing stake in Royal Mail, and the potential to share in our future achievements. More employees have been able to participate in our Free Shares Offer than in any other UK privatisation for almost 30 years. It is the largest free stake of any major UK privatisation. Almost all of us are shareholders in our great company; we have an exciting opportunity to build on what we have done to make it even more successful.

DISTRIBUTION To notify HR of a change of address, employees should email HRSC.Personal.Data@royalmail. com or write to The HR Service Centre, Pond Street, Sheffield S98 6HR. Pensioners should write to Pensions Services Centre, PO Box 500, Chesterfield S49 1WX.

ADVERTISING If you are a business looking to advertise in Courier, please call 020 7922 5643 to discuss suitability, availability and rates.

GET IN TOUCH WITH MOYA Moya is keen to hear from you through the Just Say It channel. Moya will reply to all who take part. To get in touch, email Justsayit@ royalmail.com or write to Just Say It, Freepost

As we prepare to conclude our hugely successful fundraising period for Charity of the Year, Prostate Cancer UK, we are outlining the three shortlisted charities to take over in September. Read about Age UK, Diabetes UK and Stroke Association (pages 10 and 11) and decide how your vote will be cast. There are more examples of the great charity work of our people on page 15, and on page 20 you can read more about our heroes and heroines, contributing to their local community.

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email: [email protected]

daily news: myroyalmail.com

latest news: watch RMTV

twitter: @RM_COURIER

February 2014

CUSTOMER FOCUS TACKLING THE TOP FOUR as possible. Here are four We have to be the best key sources of customer consistently to protect as complaints and how we’re many high-quality jobs addressing them. by GRAHAM DIGGINES

REDELIVERIES:

P739 ‘SOMETHING FOR YOU’ CARDS • We’ve achieved a 10% like-for-like improvement in complaints about ‘Something for you’ cards • We must fill in ‘Something for you’ cards correctly every time if we are to continue cutting complaints • Always leave a fully filled out ‘Something for you’ card when a customer is not at home • Ensure you leave enough time for the customer to answer before leaving a card.

• When customers are not at home, Delivery to Neighbour is shown to be the next preferred option by quite a margin • Delivery to Neighbour is convenient for customers and reduces the number of redeliveries • 94% of consumers are satisfied or very satisfied with our Delivery to Neighbour service – reinforcing how valued it is • If a customer is not in, and Delivery to Neighbour is not an option, then leaving a correctly filled in ‘Something for you’ card should be the next option.

REDIRECTIONS:

MISDELIVERIES: • Misdeliveries inconvenience three parties – the intended recipient, the person who receives the parcel incorrectly and the sender of the parcel • Make sure you scan every barcode properly and read every address correctly • Take extra care when delivering, and make sure protocol is followed • Follow delivery instructions carefully to avoid mistakes.

• We’ve simplified and improved our online redirection system, increasing the conversion rate and volume of successful online applications • Postmen and women should check their walk cards for current redirection customers and ensure that all mail for live redirections is removed from the delivery preparation frame • Postmen and women should carefully follow the instructions on the redirection card • Apply the relevant address label to the item, and return the item to the specified sorting frame for redirections/missorts so that it can be sorted • With multiple items, put them into a redirection bag and label the bag with the relevant forwarding address • Ensure all redirection cards in use are ‘live’ and have not expired.

SELBY GETS SORTED by HILARY ROBERTSON

THE SELBY delivery office team is encouraging staff to include extra information on ‘Something for you’ cards, as a brief description of the item helps them find it more quickly. ‘During busy periods, if you see at a glance that the card states the colour of the packaging, for example grey plastic, Amazon or large black box, it’s much easier to find the item quickly. That means a faster retrieval service to our customers,’ says Paula Dunnington in the enquiry office (pictured). ‘I know I can be a bit bossy, but postmen and women are getting used to writing a brief description on the P739 card! It makes the turnaround much quicker and customers don’t have to queue in the rain – it’s better for all concerned.’

BOOSTING OUR SKILLS by HILARY ROBERTSON

A SERIES OF introductory workshops has been running for more than a year to develop the skills of people working in enquiry offices. More than 1,500 staff and managers are already trained, to help us improve the experience of both customers and staff alike. Richard Hall works in the Great Barr enquiry office and found the training very useful. ‘It covered everything from security to dealing with dissatisfied customers,’ he says. ‘Because we were all from different delivery offices, we had differing experiences and could share information. One of the big things for us in the future is to be better at talking to customers and present the right image. ‘When you walk into a bank, you know straight away which one it is by its branding. We need to be more like that. A lot of what we were told was not new, but some-

times you forget. It was good to hear about the new plans and the ongoing training and new workshops that are coming to develop our skills further.’ Alongside the training programme, there is a series of refurbishments and new technology planned to help improve the customer’s experience. All designed to provide a more retaillike experience, the initiative includes new, distinctive staff uniforms, card payment machines and a new version of the P739 card. Sharing experiences... Richard found the training useful

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IEW V R E T N I G I B

February 2014

CUSTOMER CHAMPION Courier caught up with chief customer officer Mike Newnham to hear how we’re putting the customer at the heart of everything we do…

Q: How are we improving the customer experience? Mike: In a number of ways. We’re making sure we have fewer unhappy customers, reducing the number of complaints. We’re seeing a 10% reduction year on year on a like-for-like basis. That’s down to my team working hand in hand with colleagues in Operations. We can see by delivery office or even by each one of our 60,000 walks if there is a problem and put in steps to correct it. It’s about getting it right first time, every time, so customers feel valued.

by IAN LYNCH

Q: We face tough competition. How important is it that we’re the best when it comes to the customer experience? Mike: Extremely. We face tough competition in both letters and parcels. We want to be the pre-eminent parcels delivery company and deliver value for our letters customers. That means being the best.

Q: What’s our customer strategy? Mike: It’s split into four parts. The first is making sure we listen and understand what our customers want, through our call centres, customer research, sales people and frontline staff. Second, our products must meet their needs, so we attract new customers and retain existing ones. Third, we have to make sure that however they interact with us it’s a great experience, so they remain loyal and recommend us. And fourth, it’s ensuring that, culturally in our business, we’re all customer focused.

Ad back on air The stars of our TV advert are set to return next month, when ‘We Love Parcels’ appears on your screens on 5 March. Last summer, we issued a call to all frontline and operational colleagues, inviting them to audition for a part in our new TV advert. More than 2,500 of you applied, with 25 selected for filming after impressing a judging panel of film producers and directors.

The chosen few were seen by millions of people when our ‘We Love Parcels’ advert aired for the first time last November. This time around we’re reminding e-commerce companies that Royal Mail is the most trusted parcels carrier. As the advert states, 86% of the nation’s online shoppers trust Royal Mail to deliver their purchases, over and above any other carrier. Day in, day out, whatever the weather. The advert will be on your screens until the end of March.

COMPETITOR WATCH A round-up of the latest activities from some of our key competitors.

Amazon has launched a Sunday delivery service after testing Sunday deliveries in London during December. It has made that service permanent and also rolled it out to Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Nottingham and Oxford. Hermes UK is also launching a nationwide year-round service, which will be available from this summer. It will initially cover 80 to 85% of

Q: You meet a lot of customers. What do they think of our customer experience? Mike: The customers I meet and our research show we’re getting better. We need to ensure that we’re constantly improving. We have to deliver when we say we will, including Delivery to Neighbour. If we do that, each and every time, we’ll continue to be the market leader. Q: What innovations will we need to think of and accommodate to stay ahead? Mike: Part of this is around technology and using it to provide a better service, such as text messaging on Tracked services to let customers know when we’ll be delivering. But it’s about more than just the technology. It is also about improvement and new products and services, such as the click and collect service we offer via

our Local Collect service. It’s about looking at what we do and how we can do it better. Q: How important is first time delivery and what difference does delivering to a neighbour make? Mike: If the customer is not home then we know Delivery to Neighbour is the next preferred option – and by some margin. Ofcom’s recent Consumer Experience survey shows that 94% of consumers are satisfied or very satisfied with our Delivery to Neighbour service. That reinforces how valued it is and why it needs to be part and parcel of what we do. Q: Can we be the best while being more efficient and flexible? Mike: I believe that being efficient and flexible is one of the best ways to provide an improved customer experience. They are complementary rather than contradictory. Being efficient is really important because it’s a key feature of a good business. Efficiency will allow us to provide good value to customers and be competitive. Q: How important was our recent TV advertising campaign in reaching customers? Mike: We have seen some very good results. The advert was also for our people. We deliberately chose to feature frontline colleagues, and our own choir. It’s great to recognise our people by having them in the ad. Q: Any final message to staff about how they can go the extra mile for our customers? Mike: The important thing is meeting our customers’ expectations. When we do that when we deliver on our promises, we do a great job. We have to get it right first time, every time, and that’s down to all of us. Thank you for making sure our customers feel valued.

the UK population, growing to 95% in three years.

added 173 further sites to its network since the end of August and now totals 5,617.

Collect+, the company that enables customers to send and collect parcels from their corner shop, reported an 87% leap in items handled in the three months to the end of December, compared to last year. It processed 4.2 million items – 436,000 transactions in its peak week. Collect+ has

DPD topped a poll of almost 9,000 parcel recipients on the MoneySavingExpert website. The website asked people to rate major UK delivery companies based on their own experiences over the past year. 69% of voters rated DPD’s service as ‘good’. Royal Mail scored 58% and Parcelforce 54%.





CUSTOMER FOCUS GOOD TO GO

On the road… driver Dave Baker picks up parts from team leader Sue Berry at the British Gas national distribution centre

February 2014

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Feel Good is offering Royal Mail staff and pensioners 10% off all orders. Simply go online to www.feelgoodcontacts. com and enter the code U7PQG at the checkout.

by HILARY ROBERTSON

POWERFUL PARTNERSHIP by LISA MOBLEY

IT’S A YEAR since we won the contracts to collect, sort and deliver statements for British Gas and a five-year deal to deliver smart meters across the UK. British Gas has two contracts with our Relay service, part of our Specialist Services division. As well as the smart meter contract, we also have a deal until 2018 to deliver parts overnight, making British Gas Relay’s biggest customer. Our drivers collect the items from the British Gas national distribution centre in Leicester. They deliver them to our Relay hubs for onward distribution to delivery offices up and down the country, and British Gas engineers come in to collect them early in the morning. Dave Baker has been an artic driver for 44 years and has worked for Royal Mail for 10. He says: ‘The relationship with British Gas is one of the best I’ve known. I go to its national distribution centre around once a week to unload returns and collect parts for delivery, and the staff are always really helpful and get me away on time. ‘It’s a very good contract for Royal Mail to have, but

equally we provide a great service too. An engineer can order a part up to 8pm and collect it the next morning.’ Glyn Williams, head of supply chain at British Gas, says: ‘We’re delighted with the service Royal Mail is providing, both in delivering customer statements and smart meters. The Relay system works really well, and we are grateful to all the delivery office staff who make our engineers welcome.’ Rob Morton, British Gas MD of procurement and supply chain, adds: ‘The efforts of Royal Mail’s staff are highly valued by British Gas, and we look forward to their continued focus on our business needs. Assuming we continue to see the ongoing improvements in service and competitiveness from Royal Mail, I am confident the relationship will grow even stronger in the future.’

Successful year… contract mana ger Andy Garvey and British Gas head of supply chain Glyn Williams

Smart thinking… British Gas smart energy coach Darren King collects meters from postman John Davies at Crewe

ONE OF THE top four online contact lens businesses relies on us to deliver its products to customers across the UK. Since launching in June 2008, Feel Good Contact Lenses has had two key business principles – offering customers value-for-money lenses and delivering them quickly and reliably. It has used our services from day one. Marketing director Nandik Barbhaiya says: ‘Customers return to us because we sell hundreds of key products from top manufacturers and hold more than a million prescriptions in stock. They also know that they can order before 5pm and have guaranteed, fast Royal Mail Tracked 24/48 delivery on every order, with reliable delivery by their postman or woman.’ Feel Good Contact Lenses has strong branding and an online presence built on positive testimonials from those happy customers. It receives few complaints, and only a tiny percentage (0.5%) are about delivery. Alex Ramos from Cricklewood delivery office collects parcels from its north London warehouse. He says: ‘When I turn up at around 3pm,

Working together... Alex with Feel Good’s packer Hemant Yadav

they’ve already got around 30 bags ready for me to load and they often help get them onto the van. Another driver collects at around 6pm and often has the same amount. ‘This is a big customer for us, and we all do our best for them. We’re the frontline of the Feel Good Contact Lenses relationship with Royal Mail, and we make sure the job is done properly.’

CITY COLUMN

Welcome to the first Courier City column. Each month, we’ll look at how we’re performing, issues that affect our share price and the wider business world The key event during the month was the trading update we gave on 24 January, covering the nine months ended December 2013. In that nine-month period, the money we are paid for what we do as a Group grew by 2% (on a like-for-like basis). The performance of Royal Mail over the Christmas period is important as it’s our busiest time of year. We announced that we had remained the nation’s number one parcel delivery company, handling 115 million parcels in the month of December alone. Parcels are an important part of our business, particularly as they account for 51% of the money we were paid for what we do as a Group in the nine months to December 2013, so there is a lot of interest in the number of parcels we handle and the money we make from parcels. MSCI index It’s a bit technical, but it’s good to be included in the leading stock

market indices. An index is a basket of company shares. Not every company gets to join. A company has to meet certain criteria to be included, such as being a certain size. Companies can come in and out of the index depending on, say, their relative size compared to other companies. It’s great to hear that we have just been included in the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) index from the end of February. This is an international index made up of the top companies throughout the world. For example, companies like Deutsche Post and FedEx are in the MSCI index. A number of investment funds that follow the MSCI index will now need to hold shares in Royal Mail, which could provide some further demand for our stock. We joined the FTSE 100 index, the UK’s index of the top 100 companies by size, in December.

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OUT AND ABOUT February 2014

Westminster

by IAN LYNCH

OPERATIONS COLLEAGUES have welcomed chief operations officer Sue Whalley as she embarked on her first set of visits to sites across the UK. Sue says: ‘I was delighted to meet colleagues across the operation. The visits reinforced what I already knew, in that we have some great people doing great things. ‘It’s important that we work together across the company and functions and with our CWU colleagues. ‘People were frank about the challenges we face but very positive about the opportunities available to us. They accept the need for ongoing change to align with the challenges and increased competition we face. ‘We need to be the best, and people were passionate about delivering a great service for our customers.’

MAKE A STAND ON THE BAND

DISCARDING RUBBER bands on our streets is harmful to the environment and wildlife, costs money and is damaging to all of our reputations – but this needn’t be the case. Please reuse your rubber bands and don’t drop them on the street. What can you do? • Place your used bands in your pouch or pocket when you’re out delivering • Follow the process that’s in place at your office to collect and reuse bands • Encourage others to pick up and reuse bands • Prevent breakages by choosing the right sized band for the bundle or by reducing the bundle size • Pick up rubber bands from the street if you spot discarded ones • Accept rubber bands back from customers. Geoff Hibberd, senior procurement manager, says: ‘Not only can littering rubber bands be harmful to wildlife, pets and the environment, it can also lead to a £1,000 fine.’

Mount Pleasant

MOUNT PLEASANT Sue spent time meeting staff at the mail centre at Mount Pleasant. Terrence Ward (pictured above with Sue) has worked for Royal Mail for 40 years this November. He says: ‘When I joined, you never used to see senior managers on the shop floor. It’s always nice to see someone. ‘The business has changed beyond belief. Letters are definitely going down. We used to stack them six feet high. There’s a lot more machinery now and fewer people, but that’s to be expected. I still enjoy it. That’s the important thing.’

Sutton Coldfield

WESTMINSTER Sue’s visit to Westminster mail preparation unit (MPU) coincided with the deployment of the site’s indoor working methods. The site is one of the largest in London, with around 180 staff. Delivery manager Nana Adu says: ‘People here are willing to adapt to the needs of the business. Only through developing new ways of working can we challenge our perceptions and deliver a better service.’ Westminster MPU manager Doug Brammer (pictured far left) adds: ‘We had a really good session with Sue. People appreciated the fact that she visited us and they were able to ask her some questions about what the future holds. ‘Sue visited during day two of our indoor working methods. It’s been a significant change, but our people have been fantastic in embracing it.’

SUTTON COLDFIELD Sue dropped in on one of the first units in the UK to have its enquiry office refurbished as part of the Customer and You programme. Sutton Coldfield delivery office reopened in January after being completely refurbished. The listed building has been transformed, including the new customer service point. Delivery office manager Gary Pearsall says: ‘The new facilities have enabled full deployment of indoor working methods. This has been a real success, as is the new WTLL room and welfare area. The whole office has benefited from the changes.’ Speaking about the new customer service point, postwoman Belinda Showell says: ‘We love it and our customers love it. Before, we just had a makeshift hatch and

there was no room to swing a cat, but we’ve broken down the barriers. Now, customers love bringing their children in with them.’ Postman S K Patel (pictured far left below) adds: ‘The old building was so cold and we had buckets everywhere collecting the rain dripping through the holes. Now we look forward to coming into work. It’s so much nicer and brighter.’ Sue also visited Redfern Park delivery office just a week after the Camp Hill part of the office had undergone its revision. Postman Warren Holland, who has worked there for three years, says: ‘It’s the best job I’ve ever had. The changes take some getting used to but the company needs to evolve and move forward.’ Sue also toured Birmingham mail centre, including the Midlands special hand stamp centre.




UPDATE


(Continued from front page) Automatic allocation • The overwhelming majority of eligible employees (more than 99%) decided to take part in the SIP 2013 Free Share allocation • Even if you chose to opt out of the SIP 2013 allocation, you are still eligible to receive your SIP 2014 Free Shares • Eligible employees will receive a formal SIP 2014 invitation letter from the beginning of March 2014. As with the SIP 2013 allocation, you do not need to respond to the mailing to be given your SIP 2014 Free Shares. Eligible employees will automatically be given their SIP 2014 Free Shares unless they opt out. • Remember: for both the SIP 2013 and SIP 2014 allocations, the share price can go down as well as up. The value of an employee’s shareholding would be determined by the share price if/when they sell their shares.

SURVEY IS COMING DON’T FORGET our employee survey 2014 launches next month. It’s an opportunity for everyone in the business to give their views on what it’s like to work here, so we can continue to make improvements.

ALL ABOARD AS THE DELIVERY revisions programme moves from the initial modernisation phase towards a new stage of activity and development, Felixstowe is among the offices that have seen huge levels of staff engagement. The delivery office manager at the time of the changes was Matt Howlett. He says: ‘Staff saw the potential of improving their working environment, delivery methods and general structure, and used this energy to progress the revision at pace. We used the ‘Big Picture’ and ‘Indoor Products’ tools early on and they helped to engage people.’ Parcel sorter Jack Brundell says: ‘We’re

So make your voice heard and help shape the future of Royal Mail. The survey opens on 19 March and closes on 9 April. Once again, it will be run by independent research company Ipsos MORI.

using backless frames, porters, miniYorks and bull rings. A few of us went to Ipswich East to see how they’ve incorporated the internal changes, and seeing them in action made all the difference. ‘Incorporating the mini-Yorks was the best idea we could have brought in – I wish we’d implemented it ages ago. ‘The backless frames make a huge difference, too. We don’t have to move out of the way when it comes to clearing them. It’s great that we’ve learned so much from how other sites have changed before us.’ New delivery office manager Kim Ibsen is pleased the unit is fully integrated into the indoor work methods. ‘Our success is down to the attitude and approach of the staff. They’ve embraced the changes and really care about what they’re doing.’

Modernisation – the story so far

14,082 4,204 39,106

Sorted... Jack is a fan of the frames

CHORLEY GOOD

Shared vans

High capacity trolleys

Lightweight trolleys

74,009 574

PDAs across deliveries and collections

Compact Sequence Sorters (CSS) to put mail in exact walk order

1,179

66

Intelligent Letter Sorting Machines

(Figures as at end of January 2014)

Fully modernised units and counting

NEARLY 50 Parcelforce Worldwide customers enjoyed a tour of its purposebuilt processing centre in Chorley. The North West Processing Centre opened in October to increase capacity and can handle up to 11,000 parcels an hour. Parcelforce Worldwide managing

director Gary Simpson, chief executive Moya Greene and chief customer officer Mike Newnham welcomed the visitors to the 6,700sq m site. It employs 130 people, including Royal Mail Logistics drivers, on a 14-acre site that gives the centre the potential to expand.

February 2014

G U E S T E D IT O R’S

C O LU M N

Stephen Hand, postman, Wellingborough delivery office

In this issue, we have the first edition of a new feature. The City Column (page 5) will keep us updated on how we perform as a FTSE100 company. Also in this issue, Mike Newnham outlines our customer strategy (page 4) as we focus on the basics to improve existing markets, and explains how we are now in position to use the latest technology to develop new products Thumbs-up… and Carl is happy with the new services. 4x4 on his remote We all needround to deliver a in New Mills great service to customers – they keep us in a job – so it’s interesting to see how they use our services in different ways (page 5). It’s good to see our new chief operations officer Sue Whalley out and about meeting colleagues (page 6). On a down-to-earth note, I see that some lucky rural staff are trialling a 4x4 vehicle (pages 12 and 13). Can I have one please?!

ir? Fancy filling the guest editor’s cha to the trip You’ll enjoy an expenses-paid it’s put how see Courier office in London to pages the of w vie together, and a sneak pre before they go to press. or call Email [email protected] 020 7922 5670

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GROUNDBREAKING AGREEMENT

February 2014 email: [email protected]




December 2013

5





February February2014 2014

AGENDA FOR GROWTH by BEN WILKIE

Now agreement has been reached, it’s time for all of us to work together to implement the Agenda for Growth. This is an ongoing process. We have agreed a programme of work on the various parts of the agreement. We will keep you updated regularly with our progress. On these pages, we highlight some of the areas where work has already begun.

GROWTH FORUM

CWU members have voted in favour of the proposed Agenda for Growth. The ballot on pension changes also resulted in a Yes vote. • 94.5% voted in favour of the new agreement • 95.5% voted in favour of the pension changes.

£500

for your sport! The Royal Mail Sports Foundation can help you or your team with funding of up to £500 to buy kit or equipment for your sport. Last year, we helped more than 17,000 people, from enthusiastic amateurs to elite level performers. We gave funding for many different sports, from mainstream activities such as football, cricket and wheelchair basketball to more esoteric activities such as laido – a type of martial art.

Find out more at www.myroyalmail.com Full terms and conditions are available on the application site but to be eligible, you need to be a permanent employee of Royal Mail Group. If you are applying for a grant for a team, the team must consist of at least 50% Royal Mail employees or their children.

Earlier this month, the first Growth Forum was held, with both Moya Greene and Dave Ward attending. The forum meets to share strategic issues and opinions to develop thinking for both parties, allowing much greater and earlier access to opinion formers on both sides. The meetings will continue on a regular basis.

DELIVERY REVIEW For the first part of our delivery review, Royal Mail and the CWU are jointly visiting 20 delivery offices to identify how resource is being aligned to workload. We chose 10 delivery offices. Many of these visits have now been completed.

BULLYING AND HARASSMENT

INCENTIVE SCHEME

All colleagues recently received a booklet setting out our policy on bullying and harassment in the workplace.

We are currently at the start of discussion with the CWU on a new incentive scheme for frontline colleagues. We will communicate further once it is agreed.

The booklet, written in conjunction with the CWU and Unite, sets out for the first time specifics on what does and does not constitute bullying and harassment, and what are standard workplace performance reviews or ‘banter’. This booklet forms part of a major campaign to reduce bullying and harassment within Royal Mail. We have appointed an external mediation specialist to help us work through any disputes.

EXISTING DISPUTES In advance of the launch of the Agenda for Growth, we have put in place interim arrangements to resolve all current industrial relations framework disagreements, outstanding Business Transformation Revision issues and any other disputes.

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CHOOSE YOUR CHARITY February 2014

WHAT WE DO Age UK is Britain’s favourite charity for older people. Our mission is simple: a society in which everyone can love later life. We are here for the older people who are forgotten every day, living lonely and isolated lives. We work on your doorstep to support older people to make sure they have the care and support they need and deserve. WHY WE DO IT Imagine being alone. Not just for a few hours, but every day for weeks on end. That’s the terrible reality for one million older people in the UK; people who haven’t spoken to anyone – not a friend, family member or even a neighbour – for a month or even more. For these forgotten people, being lonely can be devastating. Many suffer from severe depression and, because they have to cope on their own, they don’t get the healthcare they need. It doesn’t need to be this way. At Age UK we want to end loneliness. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to live a happy and healthy later life. HOW WILL WE SPEND THE MONEY? Age UK works to improve later life for everyone by providing life-enhancing services and support. £2 million would allow Age UK to provide social activities for 200,000 older people who are isolated and lonely. These life-changing activities, like lunch clubs and outings, would lift vulnerable older people out of dangerous isolation and help end painful loneliness.


It is tragic that older people, people who have given so much to our society, are often forgotten. Shockingly, half of all older people say that the TV is their main form of company. With your help, we could bring friendship and support into the lives of more older people than I ever thought possible before. Please, do something different this year and remember the older people in your community by voting for Age UK. Tom Wright, chief executive of Age UK

WHAT WE DO Today, seven million people are at high risk of Type 2 diabetes. That’s one in seven of us. It could be your colleague, your loved ones and it could be you. It’s growing rapidly. Why? Because most of us have no idea that we’re at risk. Left unchecked, diabetes can cause devastating health problems like amputation, blindness, kidney failure and a fatal heart attack. It could shorten your life by up to 14 years. That’s why Diabetes UK is here, so no one has to face diabetes alone. WHY WE DO IT There are already 3.8 million people in the UK with diabetes – and counting. There is no cure, but there is the hope that we could prevent millions of people getting Type 2 diabetes. Everyone’s at risk but Type 2 diabetes usually develops in people over the age of 40, or 25 if you’re from a South Asian, Black African or African-Caribbean background. Diabetes happens when your body doesn’t produce enough of the insulin hormone or its not working well – meaning you can get extremely ill. The good news is that it can be prevented or delayed. We can only do this by alerting families and communities to the dangers of Type 2 diabetes through our ‘Know your Risk roadshows’. HOW WILL WE SPEND THE MONEY? £2million would allow Diabetes UK to help 360,000 people get the advice they need to prevent or delay onset of the condition. Your support will provide life-changing roadshows that will visit 300 communities across the UK. This means 60,000 will receive an individual risk assessment and another 300,000 people will get valuable support and materials.

Diabetes is the biggest health threat in the UK today, affecting every family and community. We really need your help and support to reach those families and communities right across the country. Please vote for us and help us save more lives from diabetes. Barbara Young, chief executive of Diabetes UK

WHAT WE DO We work towards a world in which there are fewer strokes and all of those affected by the condition get the help they need. We lead the fight against stroke by raising awareness of stroke and stroke prevention and provide help to people during the most difficult experience of their lives. WHY WE DO IT Stroke is a massive issue with devastating consequences. There are 1.2 million people struggling to cope with the effects of their stroke. Stroke is the third biggest killer in the UK with around 50,000 deaths every year, and the biggest cause of complex adult disability in the country. The shocking truth is that there are 152,000 strokes every year. That is one stroke for every Royal Mail member of staff. It doesn’t just affect old people. Babies, teenagers, men and women of working age and their families all have their lives shattered when stroke strikes. HOW WILL WE SPEND THE MONEY? £2 million would fund grants of up to £300 to help 10,000 stroke survivors who do not qualify for government or other types of help. Grants would provide vital home improvements for stroke survivors and pay for activities that would help them live a more fulfilling life.



Stroke is one of the biggest health issues of our time. But there are hundreds of thousands of stroke survivors who do not receive the support they need and deserve. You and your colleagues at Royal Mail have the opportunity, the reach and the ability to deliver change and improve the quality of life experienced by stroke survivors and their families across the country. Please vote for us to help provide life after stroke. Jon Barrick, chief executive of Stroke association


February 2014

Once again, you’ll be able to vote for our new Charity of the Year in the employee survey 2014. We worked closely with the CWU to select our three shortlisted charities – Age UK, Diabetes UK and Stroke Association. We hear from each of them here, in their own words, as they explain what they do and how they would spend the money if they are chosen. by GARY GRANGE

TOTALLY BRILLIANT! WE HAVE now raised a whopping £1.8 million for Prostate Cancer UK, including penny-for-penny matched giving. That’s enough to fund 30 specialist prostate cancer nurses, and money is still rolling in. More than £900,000 of the total came from the 2012 and 2013 Movember campaigns. You’ve also raised money through Give a Quid Day, the £100 Challenge, our graduate and apprentice fundraising programme and many of your own challenges, including running in the London Marathon. Through our Guinness World Record-breaking Payroll Giving scheme, you have also donated £100,000 including matched giving. Prostate Cancer UK will remain our Charity of the Year until September this year, so look out for an update about the total raised. We’re on track to hit our £2 million target. The other two shortlisted charities from 2012 – Whizz-Kidz and Alzheimer’s Society – will also benefit. Once we’ve reached our £2 million target for Prostate Cancer UK, penny-for-penny matched giving will apply to the other two charities too.

JOIN PAYROLL GIVING Are you part of our recordbreaking Payroll Giving scheme? If not, check out your insert in employee copies of this month’s Courier to find out how you can contribute. The scheme has raised £50 million for more than 900 good causes!

Don’t miss your chance to vote in the employee survey, which opens on 19 March!

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February 2014

CONGR ATULATIONS

GET NOMINATED

Staff celebrating 40 years’ service this month:

• Paul Baxter, Peterborough delivery office • Allan Dickenson, Warrington mail centre • Rodney Burlton, Brighton delivery office • Alan Cleverley, Chippenham delivery office • Ian Green, Southport mail preparation unit • John Green, Lincoln delivery office • William Greenlees, Berwick delivery office • Nigel Hale, Harlow delivery office • Keith Jones, Barnstaple delivery office • Richard Kelly, Plymouth mail centre • Tony Kerley, Winchester delivery office • Paul McDowall, Greenford mail centre • Bhasakerbhai Mistry, W1 delivery office, Mount Pleasant • Michael Nicholson, Leicester vehicle service centre • Olwen Olsinia, Tonbridge mail centre • Rex Partridge, Daventry delivery office • William Pearce, Swindon mail centre • Dennis Poulson, Southport mail preparation unit • Robert Saint, Tyneside mail centre • Joseph Sheppard, West London delivery centre • Robin Stewart, Northfield delivery office • Gerald Twardoch, Dagenham delivery office • Graham Wonnacott, Yorkshire distribution centre • Paul Young, Falkirk delivery office

FIELD TRIP by LISA MOBLEY

WITH NO TARMAC roads and more than half of her route just bumpy fields, Gill Vollum’s delivery round on the Scottish island of Kerrera has its challenges. In fact when Courier rang, she was busy rescuing a sheep trapped in a hedge! So when the quad bike she used for deliveries broke down, Gill asked Oban delivery office manager Jason King if she could get a new off-road vehicle better suited to the terrain.

Now Gill is the proud driver of a John Deere off-road Gator vehicle, custom-made in Royal Mail livery. ‘It’s fantastic!’ she says. ‘I couldn’t believe it when I saw it – I never expected anything so, well, unique. ‘There are some extra features not normally included on the vehicles – doors, a heater and a cover for the carrier on the back so parcels don’t get wet. ‘It needs a few more adaptations, such as thicker tyres, but I needed to try it out to find out these things. I’m

CSIS COURIER HALF PAGE HOME MASTER NEW_Layout 1 30/01/2014 14:57 Page 1

Tailor-made... Gill’s new off-roader is a boon

really pleased with it.’ Kerrera has a population of 43 (sheep not included). The mail arrives from Oban by ferry and Gill collects it each morning from a collection box at the ferry terminal.

WOULD YOU like to be involved in running your pension plan? Nominations are being sought for the position of Member-Nominated Trustee of the Royal Mail Defined Contribution Plan. There are two vacancies that will follow the CWU nomination and selection process and one that will follow the Unite/CMA nomination and selection process. Anyone who’s a current member of the plan with more than a year of company service can apply, irrespective of union membership. You can get more information and a nomination form from: Senior Deputy General, Secretary Department, CWU HQ, 150 The Broadway, London SW19 1RX or CMA House, Ruscombe Business Park, Twyford, Reading RG10 9JDO. The closing date is 8 March.

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REMOTELY USEFUL A DOZEN 4x4 vehicles are being trialled at delivery offices with remote rural rounds to see if they make deliveries safer and more reliable. Staff at nine offices in Wales are putting the vehicles through their paces. Each driver attends a full day’s off-road training course, including safety and vehicle preparation, a demonstration with a fully qualified instructor and behind-the-wheel tuition on negotiating rough terrain, mud, water and gradients. Postman Carl Danson from Newtown delivery office says: ‘We really need a vehicle like this for our more rural runs. It’s much easier to negotiate the terrain.

a three-year advanced engineering apprenticeship and will be based at Carlisle mail centre when not at our training provider in Blackburn. ‘The tutoring in Blackburn is just fantastic,’ she says. ‘I’ve learnt so much in the short time I’ve been here. ‘On the electrical side, we’ve covered lighting systems, heating systems, everything. ‘Now we’ve moved on to the mechanical maintenance, which I’m really enjoying.’

‘Many of the tracks are rutted and it used to damage the vans as they had such low ground clearance. Maintenance has noticeably reduced since we got the new one. A definite thumbs-up!’ All the drivers using the 4x4s are giving monthly feedback and evaluation. If the trial proves successful, a 4x4 option could be incorporated into future vehicle specifications at relevant sites.

ONLINE TRAINING programme Delivering Safely is being rolled out to all sites following a successful trial. The programme, developed in conjunction with the CWU, features two postmen and the potential hazards they come across on delivery. Ryan Hill (pictured), a postman at Sheffield City for three years, says: ‘I liked the programme as it’s quite short and easy to follow. ‘It was a good refresher, as it’s easy to fall into bad habits when you do the same delivery day in, day out. It will be particularly useful for new starters – I would have loved to do this when I first joined as it would have taught me a lot about what to look out for.’

This is the first year for the project management scheme, one of the first of its type.

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Thumbs-up… Carl is happy with the new 4x 4 on his remot e round in Po wys

SAFELY DOES IT

THEY’RE HIRED OUR APPRENTICESHIPS equip young people with the knowledge and practical skills they need to forge a successful career. Applications are now open for this year’s engineering, motor vehicle and project management apprenticeships. People can apply at www.royalmailgroup.com/careers/ apprenticeships, which is packed with information about the apprenticeships. Applications close on 23 March. Last year’s intake of 24 engineering apprentices and 21 motor vehicle apprentices started their schemes in September. Sophie Judge (pictured) is doing

February 2014

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February 2014

BACK ON HIS FEET

Contacts How to get in touch BULLYING & HARASSMENT HELPLINE 0800 587 4777 SPEAK UP (WHISTLEBLOWING) Report a breach of our licence or legal obligations to a confidential external hotline. Call 0800 097 1131 or visit www.intouchfeedback. com/royalmail DISABILITY HELPLINE 0800 028 6142 or email disability.helpline@ royalmail.com PENSIONS HELPLINE Postline 5456 4545 or 0114 241 4545 (employees) 0845 603 0043 (pensioners) HUMAN RESOURCES Royal Mail business units: Postline 5456 7100 or 0845 606 0603/0114 241 8890 HELP Employee assistance service for free advice. Call 0800 688 8777 Visit www.rmghelp. co.uk

QUESTIONS/IDEAS TO MOYA GREENE Email Justsayit@ royalmail.com Or write to Freepost Just Say It

WHEN BLACKHEATH postman David Salter (pictured) was told he needed a hip replacement, he had no idea of the financial toll it would take. So he was relieved to get help from the Rowland Hill Fund. ‘Early in 2012, I started getting pain in my hips while on my round,’ says David. ‘My GP diagnosed osteoarthritis, and in October 2012 I was referred for a left hip replacement.’ Unable to work, David

WATCH&WIN PO Box 613, Barnsley S73 3BB Freephone 08000 32 1144 Email watch&win@ royalmail.com CHARITY FUNDING SUPPORT Email royalmail@ charitiestrust.org Tel 0151 284 1221 PROPERTY & FACILITIES HELPDESK (reporting building faults) 0844 800 9191 SPRINGBOARD Development programme for women in nonmanagement grades. For more information, call Rose Jolliffe on 01788 208208 (Postline 5926 8208) or email rose.jolliffe@ royalmail.com

COURT IN THE ACT

Our regular round-up of convictions across the country. Stephen Caulton, investigation SHIFT INTO SPORTS manager in Birmingham, says: ‘Complaints www.shiftintosports. com from the public about invoices received for passcode: post2012 credit cards they hadn’t applied for SECURITY HELPDESK FEELING FIRST prompted a covert surveillance operation by Tel 020 7239 6655 or CLASS email our criminal investigation team on Nabiel www. securityhelpdesk@ Ahmed (see right). Apart from the theft feelingfirstclass. royalmail.com co.uk aspect and the fraud against the financial ROYAL MAIL passcode: FFC1 organisations, the people affected were UNIFORMS ROYAL MAIL ON SITE HELPLINE hugely inconvenienced. People who commit GYMS 0800 731 5137 such offences will be detected and www. Email royalmail@ apprehended and, as you can see, the courts royalmailfitness. dimensionsco.uk corporatewear.co.uk take such offences very seriously.’ February courier 260x141 advert V2_Layout 1 07/02/2014 10:24 Page 1

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went off sick and was told surgery would take place in January. That date and a further one in February were both postponed and it was March before the op eventually took place. ‘That delay and some complications meant I wasn’t able to come back to work within six months, so I went on half-pay,’ says David. ‘Although my landlord was understanding, I just couldn’t make ends meet, and eventually called the Rowland Hill Fund. ‘Within weeks, they’d settled my arrears and even paid some advance rent, so I was able to get back on my feet before getting back to work.’

Hall Green postman Nabiel Saleh AHMED stole fraudulently applied-for credit cards from postal packets. Ahmed pleaded guilty to three charges of theft and received a sentence of 18 months’ imprisonment. Simon Johannes HAIDER, postman at Medway mail centre, stole mobile phones, camera lenses and electrical accessories from postal packets. He pleaded guilty to four charges of theft and was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment.

The Rowland Hill Fund supports Royal Mail Group staff, pensioners and dependants in times of need. The fund helps with money for various purposes, including general household items, rent, mortgage, council tax and utility bill arrears, home and heating repairs, hospital expenses and disability aids. Call 0800 6 888 777 and select option 4 or visit www.rowlandhillfund.org

Michael Gerard KELLY, a postman at Liverpool North, stole gift cards and delayed 6,037 items of mail. Kelly pleaded guilty to three charges of theft, two of intentional delay and one of fraud. He received a total of 10 months’ imprisonment.

Andrew MAXWELL, a postman at Glasgow G31/G40 delivery office, delayed, opened and destroyed mail. He pleaded guilty to eight charges of theft at Glasgow Sheriff Court and was sentenced to seven months’ imprisonment.

Derby postman Stephen Charles MACKIN, who stole cash from greeting cards and DVDs, pleaded guilty to three charges of theft. He was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment.

Arron Martin WILLIAMS, a postman at Kingswinford, stole cash from greeting cards. Williams pleaded guilty to one charge of theft at Wolverhampton Crown Court and was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.

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Collective... fundraisers celebrate a huge total, from left: Keith Tomlinson, William Johnson, Tim Hyde, Sandra Pizzey, Charlie Falconer, Chariza Usana, Angela Barnes, Kevin Streeter and Marek Toombs


MEDWAY GENEROSITY WHEN TYPHOON Haiyan struck the Philippines, staff at Medway mail centre organised a raffle that raised more than £3,000, including matched funding. Operator Chariza Usana says: ‘Since the mail centre opened 18 months ago, our charity group has raised more than £60,000 for

CELEBRITY THANKS BIRKENHEAD POSTMAN James Morgan raised £1,472 with a sponsored abseil down Leasowe Lighthouse – and met football manager Rafa Benitez into the bargain. When James’s mum June died of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in 2011, he wanted to raise funds for good causes in her memory. ‘I eventually decided to abseil in aid of the Montse Benitez Foundation,’ he says. Montse is Rafa’s wife. ‘As well as being sponsored by colleagues at Birkenhead, senior managers and union officials also


various charities. We couldn’t do it without everyone’s support and contributions. ‘Royal Mail provides employment to a vast number of Filipino people. As well as the raffle, we put out collection bins and also collected at Tonbridge delivery office.’

contributed, plus Royal Mail matched funding.’ Montse began her foundation to support smaller charities when Rafa was manager of Liverpool. She says: ‘We are delighted to have met James and his girlfriend Kathryn and to thank them personally for their immense efforts in raising money for our local charities.’

February 2014

CHARITY SNIPPETS AFTER Larkhall postman Craig Callaghan died suddenly last year, colleague Scott Wylie (pictured) wanted to help the family. Scott says: ‘His parents had a lot of support from PETAL (People Experiencing Trauma and Loss), so it seemed logical to give them the money we raised.’ Scott organised his second charity football tournament. ‘It was great,’ says Scott. ‘Including matched funding, we gave PETAL £1,935.10.’ BRIGHT sparks at Chelmsford mail centre held a Go Yellow event to raise money for Essex Air Ambulance Trust. The Trust helped union rep Fran Saunderson’s son Ashly after a horrific motorbike crash. ‘The whole centre got involved and we raised more than £1,700,’ says Fran. ‘Each shift donated a homemade cake to raffle, and leftover cakes went to the Chelmsford Homeless Hostel. We also had a quiz, and lots of staff wore yellow.’ Mellow yellow… Jacquie Levy, Mat Williams and Fran raise funds

Cheque-ing in... Lillie with her mum Keighly and Shaun

KEEP ON WALKING

KEEN CHARITY fundraiser Shaun Nowak, a driver at Sheffield mail centre, is helping three-year-old Lillie Mansell get Proud... James and Kathryn present a cheque to Rafa and Montse Benitez CSIS COURIER HALF PAGE MOTOR MASTER3_Layout 1 30/01/2014 14:48treatment Page 1 in the US to help her walk.

‘Lillie has cerebral palsy and needs £50,000 for her operation,’ he says. ‘I’ve raised £6,600 this year, plus matched giving, through a golf tournament, football tournament, sponsored walk, cricket match and raffles.’

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February 2014 James ‘Ron’ Spittal

You could win an Olympus VG-170 featuring 14 megapixels, 5x wide optical zoom, 720p HD movie and 7.6cm/3.0” colour LCD. Send your snaps to courierphotos@abcomm. co.uk or post to Courierphoto competition, 24-26 Great Suffolk Street, London SE1 0UE. Please include your home address.

W

WATCH THE BIRDIE! Remote outposts with stunning scenery and wildlife seem to be the theme of this issue’s competition. Susie Duffell, retired postie from Beckenham, is pictured on her oncein-a-lifetime trip to Antarctica enjoying a read with the inquisitive residents. And James ‘Ron’ Spittal, postman at Blackpool delivery office, also fulfilled a lifetime’s ambition to visit a remote part of the world – Tristan da Cunha. In fact, it’s the most isolated inhabited island in the world. Ron says: ‘I travelled from Cape Town on the freight/passenger ship RMS St Helena, one of only two remaining ships in the world to hold the title Royal Mail Ship. The RMS had two days at Tristan then sailed north with freight to St Helena then back to Cape Town.’

R! INNE

Susie Duffell

YOU’RE MY HERO

Winners... the Bendahane family, Iga Dzadz, Aleenah Begum, Gideon Emmerson, the Yusuf family, Nicole Davies, Freddie Fletcher, Ellie Williams, Reece Caudwell and Oskar Carroll

MEET THE Royal Mail Superheroes, created by the 10 winners of our children’s art competition in December’s Christmas puzzle book. We were inundated with imaginative entries and the standard was incredibly high – there’s certainly a lot of creative young talent out there. The winners each received a £100 Toys R Us voucher.

The One4all Crossword 1

2

3

4

Name

6

WE HAVE A treat in store for the ultimate food lovers among you. Or why not treat someone special? We have five £200 AA Rosette Vouchers up for grabs. They can be used at more than 330 restaurants on a luxurious meal or sumptuous accommodation. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is answer the question below and send your answer to couriercompetitions@abcomm. co.uk putting Rosette in the subject box, or on a postcard to AA Rosette competition, 24-26 Great Suffolk Street, London SE1 0UE. Please include your name, home address and

Q

10 11 12

13

14

Postcode

Here are the answers to the puzzles in our Christmas special. QUIZ OF THE YEAR NEWS 1. Argentine 2. The Ritz 3. Edward Snowden 4. George Alexander Louis 5. Prostate Cancer UK FILM & TV 1. Argo 2. Coronation Street 3. The Sopranos 4. Peter Capaldi 5. We Love Parcels PEOPLE 1. Jessie J 2. Jane Austen 3. Chris Froome 4. Miley Cyrus 5. Nick Hewer SPORT 1. Wigan Athletic 2. Gordon Banks 3. Novak Djokovic 4. 3-0 to England 5. Ben Cohen MUSIC 1. Joe McElderry 2. Robin Thicke 3. Rolling Stones 4. Sharon Osborne 5. Lou Reed

contact number on your entry, and entries must arrive by 28 March.

WHICH VITAMIN IS ALSO KNOWN AS ASCORBIC ACID?

GUESS THE YEAR OF THE CHRISTMAS STAMP 1. 1966 2. 1986 3. 1977 4. 1981 5. 2012 6. 2005 7. 2010 8. 1993 9. 2006 10. 1983

WIN A £10 ONE4ALL GIFT CARD IN OUR CROSSWORD COMPETITION We have 10 £10 gift cards up for grabs. Once again you’ll find some help with your answers to the crossword within this issue of Courier. Post your entry to February crossword, 24-26 Great Suffolk Street, London SE1 0UE to arrive by Friday 28 March 2014. See below for full terms and conditions.

Home address

8 9

15

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

CLUES

7

5

WIN £200 IN VOUCHERS!

Christmas answers

Across 6 Substances necessary for growth, health and good condition (11) 7 And 1 Down. Preferred option if the customer is not home (8,2,9) 9 Juvenile stage of a newt (3) 10 Harmony (9) 11 Tooth on the rim of gear wheel (3) 14 David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband (11) 15 It’s a year since we won

12 Sound made by a snake (4) a five-year deal to deliver this company’s smart meters (7,3) 13 Male ruler (4) Down December’s answers 1 See 7 Across ACROSS 2 Ukraine’s capital city (4) 6 Llantrisant. 7 Islam. 3 Parcelforce Worldwide has a 8 Apron. 10 Satsuma. purpose-built processing centre 12 Ward. 14 Keep Me. 15 Drip. 16 Special. 17 Rand. here (7) DOWN 4 Dense black coal…or a type 1 Blair. 2 Mailmark. of plane (3) 3 Stamps. 4 Pisa. 5 Expert in tactical thinking (10) 5 Information. 9 Posted. 8 Visionary or impractical person (8) 11 Appeal. 12 Welsh. 13 Dench. 9 And so on (3)

GENERAL COURIER TERMS & CONDITIONS: Unless otherwise stated, the following terms and conditions apply: 1. Prize draws and competitions are open only to Courier readers who are UK-based Royal Mail employees over the age of 18 or UK-based Royal Mail pensioners. 2. Closing date for receipt of entries is Friday 28 March 2014 (unless otherwise stated). Only one entry per person. No third party or bulk entries. Entries must include entrant’s name, home address and contact details such as telephone number or email address. 3. No responsibility can be accepted for entries incomplete, delayed, wrongly delivered, damaged or not received for any reason. Proof of posting is not proof of receipt. 4. Prizes must be accepted as offered and are subject to availability. No cash alternative or cash difference will be offered and prizes are not transferable. Values of prizes correct at time of going to press. 5. Winners will be notified by post 28 days after closing date. 6. Winners of prize draws are the first names drawn at random or the first correct entry drawn at random by an independent person after the closing date. 7. If a prize is not claimed within three months of the closing date, a redraw will take place. 8. Promoter’s decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into. 9. Entry implies acceptance of these rules. 10. The promoter reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value, if necessary. 11. Winners’ details are available 28 days after closing date. Send an SAE marked Prize Draw/Competition Results to Courier, AB Publishing Ltd, 24-26 Great Suffolk Street, London SE1 0UE. 12. Winners may be required to take part in publicity for promotions. 13. Promoter is Royal Mail Group Ltd, 100 Victoria Embankment, London EC4Y 0HQ. 14. Neither AB Publishing Ltd or Royal Mail are responsible for any third party direct marketing or third party offers or services. 15. Prize supplier may want to contact you directly for marketing purposes. If you would like to unsubscribe from marketing mail, please contact prize supplier directly. If you do not want to receive further information from the prize supplier and you enter by post, please write ‘no’ on your postal entry. If you do want to receive information from the prize supplier and you enter by email, please write ‘yes’ in the subject line of your email entry.





FULL STEAM AHEAD

WE’RE CELEBRATING horses and the contribution they still make to working life with a special stamp issue out now. The Working Horses set of six stamps includes horses from the Riding for the Disabled Association, The King’s Troop ceremonial horses, brewery dray horses, Royal Mews carriage horses, police horses and forestry horses. There are nearly a million

horses in the UK today and 1.6 million people ride at least once a month. Philip Parker, head of stamps strategy, says: ‘The horse still contributes greatly to society, from practical and recreational uses to the leading ceremonies of state. We are delighted to mark the contribution working horses make to British life.’ www.royalmail.com/ workinghorses

ROYAL MAIL EMPLOYEE BENEFIT

17

DUE FOR

FOUR NEW Classic Locomotives of Wales stamps pay tribute to these workhorses of the railways. The stamps feature locomotives used on the public railway network and also in industry, such as the transportation of coal from the valleys to ports such as Cardiff and Barry. The set is the final one in our Classic Locomotives series, which has already featured England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

LONG MAY THEY REIN

February 2014

FROM THE AR CHIVE

CELEBRATION www.royalmail.com/ classiclocomotives

SPRING INTO ACTION

www.royalmail.com/ postandgo

SPRING BLOOMS is the first in this year’s British Flora series of stamps for Post & Go kiosks in main Post Office branches. It features the primrose, snowdrop, lesser celandine, dog violet, wild daffodil and blackthorn.

Win the sets WE HAVE 10 presentation packs of each of the Working Horses and Classic Locomotives of Wales special stamps up for grabs. All you need to do is send your name, home address and contact number to couriercompetitions@ abcomm.co.uk putting either Horses stamps or Locomotives

WIN

stamps in the subject box, to arrive by 28 March. Or you can send your entry on a postcard to 24-26 Great Suffolk Street, London SE1 0UE stating Horses stamps or Locomotives stamps on the front, depending on which draw you wish to enter.

IT’S 100 YEARS since Postage Due labels were introduced. The labels, introduced in 1914, helped the General Post Office to combat the longstanding problem of uncollected revenue. Their initial designs by George Eve remained the same for more than 50 years. The British Postal Museum and Archive currently has a commemmorative label display at its Freeling House venue, in Phoenix Place, London, until April. SPEC REA IAL D The BPMA is offering readers the chance to own OFFEER R the complete works of the General Post Office’s Film Unit for the special price of £40, instead of £60.

To order, please visit www.postalheritage.org.uk/ dvds-giftset or call 020 7239 5125 quoting GPOFILMS40.

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Available on selected models, at participating Retailers. Finance subject to status. Terms and Conditions apply. Applicants must be 18 or over. Finance supplied by Vauxhall Finance, PO Box 6666, Cardiff, CF15 7YT. Offer will apply to Vauxhall Partners only. **Vauxhall Deposit Contributions vary and exclude certain models. Refer to www.vauxhall.co.uk/offers or contact your local Vauxhall Retailer for details. ‡First year insurance offer available on new Corsa models (excluding Expression, S, Sting, Design and VXR). The offer will cover the full premium (motor policy only) for drivers aged between 21-75. Drivers must have held a valid full UK licence for a minimum of 1 year. Only available through Vauxhall Insurance. Policies are underwritten by Ageas Insurance Ltd. Other insurance specific Terms and Conditions apply. Offer applies to Vauxhall Partners only. For Partners Terms and Conditions go to partnersprogramme.co.uk/legal-notice-and-privacy-policy. #Official EU-regulated test data are provided for comparison purposes and actual performance will depend on driving style, road conditions and other non-technical factors. ◊Vauxhall Lifetime Warranty covers lifetime ownership of first registered keeper, 100,000 mile limit. Terms and Conditions apply. Offer available on orders or registrations before 1 April 2014. Correct at time of going to print 09/12/2013.

LETTERBOX

POPULAR IDEA

SPREAD THE WORD

Please can someone from advertising explain why we only seem to do this at Christmas? Surely we should be promoting the business at all peak times, such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day etc. We have complete access to millions of homes via the Door to Door service and a huge fleet of vehicles to advertise from. We could train postmen and women on the services we provide. I for one work in the business and know very little about ALL the quality we have to offer. We

just seem to be missing a trick. Name supplied, Newport West delivery office Ben Rhodes, head of marketing and commercial strategy, replies: We do market to business customers all year round. We will be doing some more TV advertising this year, not just at Christmas. In fact, the We Love Parcels advert will be on air again from 5 March, so your letter was perfectly timed! Watch RMTV to find out more about our latest advert.

I was very interested in the article in the World Class Mail section of January’s Courier. The new visual system identifying hazardous delivery points on the sorting frames is a great idea. Is this idea being rolled out to other units, or is there any way to get hold of these stickers that are placed on the sorting frame fillets? I would be grateful if the staff at this office could share this so our office can raise the awareness of hazards on our walks. Or have they just made up the stickers themselves? David Lorimer, assistant delivery manager, Dundee East delivery office I wonder if you could help me source hazard fillets to identify dogs, which was published in the last edition of Courier. I think this is a good idea as the red cards currently used to identify

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dogs could go missing and slow staff down while they are prepping and tying a frame down. Paul McBryan Just read this month’s Courier – love those hazard-tape frame fillets! But WHERE DO I GET SOME? I’d like to introduce them with my revision in a month’s time. Nick Willson, deputy manager, Broadstairs delivery office Brian Farrell, WCM delivery champion at West London delivery centre, replies: I’m really glad to support the profile of our product, especially to recognise the staff who thought of the idea. One of our workplace coaches, Paul Stockwell, suggested the idea in a meeting we chaired with the other local workplace coaches. Paul provided a prototype of his idea of fixing hazard tape to a fillet to indicate

the location of a hazardous delivery point on his delivery. We worked with Paul to explore various options, to make it more robust and professional looking. We ended up designing an adhesive decal, which we took to a local contractor to produce our final prototype idea. We are now in the process of writing a business case submission to secure funding for a year’s supply to be produced. Other sites will eventually be able to request them via Swindon stores. You can contact me at [email protected]

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We use a system called EROS for logging in P739 items on the computer. This is an old Windows 95 program that works quite well on the Windows 7 operating system we now have, although we do have a few hiccups now and again. The trouble is that nobody is interested in any problems as long as it works, as there are few offices that use it. It is a good system, and at busy times like Christmas and on Saturdays one person can deal with 70 customers in one hour. We book in 800-900 items each week (more at Christmas), with only one person fitting it in between other jobs. But I was wondering if you knew of any more up-to-date programs that could do the job? Dave Deadman, Littlehampton delivery office

03/02/2014 10:49

Martin Taylor, head of service improvement, replies: Your question is very timely. A major improvement of the whole process is under way. A tool to record P739 and undeliverable items is already on trial at Tonbridge delivery office, and the results have been really encouraging in helping us to remove complaints where we can’t find a customer’s item when they have come and called for it. Look out for more on this trial in a future Courier. The system will be 8 introduced at the top 100 Mail to officesRoyal that need it most FTSE beforeenter April 2014, and 100 then the index of the 100 largest companies otherJoining high impacting offices Stock Exchange on the London listed between April and December. December 2013

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ALL SYSTEMS GO

I write following your previous letter about how uncomfortable hi-vis vests are during hot weather. I bought some hi-vis vests with reflective sewn-on material strips from a local supplier. The hi-vis strips were then unstitched from the vests and sewn on to old issue unused shirts. These shirts have been washed and worn every week for more than two years. Surely this must be considered to be a long enough trial period for this idea to make our uniform more comfortable and suitable for purpose? Maybe the uniform department can take up this idea and introduce it into all Royal Mail shirts and fleeces, as it makes a massive difference to the job. Alan Atkinson, postman, Prescot delivery office

Julie Brown, uniform and print supply adviser, replies: For a high visibility garment to meet EN Standards, with Class 3 being the highest and Class 1 the lowest, it has to have a minimum area of conspicuous materials (bright colour) and retroreflective material (reflective strips) incorporated into the clothing. From July 1995, new clothing must be ‘CE’ marked to show it meets the new European rules on the manufacture of personal protective equipment. What you have done unfortunately does not meet the EN Standards mentioned above, so should not be worn for work. At the moment there is no hi-vis material on the market that meets EN Standards and will continue to meet this standard after 20 washes. We will continue to work with clothing manufacturers to find a solution, but this is some time off.

ROYAL MAIL is set to enter on Monday 23 December 2013. the FTSE 100. This is the On the basis of the share price index of the 100 largest com- on 10 December 2013, Royal panies listed on the London Mail has a market capitalisation of Stock Exchange based on £5,965 million and would rank as market capitalisation, or the 64th largest listed company in value, as determined by the the UK by market capitalisation. share price and the number of shares in issue. Membership of the FTSE 100 is reviewed every three months You can see Royal Mail’s to take account of moveshare price every day on www. ments in share price immyroyalmail.com, on the business pacting valuations. Folscreens in your workplace and in certain lowing the business’s newspapers. On the Group’s websites, the share flotation in October, price updates every 15 minutes when the stock Royal Mail was includmarket is open and shows the closing price of the ed in the December previous trading day when the stock market is closed. review of the FTSE The share price ticker reflects the current 100. It has now been market price and should not be used to confirmed that Royal any investment decisions. make Mail will join the FTSE 100 index from the start of trading

Control conundrum Staff experience difficulty in gaining access to controlled entry premises, especially since delivery method revisions, which see deliveries starting later. While the controlled entry P739 card you featured in Courier sounds like a great idea, the article doesn’t explain how staff can leave a P739 card if there is no external delivery point and the time locks are off. Have the trial offices have identified a way to overcome this? Mark Pole, delivery manager, Folkestone, Dover & Hythe Andy Chatburn, new products resolution manager, replies: If you are unable to gain access, any ‘attendance call’ items that require a signature or won’t fit through the letterbox should have a P739 completed and be returned to your enquiry office. A P4306 label must be completed and attached and your manager made aware.

LETTERBOX EMAIL ABCOMM.CO.UK COURIERLETTERS@ LETTERS, IER UR WRITE TO CO SUFFOLK STREET, 24-26 GREAT 0UE LONDON SE1 TO 80800 TEXT COURIER AC S) (MAX 160 CHAR TER UR HOME PLEASE INCLUDEYOYO LETTER UR ADDRESS WITH

NOTICEBOARD Our listing of forthcoming Royal Mail events. Email couriernoticeboard@ abcomm.co.uk or call 020 7922 5670 if you have an event you wish to include.

Card sharp… Leslie says customers are happier

Great idea… Craig would like to see the cards introduced

■ Bullseye: the 27th National Darts Championships will be held at the Britannia Airport Hotel, Newcastle upon Tyne, on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 March. Special guests include ladies world number one Deta Hedman and John Gwynne from Sky Sports. B&B and evening meal is £90 for two nights sharing, including presentation dinner with entertainment on Sunday evening. Plus golf tournament and fun darts competition for Phil Martin Trophy on Friday 7 March. Bookings to Allan Grafton, 2 Kirkman Close, Manchester M18 7EA – cheques payable to G Wiley/A Grafton. More What can you do? details from Allan on 0161 223 0272.

PARLIAMENTARY

POSTING THE KEEP ME Posted campaign, which champions consumers’ choice to receive paper bills and statements through the post, is going from strength to strength. It is a partnership of representatives from charities, interest groups and businesses, including Royal Mail, who are increasingly concerned by the lack of choice offered to consumers about how they receive important communications, including bills and statements. The partners believe it is every consumer’s right to choose, without disadvantage, how they are contacted by banks and financial service companies, utility companies, media companies and other service providers. They are calling on organisations to adopt the campaign’s six-point ‘right to choose’ pledge. More than 80% of people feel they have a better chance of reading state-

ments if they are available by post, rather than online. Four in 10 say the removal of paper statements entirely could seriously affect their finances, for example through missing a bill payment. An early day motion, tabled by Liberal Democrat MPs Mike Crockart and Sir Bob Russell, could see the subject debated in the House of Commons. It’s already been signed by 66 MPs, and counting. Since the launch of the campaign, 38 organisations – including AgeUK, Countryside Alliance and Money SavingExpert – have added their support. Wessex Water, which supplies 2.7 million customers in south-west England, is the first utility company to sign up to the pledge. It has promised not to charge customers more if they prefer to receive their bills or statements through the post.

• Share your stories, preferences and experiences, to make sure we can fully represent and fight for the point of view of consumers • Talk to your family and friends about the campaign • Encourage your MP to sign early day motion No 554 • Visit www.keepmeposteduk.com or follow on Twitter @KeepMePostedUK or on Facebook.

■ Healthy competition: first aiders from South Midlands mail centre are organising an open first aid competition for all industries in Coventry on Sunday 29 June. Contact Martin Joyce via the mail centre reception.

MAKING OUR MARK

KEEP CONTROL

STAFF FEEDBACK has prompted us to trial a new P739 ‘Something for you’ card specifically for controlled entry premises. The card highlights to the customer the issues postmen and women have in delivering mail to individual addresses – for instance, in buildings that have a controlled entry panel and no external letterbox, such as blocks of flats. Colleagues at Glasgow G1-4 and Bethnal Green and Hackney delivery offices have tried out the new cards for eight weeks. Postman Craig Brittain at Glasgow says: ‘The card is a great idea. It explains clearly to customers that we have tried to deliver, and why we couldn’t, which means they are less likely to complain to us the next day. We definitely spend less time explaining why we couldn’t deliver to them. ‘It would be really useful to have the cards permanently.’ Chris Shuffle, postman at Bethnal Green, adds: ‘Each time we bring an item back to the office, we add a P4306 sticker that shows at a

PLEASE M KE YOUR LETTER NOAM 100 WORDS AONRE THAN ONE CLEAR TOPD ABOUT IC

Stuck… Chris can’t access a building to deliver the mail

glance the day we tried to deliver it and when a card has been left. ‘It helps both our staff and the customer clearly identify the issue we had with the delivery.’ Leslie Charles in the enquiry office at Bethnal Green says: ‘Customers are certainly happier with the cards. Not only do they give them a really clear explanation of the reason their item wasn’t delivered, but the card also has photos of the correct ID they need to bring on the back, so we’re turning fewer customers away.’ Andy Chatburn, new products resolution manager, says: ‘If any postmen or women have difficulty gaining access to this type of premises, they should inform their manager. There are clear guidelines and support letters that encourage contact with customers to help us to gain access and avoid the need to leave P739 cards. ‘We know this isn’t always possible, and we will decide whether the trial cards have been a success and should be rolled out to other sites.’

The completed P739 card should then be placed out for delivery the next working day to inform the customer. It should be delivered at the next opportunity while the item remains in the enquiry office. All non-attendance call items must go out for attempted delivery every day until access is gained or the formal delivery suspension procedure initiated. One of the key improvements the trial identified was to report these items to your manager, so they can make contact with the recipient or building owner to agree a solution to improve access.

THE NEW Royal Mail Mailmark is set to go live in the new year for machine-readable business, advertising and publishing mail. The Mailmark barcode system will provide big mailers with the ability to track their mail from when it’s accepted at a mail centre to when it’s processed for delivery. So if big mailers are sending out a voucher or special offer, they can have people standing by to take calls at just the right time. Or they can email or text their customers on the day their mail is scheduled for delivery to provide them with extra information or support. They will also be able to view online reports on the performance of their mail, giving them more visibility of their data quality and their supply chain performance. Graham Davis, director sales and channels, says: ‘This £70 million investment enables us to offer a better, more useful service to our customers, sup-

porting our goal of growing the letters market. It will also make it easier to ensure we are correctly paid for the mail we deliver, as the barcode will mean we can check accurately whether the amount of mail submitted to us matches the amount declared.’ Nearly 80 retail and access customers have already signed up to Mailmark, and the first mailings will take place from February 2014.

■ Calling all comrades: Royal Mail Retired Comrades is a new organisation set up by pensioner Norman Barnes. It will meet on the first Wednesday of each month at The Albion pub, Willesborough. First meeting Wednesday 5 March at 12 noon. Contact Norman on 01233 630791. www.royalmail.com/mailmark

■ Casino Royale Mail: Kerry Jacques and Lesley Ward from Pond Street in Sheffield are organising a James Bond themed charity ball in aid of Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice on Saturday 29 March at the Mercure Hotel, Sheffield. There will be a fourcourse dinner, casino tables, photo booth, auctions, live entertainment and celebrity guests including top sports names and Hollyoaks stars. Tickets cost £55, £100 for two or £500 for a table of 10. Contact Kerry at [email protected]

MORE OF YOUR MANY AND VARIED CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND THE PEOPLE IN THEM

BRIAN SAVES THE DAY

FRUITFUL EFFORT Veg out… Norman is proud to be part of the Shettleston Community Growing Project

EAGLE-EYED CUPAR postman Brian Fulton (pictured above) spotted smoke coming from a barn while he was out on his rural delivery, in Fife. He alerted the farmer and saved the lives of the 120 pigs housed in the burning building. ‘I saw thick smoke coming from the roof of the barn, and then it burst into flames,’ says Brian. ‘No one else was around, so

Excellent... Mike was thanked

I drove to the farm itself to find the farmer.’ A 999 call saved the day and the pigs were let out into a field just in time. ‘The fire started in a tractor just inside the barn and the farmer was so pleased that I’d spotted it. People were working in some cottages a little way from the barn. If I hadn’t seen the smoke and driven around, they would never have known. They were really grateful.’ Brian certainly didn’t make a pig’s ear of his rescue mission!

SERVICE DELIVERED CUSTOMER DAVID FREAK was quick to thank his postman, Mike Warner from Oakengates, in Shropshire, for excellent service when a parcel needed a signature. ‘I knew the customer had just got a puppy and he is often in the back garden with it,’ says Mike. ‘So I went to the back of the house to see if he was there to sign for the parcel.’ David said online: ‘Although not a major act, he was kind enough to make that extra effort, which was greatly appreciated. ‘Too often, you hear stories of peoples parcels not being delivered, “even though they were in”. It is easy to criticise or complain, so I thought I would do a little to redress the balance.’

DELIGHTED GLASGOW MAIL CENTRE driver Norman Holms was part of a team honoured in the STV Real Heroes awards for the Shettleston Community Growing Project. Despite suffering from a serious illness, Norman has been involved in the project since its launch in 2011. ‘We were selected from a shortlist of more than 800 projects across Scotland,’ says Norman. ‘People supported us because we’re

DO YOU KNOW someone who has gone beyond the call of duty to help customers, their community or their colleagues? If so, why not put them forward for the Chairman’s Awards for Excellence 2014? Voting is open until 28 March. Winners will be announced on 6 June. Register your nomination online on myroyalmail.com or call 0845 603 2327.

making a difference in our community. ‘Local residents work together to improve the area and grow their own fruit and veg.’ The 2,071m2 site contains 50 raised beds, a communal fruit bed, seven hothouses and a wildflower meadow. ‘Winning the award has given us all a real boost,’ says Norman. ‘It’s great for the project to be recognised.’