Courier May 2013 - myroyalmail

the royal mail newsPAPER
MAy 2013
.com
handy to have
We’re issuing every
delivery postman
and woman with a
PDA. Find out more
on page 7
we need
access mail
Chief customer officer Mike
Newnham has spoken about the
potential impact on the business of
a refusal to handle Access/DSA mail.
The CWU is holding a consultative ballot
this month that could potentially lead to industrial
action. The union is seeking support
for its proposed boycott of Access/DSA mail.
Such a boycott would have a major impact
on our business.
Mike says: ‘We operate in a very competitive
marketplace. Customers can move their
business very quickly. Access/DSA mail is a
valuable part of our business. Of course, disruption
might be limited to part of the business,
but its consequences can be felt over
the business as a whole. It could affect our
parcels business, which we have worked so
hard to develop. Parcels are our growth
area. They are a key part of our future.
‘We have made good progress. We’re
transforming the business. We cannot afford
to do anything that would harm the business
and hit that progress. Any action could force
our customers to take business to our competitors,
and we might not get that business
back.’
Access/DSA mail accounts for almost one
in two of the addressed letters we handle. In
2011/12, we made £80 million on Access/
DSA mail after modernisation and before exceptional
costs.
Mike adds: ‘At a time when we’re just
starting to grow, the worst thing we could do
is to stop delivering mail that accounts for almost
half of our addressed letters.
‘This would be playing into our competitors’
hands. It could force those customers to
look for alternatives, including using email
instead. None of us wants that to happen.’
Turn to page 5 for
the full interview
55 years
and
counting
As our longest-serving
current employee,
Grantham’s David Coe has
seen a few changes over the
years. And he has no plans to
hang up his mailbag just yet.
Meet him on page 9

2 May 2013
Moya
Greene
My View
working
toge ther
As we look forward to this new fiscal
year, as in my past three years we
have much to do. However, I know now
we are well-positioned to make strong
progress as long as we continue to
work together.
Working together
As I said in last month’s column, when we
work together with our unions, we achieve
a lot.
We have held detailed discussions with
the CWU on a range of issues, including pay.
I’m committed to these talks and am keen to
progress the discussion on pay quickly.
In a recent Joint Statement with the CWU,
we announced our commitment to getting
outstanding transformation changes and payments
introduced.
Doing what is right
Doing right for the business is the best way
to make sure we can continue to offer good
quality jobs at Royal Mail. We can’t afford to
do anything that could disrupt our progress,
seriously damage our brand or disrespect
our customers.
Our competitors would happily take the
profitable parts of our business if they could.
Industrial action at Royal Mail could give
them that opportunity.
As you know, Access/DSA mail used to be
loss-making for us. Not any more. In 2011/12,
we made £80 million profit from Access/DSA
mail after modernisation and before exceptional
costs. It accounts for almost one in two
of all the addressed letters we handle.
We achieved this positive change through
working with the CWU. Let’s not take rash
action that will pull the rug from under our
feet.
All of our customers’ mail is important to
us. We must treat every single piece – whether
it’s an envelope, direct marketing mail or
a parcel – with the respect it deserves. If we
don’t deliver Access/DSA mail, our customers
may look for alternatives, including email.
We are disappointed that the CWU is asking
for support for their proposed boycott of
Access/DSA mail. Any such boycott could
have a major impact on our business, our
relationships with customers, support from
our regulator and security of employment at
Royal Mail.
Direct delivery
It was good news for us when, in March,
Ofcom said that its primary duty is to secure
the universal postal service. Our regulator
said that it has powers to intervene if it considers
that direct delivery competition threatens
the sustainability of the USO.
We know that direct delivery competition,
while not a problem at this moment, could
become so. That is why we have been very
active in asking Ofcom how it would intervene
in the event that competition threatened
the Universal Service.
We will continue to be vigilant in this area.
I will keep you updated.
All of our
customers’ mail is
important to us. We must
treat every single piece –
whether it’s an envelope,
direct marketing mail or a
parcel – with the respect
it deserves.
Delivering good
service... doing right
for the business is the
best way to make sure
we continue to offer
good quality jobs
Securing a sustainable future
We need ongoing access to external capital
to keep making progress.
Businesses like British Airways and BT
have grown and prospered since getting ongoing
access to external capital.
We operate in a competitive market. We’re
recognised as being among the best, but others
are constantly looking to be better than
us. We can’t afford to stand still or go backwards.
We must treasure every customer. We
need to invest so that we’re not left behind.
Working together, we can deliver a better
future.
email
courier@abcomm.co.uk
MOYA ON DELIVERING…
FOR OUR PEOPLE
Transforming our business through
our modernisation programme is crucial
to ensuring our future success.
We are near the end of our delivery
programme and our mail centre
rationalisation programme.
Every postman and women who has
seen changes to their working day has
been rewarded for making the change.
In a recent Joint Statement with the
CWU we announced our commitment
to getting outstanding changes and
payments introduced.
Payments, linked to modernising the
business, are made to colleagues as soon
as possible.
We know that all this change has been
hard and difficult for our people. The role that
colleagues have played has made us a much
more efficient and productive company.
FOR OUR CUSTOMERS
By the end of this year, every delivery
postman and woman
will have access to a
PDA (see page 7). This
is a great step forward
in our journey towards
becoming more of a
parcels business.
Customers expect to
sign for items
electronically these days, and it also
makes tracking more accurate, something
we know our customers want.
IN THE COMMUNITY
Our Chairman’s Awards for Excellence
are always a fantastic opportunity to
recognise colleagues who have done
something really special. This year’s final
on 7 June will be no exception. There are
some phenomenal stories behind the
nominations, from colleagues who have
rescued families from burning buildings,
to people who’ve raised thousands for
charity or spend hours of their own time
to help out in their communities. You’ll
meet the finalists on the centre spread this
month, and look out for the results in a
future issue.
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
MEET THE TEAM
AB editor: Lisa Mobley
Email: courier@abcomm.co.uk
Deputy editor: Jo Gurman
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t May 2013 3
Access to
external capital
For daily news, visit myroyalmail.com Watch weekly
Follow us on @RM_COURIER
It’s been another busy month, with lots of activity. Courier brings you up to date with the latest facts.
Ongoing discussions
We continue to hold detailed
discussions with the
CWU on many issues, including
pay. We know that there is
work to do. That will always
be the case. We will continue
to discuss our differences
and difficulties with the CWU.
With the CWU, we:
• signed a ‘Job security, Resourcing
and Managing Change’
agreement reinforcing our joint
commitment to the modernisation
of Royal Mail
• agreed that we will continue to
have a predominantly full-time
workforce
• are launching a new agreement
on preventing bullying and harassment
and dealing with it
promptly and effectively when it
occurs.
LONG-TERM THINKING
Ongoing access to external capital will help secure
the best long-term interests of everyone. It will:
• help the company become successful and sustainable
• allow employees to have a stake in the company
through an employee share scheme
• protect customers by making the Universal Service
sustainable in the long term.
Ongoing access to external capital
will allow employees to have a
stake in the company.
INVESTING IN the BUSINESS
ACCESS TO external capital
will help us transform
and continue to deliver the
Universal Service. Investors
will expect to make a reasonable
commercial rate of return
on their investment.
We are seeking high-quality,
long-term investors that will help
us build a sustainable business
model over the long term.
We are
seeking high-quality,
long-term investors
that will help us
build a sustainable
business model over
the long term
Access/DSA mail
WE ARE fully committed to the delivery of Access/DSA mail.
All of our customers’ mail is important to us. It needs to be
delivered. Access DSA mail accounts for almost one in two of
all the addressed letters we handle.
In 2011/12 we made a profit of £80 million on Access/DSA mail*. It
was previously loss-making.
Access/DSA mail accounts
for almost one in two of all
1 in 2 addressed letters we handle
* after modernisation and before other exceptional costs
DIRECT DELIVERY > > > >
WE WELCOME Ofcom’s statement that it has a primary
duty to secure a universal postal service for consumers.
If it identifies a potential threat to that service from competition,
it has powers to step in to protect it.
The one-price-goes-anywhere, six-days-a-week
service is protected by law.
The one-price-goes-anywhere,
six-days-a-week service is
protected by law
NATIONAL NETWORK
WE DEPEND on our national network
to continue to deliver the Universal
Service.
The change in our mail processing
plants has been fast, with more than
£750 million invested across all elements of
the programme.
More than 660 brand new sorting machines
have been installed. More than 70%
of business mail now arrives into our mail
processing plants in trays rather than bags.
More than
£750m
invested across
all elements of
the national
programme
Our quality of service standard is
99.9%
of delivery routes completed each day
Our quality of service standard is
99.9%
of access points served each day
Our quality of service standard is
99.5%
of parcels deemed delivered
Our quality of service standard is
93%
of First Class mail delivered next
working day
Our quality of service standard is
98.5%
of Second Class parcels up to 1kg
delivered within three working days
owning a share
of the business
The Government has
said it intends at least
10% of Royal Mail Group
will be used for an employee
share scheme.
The timing, form and
other details of the scheme
are a matter for the Government.
These are still being
worked on.
10%
RURAL AREAS
WE ARE honoured to deliver to more than 29 million addresses
across the UK.
We’re legally obliged to deliver to every address, whether urban or
rural, under the minimum requirements of the Universal Service.
These are defined in law and cannot be changed
unless voted for by both Houses of Parliament.
Daily deliveries to rural areas wouldn’t be
reduced in the event of gaining access to external
capital.
Our quality of service standards are among
the highest of any major European country.
Our quality of service standard is
99%
of Special Delivery up to
10kg delivered by 1pm next
working day
Our quality of service standard is
85%
of International mail
going to the EU
delivered within three
working days

4 May 2013 email courier@abcomm.co.uk
CHANGES FOR
THE BETTER
BIG
interview
Parcels represent a massive opportunity for us. Courier caught up with Nick Landon, MD of our
parcels business, about the recent changes we made to our Royal Mail parcel formats…
by Ian lynch
Nick, why did we change our parcel
ranges and prices?
Until April, our consumer and small business
parcel prices were based solely on weight. But
the size of a parcel has a big impact on our
costs for processing and delivery.
So we changed our prices to reflect the size
of parcels to make sure they can be handled
efficiently. Like any business, we need to make
a profit if we are to keep as many good-quality
jobs as possible.
Rather than filling up our capacity with a relatively
small number of very large parcels, we
can now handle a greater volume of smaller
parcels efficiently.
Aren’t we moving parcels into Parcelforce
Worldwide?
In the vast majority of cases, no, but where we
can’t carry some items effectively in the core
network we have made a change.
We’ve reduced the maximum parcel size
that consumers and small businesses can send
through Royal Mail, but this affects less than
0.3% of our volume.
This was already in place for our account
customers. Parcelforce can handle these profitably,
when it can be difficult for us to do so.
In our core network, these items would fill almost
a whole cage and a substantial portion
of a delivery van, so the costs were very high.
Customers at a Post Office can still send these
items through Parcelforce Worldwide. It’s better
for Royal Mail and better for Parcelforce to
do it that way.
For smaller parcels, we will continue to carry
them in the core network but have made sure
we can do this efficiently. Size is the biggest cost
driver in the parcels business. So we brought
in the new parcel formats – small and medium
parcels for consumer and non-account
customers – to reflect this. The majority of our
parcels still come into the small parcel format,
where our costs are lowest.
I thought we weren’t going to handle
anything above the size of a shoebox?
No, not at all. Anything up to roughly the size
of a shoebox goes out on foot. Anything above
this, up to our new maximum of 46cm x 46cm x
61cm, will typically be delivered in a Royal Mail
van. This costs more, which we have reflected
in our prices, but we will continue to deliver
them.
It is worth putting this into context. Of the 1.1
billion items we deliver, about 2.7 million parcels,
or less than 0.3% of the total we handle,
were above our new maximum size.
Haven’t the changes hit our volumes?
The simple answer is no. The anticipated decline
in larger parcels is being offset by the
growth in smaller parcels.
reviewed. We look at every aspect and if it’s not
right we turn it down.
What else have we been doing?
We’ve been looking at how we can add value
to the products we offer. We’re seeing a big
uplift in the number of companies using our
Tracked services. We’ve also had a fantastic
response to our new Tracked Returns service.
Since we launched it, the number of new businesses
contacting us about Tracked returns has
increased significantly.
93%
OF PARCELS ARE HANDLED
THROUGH THE CORE ROYAL
MAIL NETWORK.
Are our parcel customers happy?
Our business customers are very happy. In fact,
overall they’re the happiest of our customer
groups. The changes we have made have had
a positive impact, rather than a negative one,
and are generating new business.
Our competitors don’t have to report their
quality of service like we do. But the recent
survey of parcel delivery companies by
Moneysavingexpert.com – where customers
put us in first place – underlines how highly
thought of and trusted we are.
For consumers and small businesses, our
rate changes have impacted those who send
larger light items. While some dissatisfaction
here is inevitable, when we explain
that we need to make a profit, as every
company does, people understand.
Would we turn down business if
we didn’t think it was appropriate
or the price wasn’t right?
Yes, absolutely. Every account
opportunity or tender is thoroughly
Parcels are a big part of our future. What
does being more of a parcels business
actually mean for frontline staff?
A big part of being a parcel carrier is knowing
where each parcel is and being able to update
customers with the tracking information
we gather. We’ve seen a rapid increase in the
number of parcels we track and our end goal is
being able to track every item.
We also need to make sure we do everything
possible to deliver a great service, such as Delivery
to Neighbour, so that customers can get
their items as quickly and as easily as possible.
Any final message to staff?
I want to thank you for helping to deploy the
changes we’ve made and explaining them to
customers.
It’s never easy making changes and having
to increase some prices. The bottom line is that
we need to make a profit while delivering a
great service. We are able to win volumes from
our competitors because of the fantastic service
you deliver, day in, day out.
‘Size is the biggest
cost driver in the
parcels business. So
we brought in the new
parcel formats – small
and medium parcels
for consumer and nonaccount
customers
– to reflect this. The
majority of our parcels
still come into the small
parcel format, where
our costs
are lowest.
’

t May 2013 5
For daily news, visit myroyalmail.com Watch weekly
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Access is key
Courier asks our chief customer officer Mike Newnham why Access/DSA mail is so important.
Why is Access/DSA mail so important
to Royal Mail?
Access/DSA mail is important to our company
for three reasons. It’s important for
our customers; we have committed to
provide a service to them. Second, it’s
a profitable part of the business, which
wasn’t the case a few years ago. Finally,
we have an obligation to deliver all mail
that comes into our pipeline.
What has changed to make this part
of the business profitable?
The pricing regulation of this business has
changed. This means we are able to act
more commercially and price in a way
that makes a commercial return. Historically
we weren’t able to do that.
Who are our customers for Access/
DSA mail?
Royal Mail’s wholesale customers are the
likes of TNT, UK Mail and other Access
providers. Their customers include the
big banks, other financial institutions and
charities.
1 in 2
Access/DSA mail
accounts for almost
one in two of all
addressed letters we
handle.
‘we have an
obligation to deliver
all mail that comes
into our pipeline... our
customers expect us
to provide a quality of
service that we
sign up to.
’
What do our customers
expect of us?
Our customers expect
us to provide a quality
of service. and this
includes service levels
that are set and reported
through the regulation
we operate under.
We need to provide this
service at a fair price
and at a quality level
under the USO. We are
expected to deliver that
service six days a week,
52 weeks a year.
We have regulatory
Quality of Service targets
that we have to
adhere to. We are monitored
and assessed.
So there is a Quality of
Service obligation on
us, but we also have a
commitment to deliver
on our promises to our
customers. That is of
paramount importance
to our business, regardless
of whether or not
the legislation existed.
If there was a boycott, what could be
the impact?
I think there could be impacts both in the
short term and the long term. In the short
term, although we would do everything
possible to mitigate any disruption, there
could be disruption to some of our customers
in terms of their mailings not being
delivered in accordance with the standards
we’ve set. That would be disruptive
for their business as they would not be
able to communicate with their customers
when they planned to.
In the medium to long term, customers
could decide to take a different approach
to mail and maybe use different forms of
communication, such as emails. Customers
today see that we are a reliable, trusted,
high-quality business. Our customer
satisfaction levels are improving. We cannot
afford for this to change. That would
be a threat to our business. It is a threat to
our ability to maintain good-quality jobs.
How could it affect our reputation?
We have established a strong reputation
over the past few years, partly due to the
very good industrial relations framework
we have built up. We are now seen as a
far more trusted business than may historically
have been the case. And that reputation
has allowed us to improve, both in
terms of financial performance and customer
service performance. The trust and
reputation that this business is building up
will be affected negatively if some of the
mail is boycotted.
It takes a long time to build a positive
reputation, and we need to do everything
possible to prevent it being damaged.
How difficult is it to win back customers
after they have switched to
alternatives?
It’s not straightforward, especially if you
are talking about customers who have
switched to communicating electronically.
It’s up to us to make the case for mail.
But, as in all business sectors, it’s easier to
retain a customer than it is to win back a
customer we have lost. The threat of the
potential boycott makes it harder for us to
retain business, let alone win it back.
Have any of our customers been in
touch about this potential boycott?
Some customers have expressed concern
about this potential boycott. We
are reassuring them that we are doing
everything possible to prevent this
happening and we’ll carry on providing
a high quality service.

6 May 2013 email courier@abcomm.co.uk
Tricks of the trade… Noeleen
demonstrates a magic trick at
the workplace coaches course
Triple triumph
Winning ways… (from left) head of
engineering maintenance James Baker,
Darren, Daniel and Paul Wilkinson, head of
engineering people development
We’re recruiting
more workplace coaches
from this month. Line
managers will share details of
roles and timescales, or you can
look out for opportunities at www.
royalmailgroup.com/myjob. Email
rm.workplace.coaches@
royalmail.com with any
questions
Coach
journey
PROOF THAT good things come in
threes. We have scooped three awards
from one of the UK’s top training
bodies.
Training 2000 helps us with our engineering
maintenance apprenticeship.
It awarded us the Best Company accolade,
beating Rolls-Royce and British Nuclear Fuels,
who have well-established engineering
apprentice schemes.
What’s more, apprentice Daniel Kolahi
won two awards – Apprentice of the Year
for his stage of learning and Best in Hand
Fitting.
‘It was a shock!’ says Daniel, who joined
our scheme in September 2011. ‘I didn’t expect
to win one, let alone two.
‘The apprenticeship is brilliant. It has a really
good structure, mixing practical training
with theory. I spent eight months at Training
2000’s centre in Blackburn, and have been
at Warrington mail centre since then.
‘The scheme gives you all the fundamentals
you need.’
National apprentice manager Darren
Borthwick says: ‘It was a proud day for
Daniel and all the engineering maintenance
apprentices.’
by Lisa Mobley
Our workplace coach programme
is being relaunched to bring it up-todate
and encourage more people to
get involved.
The scheme was introduced in 2006, and
we now have more than 2,100 coaches.
Gail Nimmo, head of learning programmes,
says: ‘The workplace coach role
has moved, from a focus on new entrants
to much more of a crucial role in supporting
colleagues when introducing change,
improving ways of working and ensuring
they have the skills to perform their roles
to the best of their ability.
‘With World Class Mail now becoming
our everyday way of working, and the
changes brought by modernisation, we
are taking a fresh look at the role to make
sure it fits with what we need today.’
More coaches will be recruited too. Gail
says: ‘We want to have one workplace
coach for every 25 staff – it’s currently one
for every 62.’
Twenty-one events taking place in Delivery
throughout May are bringing coaches
and managers together to discuss what’s
expected of the role, what works well and
what doesn’t. In one exercise, delegates
are taught a magic trick that they then
have to pass on to the next person, to look
at different coaching techniques.
Workplace coach Noeleen Rune at Gorseinon
delivery office attended the event
in Cardiff.
She says: ‘It was a useful day. We worked
in groups to come up with solutions to the
different tasks and issues we were set.
‘One of them was around P739 ‘Something
for you’ cards and how we can
ensure everyone fills them in correctly.
Since the course, I’ve introduced a new
way of working at Gorseinon. Instead
of telling everyone in the office together
about the correct process, whether
they’ve worked here 30 years or three
months, I now keep any incorrect cards
brought in by customers to one side, and
speak to the individual concerned. It’s
working – this week I’ve had no incorrect
cards come in.
‘Just one small thing learned on the
course has made a big difference.’
The role will also be relaunched in Processing,
with presentations at each mail
centre. Workplace coaches will be joined
through an e-network, able to source new
material on a dedicated intranet site, together
with a face-to-face network, where
they will have development sessions and
share good practice with colleagues.
The fab four
Four apprentices in the Chester area
have won awards for achieving high levels
of success at college.
Our Apprentice of the Year and Apprentice
of the Scheme 2008-2012 awards went to
Richard Haigh, Sion Owen, Luke Poynton and
Luke Marubbi.
Luke Poynton says: ‘I’m pleased that the opportunities
we’ve been given and the hard work
we all put in are recognised with these awards.
‘I began with the basic three-year apprenticeship
in light and heavy vehicles, learning on the
job and on block release at City of Bristol College.
Eventually, Luke Marubbi and I moved to
the four-year level four management university
Winners and mentors…
Roy Alty (mentor), Sion, Iain
Broomhall (service centre
manager), Luke Poynton,
Richard Nuttall (field services
manager west), Richard Haigh
and, in foreground, Luke Marubbi
certificate, and now we’re on the vehicle service
centre development scheme.’
Sion says: ‘I’m looking forward to finishing
my fourth year and putting the theory into practice.
The apprenticeship has really helped develop
my skills.’
Overall Best Apprentice of the 2008-12
scheme went to Luke Marubbi. He says:
‘The apprenticeship gave us the theory
at college and the chance to put it into
practice in the workshops. Going into the
management scheme has helped us learn
about responsibilities and made us more
ambitious. It’s definitely helped us all move
into supervisor roles and improve our careers.’

t May 2013 7
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Sign of
Ship-Ship-Hooray
Our set of stamps to
the times
commemorate the 50th
anniversary of the launch of
Her Majesty’s Royal Yacht
Britannia was launched on
16 April. 300,000 people visit
the yacht at its mooring in
Edinburgh every year.
by Lisa Mobley
electronically these days.
‘They also expect real-time tracking.
‘With the continued growth in
parcels, we have to keep up with
the times.’
Offices that are yet to have their
new delivery method revisions will
receive enough PDAs for everyone
as part of that process.
All other offices will receive them
under a separate roll-out plan.
We’re aiming for every delivery
postman and woman to
have access to a PDA by the
end of this year.
It’s an £18 million investment that
will help us become more of a parcels
business.
There will be 64,000 PDAs in use
out on deliveries, and we will finally
see the back of the outdated cards
some staff still use to get customer
signatures.
Nick Landon, managing director
of our parcels business, says:
‘Customers expect to sign for items
Handy to have... Kevin
with his new PDA and
(inset) with a customer
Kevin Beavers, postman,
Leeds mail centre
easy to use
Ely delivery office has just received
its full quota of PDAs as part of this
roll-out.
Postman Kevin Felton says: ‘I’ve
guest EDITOR’S CoLUMN
After having appeared in an article in
November on the North East migration,
and then been involved in a focus group in
February where staff shared their views about
Courier, it seemed a natural progression
for me to be a guest editor. I jumped at the
chance to hone my new-found skills!
At the Courier office, I was struck by the
constant tapping of computer keys and ringing
of the phones. Pressing deadlines had to be met
from a team that, I discovered, is dedicated to
bringing us news from around the country.
The process each article has to go through
before it even reaches the print stage was really
been a postman for 26 years and
I’m also a complete technophobe,
so I’ve been putting off using a
PDA!
‘But once I got over that initial
fear, it was really easy to use. After
two weeks, I’m getting used to it.
The screens are straightforward and
easy to follow.
‘It means less paperwork as the
information is instantly downloaded
when you put the PDA in the docking
station at the office.
‘It’s certainly much more modern,
and means customers sending
items will be able to track the delivery
more accurately.’
interesting. I am sure people who have held the
guest editor position before me will agree.
Once the Ts have been crossed, the spellings
checked, the pictures carefully chosen and
put in position, the captions added (should the
caption be at the top or bottom of the picture?
etc etc) then, and only then, can the proposed
items be processed to look like a page that will
eventually form part of your Courier.
In this edition, you will find a variety of
items that I was privy to see at the draft stage.
There`s the story of the Leeds postie who
braved the snow to deliver something (you’ll
have to read it for yourselves to discover
THat was the month that was on myroyalmail.com
What you may have missed on your employee website...
Driver unites missing child
with parents
Anthony Elvy, a Parcelforce
driver from Tonbridge, used his
observation skills and Twitter
to help locate a missing child.
Having seen a tweet and the
police helicopter overhead, he called the
police when he saw the missing boy. His
Parcelforce van was an easy landmark for the
police to find him.
Got a smartphone?
Scan the codes to catch up on what you’ve missed
Be social media wise
A new website is helping
staff to understand the pitfalls
of using social media.
Dale Haddon, deputy Group
HR director, says: ‘The challenge
with social media is that it’s completely
public. Even if you only
share messages and images with
your friends, there’s nothing to
stop them sharing that information
with others.’
The public nature of social
media is also why some people
become victims of identity theft
and other crimes. Identity theft is
when a criminal gathers information
about you so they can pretend
to be you.
getting personal
Sharing too much personal information
online can give criminals
what they need to open bank accounts,
steal money and run up
debts in your name.
Information about your holiday
arrangements may tell criminals
when your property will be
easier to burgle.
Publishing inappropriate material
can affect you personally
and have a real impact on our
reputation.
Social media can also negatively
affect work colleagues if it’s
used inappropriately. It can be a
form of bullying or harassment.
Dale adds: ‘The golden rule
is never share messages or images
about our staff, customers,
visitors or sites on social media
without getting permission from
the communications team first,
and never share commercially
sensitive information at all. Failing
to do this could result in disciplinary
action.’
Social media has an important
role to play, including for businesses,
but be aware
of the dangers and,
if in doubt, don’t
share it! Remember,
once it’s
posted, you can
never get it back.
what).
There is an article about the changing role
of workplace coaches, and a great interview
with the longest server to Royal Mail. A real
mix.
In among the letters, you will find the new
‘You said, they acted’ column, which has only
been up and running for the last couple of
issues. It’s an item where people can see that
results are being achieved from issues and
questions posed.
I had a great time with Courier, and would
urge anyone interested to put their name forward
to be a guest editor. The hotseat awaits you!
Visit www.
myroyalmail.com/
ThinkSecure to learn
more about using
social media
wisely
Fancy filling the
guest editor’s chair?
You’ll enjoy an
expenses-paid trip to
the Courier office in
London to see how
it’s put together, and
a sneak preview of
the pages before they
go to press. Email
courier@abcomm.
co.uk or call 020 7922
5670

8 May 2013 email courier@abcomm.co.uk
signs of
success
New ways of working
at Liverpool South
delivery office have
halved complaints about
Royal Mail Signed For
items.
The unit has many large
PO Box customers who are
regularly sent Signed For
items, such as the council
and Passport Office. The
team identified that a lot of
complaints were to do with
PO Box mail that wasn’t
checked for Signed For
items before being delivered.
‘We set up separate pigeonholes
for customers
who receive a lot of Royal
Mail Signed For mail,’ says
postman Keith Tait, who
sorts mail on the night shift.
‘Customers pay for the
Signed For service because
they want to know their
items have arrived safely.
We had to make sure these
items were identified.
‘For customers that don’t
have their own pigeonhole,
we stand the item up
in the frame. The rest of the
mail lies flat, so the Signed
For items stand out to the
postmen and women.’
Results for the first four
weeks after the changes
show complaints are down
by half.
Delivery office manager
Brian Egan says: ‘We’re delighted
with the results. It’s
about identifying Signed
For items early and making
sure they are prominent.’
Change for the better...
Keith at the new pigeonholes
inside story
Indoor improvements are a vital part of a delivery office revision. Staff
at two units tell Courier where the changes have brought real benefits...
Shared vans and new
trolleys might be the most
visible elements of a delivery
revision, but there’s
more to the process than
that. Much of the programme’s
success is being
realised through improvements
to indoor working
methods too.
After undergoing indoor revisions
late last year, both Richmond
and Glasgow G11/12 delivery
offices are already seeing
the benefits of the new ways of
working.
Both were able to manage
the changes successfully thanks
to involving employees from the
outset.
Challenged
‘As part of the change process,
we were challenged to come up
with solutions to the issues we
identified,’ says Tony Fisher,
postman and CWU representative
at Glasgow G11/12.
‘Ours is a fairly cramped unit,
especially the enquiry office, so
we came up with ideas to make
it easier to get around and improve
customer service.’
Among the improvements
generated by staff are colourcoded
signs above the aisles that
correspond with each frame
and a purpose-built cage for
parcels so they are easier to find.
Safer
‘Other changes, such as a portering
system to get mail to the
right part of the office, and a
new layout, have also helped
make the office a cleaner, safer
and much more efficient working
space,’ adds Tony.
Employee involvement was
also key to the success of Richmond
delivery office’s indoor
improvement programme.
As well as introducing new
backless sorting frames and
dedicated porters to clear mail
from them, the office rejigged
its layout so delivery frames are
grouped into pods of four rather
than in lines.
The improvements have been
welcomed by everyone, which
is testament to staff engagement
at the outset, according
to delivery office manager Colin
Appleby. He said getting the union,
health and safety and the
Delivery Revision
Blank canvas... Mark helped
to shape Richmond’s
redesign
planning team together before
the change process began was
key in getting buy-in to the programme
in a historically sceptical
unit.
Blank Canvas
‘Within parameters, we were
given a blank canvas to redesign
the office in the way we knew it
would work best,’ says Mark
Shevill, postman and health and
safety representative in Richmond.
‘By grouping certain walks
together, we’ve created more
space and cut down the amount
of walking we need to do between
frames. It’s made for a
slicker, more professional operation
and helped bring about a
welcome boost to team morale.’
Challenged... Tony and
the Glasgow G11/12 team
came up with solutions
Modernisation – the story so far
50,346
PDAs
574
Compact Sequence Sorters (CSS)
to put mail in exact walk order
31,757
Lightweight trolleys
2,911
High capacity trolleys
66
Number of Intelligent Letter
Sorting Machines
11,665
875
Vans
Fully modernised units
and counting
(Figures as at end of April 2013)

t May 2013 9
For daily news, visit myroyalmail.com Watch weekly
Follow us on @RM_COURIER
Still going strong
congratulations
by Tracey Davies
Colleagues who are
celebrating 40 years’
service this month:
Celebrating 55 years’ service this month, Grantham postie is our longest serving current employee
Young at heart...
David has clocked
up 55 years’ service
Sending a cable by telegraph was
a popular way of communicating
when a 15-year-old David Coe joined
as a telegram messenger in 1958.
After a career spanning more than five
decades, the Grantham postman driver is
still going strong as Royal Mail’s longest
serving current employee – despite his
career nearly ending before it got going.
‘It was the night before Christmas Eve
in 1958,’ says David. ‘I’d just started my
shift when I was knocked over by a
car. I was in hospital for nearly a
year before returning to work.’
Since then, he has worked as
an inspector and spent the last
34 years in the driving seat.
David, who still has his
original postbag from 1964,
says: ‘I enjoy getting out
and about and meeting
people. I don’t
call them customers,
I call them
friends.
‘I have seen
their babies
born, grow up,
get married and
have babies of
their own. Not
many people can say
that in their job.’
But his career hasn’t been
without change.
‘Everything is much more
motorised now. I drive everywhere,
whereas I used to use a
pushbike.
‘Our deliveries are also much
larger and the days are longer. I
used to be up with the birds, complete
my walk in the dark and be home in
time for lunch.’
But the longer hours didn’t deter his
family from following in his footsteps.
‘My brother John worked at the Post Office
for 38 years, and my son Andy has
worked as a postman driver for 24 years
and counting,’ says David.
And David has no plans to retire any
time soon.
He says: ‘The job gives me a sense of independence
that I wouldn’t get at a desk
job.
‘It keeps me young.’
Then and now... David has
swapped his bike for a van, but
still has his original mailbag
• Kenneth Barnes, Wallingford delivery office
• Trevor Burzio, Islington delivery office
• William Butterworth, Warrington mail centre
• Martin Butler, Okehampton delivery office
• Geoffrey Bryant, Penrith delivery office
• Derek Clare (50 years), Victoria Docks delivery
office
• Alan Cornell, Chelmsford delivery office
• Alan Currie, Edinburgh service centre
• Eric Gilbert, Manchester mail centre
• Peter Gross, Mount Pleasant mail centre
• David Haddock, Ipswich mail centre
• Roy Hadley, Corby delivery office
• Jim Hardbattle (50 years), Hull mail centre
• David Higgs, Rednal delivery office
• Jack Hodd, St Leonard’s delivery office
• Alan Jones, Rednal delivery office
• Bob Jude, Plymouth mail centre
• Rasham Kaur, Coventry City North delivery office
• Mervyn Kilcoyne, Manchester mail centre
• Hussain Lotta, Birmingham mail centre
• Alan Mawston, Tyneside mail centre
• Kenneth McEwen, Tyneside mail centre
• Keith McKerrecher, Berwick delivery office
• Michael Metherell, Selsey delivery office
• Robert Pace, Tyneside mail centre
• Roz Packett, Alton delivery office
• Alan Paterson, Glasgow mail centre
• John Parmar, Leicester mail centre
• Melvyn Pemberton, Home Counties North mail
centre
• William Pollard, Manchester South East delivery
office
• Paul Rees, Pontypool delivery office
• James Rendall, Cheddar delivery office
• Larry Roberts, Neath delivery office
• David Schofield, Liskeard delivery office
• Philip Smith, Colchester delivery office
• David Smitheringale, Leicester mail centre
• Nigel Southgate, Aberystwyth delivery office
• Ray Tanner, Gosport delivery office
Cheeky savings
on a new bike
with Halfords
Cycle2work
In addition to Tax and National
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For a great deal visit
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Username: rmguser Password: rmgbenefit
Or call 08450 77 88 50
Terms and conditions apply.

10 May 2013 May 2013 11
John
Andy
Derek
Louise
star staff are
David
Michael
Paul
John Knox
John Parry
out of this world
Meet the finalists in this year’s Chairman’s Awards for Excellence. Competition in all five categories
was really tough this year, with more than 600 high-quality nominations received. The winners will be
announced on 7 June, and we’ll bring you their stories in a future issue. Good luck to all the finalists!
Best
Colleague
Community
Champion
Change
Champion
Customer
Excellence
Bravery
Award
Marie
Tommy
Darren
Mark
Dilip
Fraser
James
Ken Sean Andy
Leanne
Dave
Nigel
Eddie
John Dunn
Unite CMA H&S representative,
Manchester
For knowing the business
like the back of his hand,
going above and beyond
the call of duty to help
everyone, often in his own
time, and supporting colleagues.
Andy Fenton
Postman, Bath
For supporting colleagues
and the families of employees
who sadly passed
away and organising many
fundraising events in their
memory.
Derek Pettigrew
Postman, Glasgow
For taking a leading role in
World Class Mail as Glasgow
strives for silver, training
staff, being a first aider,
raising money for charity
by cycling and his commitment
to Royal Mail and the
community.
Louise Sanderson
Customer service manager,
Sunderland
For being a people person,
developing her management
skills, and managing
change by being supportive,
flexible, caring and resourceful,
and making the
business team a great place
to work.
David Carr
Postman, Morecambe
For promoting the business through
various charity and community
events, including running an allotment
for local disabled people, and
for saving a man’s life after he collapsed
outside the office.
Mike Chandler
Postman, Hereford
For raising £289,000 for Herefordshire
charities, including 13 London Marathons,
bike rides on old Royal Mail
bikes and a six-day walk from Hereford
to London carrying everything
he needed in an adapted work trolley.
Paul Jones
Postman, Putney
For setting up the Nightingale Walk
charity in 1979, with an annual walk
that has raised more than £490,000
for local charities and those further
afield, including an orphanage in
Ukraine.
John Knox
Postman, Stirling
For running the Ochil Explorers on
weekends and in his own time, which
has organised outdoor activities for
more than 200 local children, and
raising thousands for charity.
John Parry
Traffic office manager, Manchester
For his role as a member of the
Steve Prescott Foundation, which has
raised more than £420,000 since 2007
for two charities – Christies and the
Rugby League Benevolent Fund.
Marie Forrester
Delivery office manager, North London
For her commitment to an office move
project, overcoming barriers to deliver
the move of her two units while also
planning the revision, working with
the CWU and supporting colleagues.
Tommy Little
Postman, Glasgow
For his dedication to his role as workplace
coach and leading World Class
Mail initiatives, such as the mail centre’s
‘Big Picture’ visual, and the inaugural
WCM academy in Glasgow.
Darren O’Neill
Work area manager, Croydon
For his enthusiasm to learn new things
and apply World Class Mail tools and
techniques at the mail centre, where
he is Quality pillar lead, and spending
tireless hours motivating staff on
WCM.
Rob Robinson
Implementation manager – central delivery
programme team, Lincoln
For being a trailblazer in transforming
the delivery operation, co-ordinating
the concept trial for shared vans and
travelling the length and breadth of
the country supporting early delivery
method deployment.
Mark Woods
Postman, Norwich
For driving World Class Mail safety
improvements at the plant, first as a
member of the Safety pillar and then
as pillar lead, helping to reduce accidents
by 67%.
Dilip Bhakta
Driver, National Distribution Centre
For his proactive approach to customer
service, making their happiness
his personal responsibility and
always looking out for ‘his’ customers,
who are full of praise for him.
Fraser Chisholm
Head of customer marketing, Stamps
and Collectibles
For work to publicise the next-day
gold medal stamps and ensuring the
stamps were on sale online within
minutes.
James Head
Customer service provider, Parcelforce
For quickly taking to a new role in
customer services after joining as
a backshift sorter, helping to turn
around a high-profile customer complaint
and being an asset to the team.
Leanne Kennedy
Team leader, Sunderland
For working tirelessly to ensure all
aspects of her role are completed
to the highest standard and going
the extra mile as a matter of course
every day, and being a super role
model.
Nigel Miller
Advanced customer adviser, Sunderland
For the customer commendations
he’s received and for excellent customer
service, taking ownership,
giving customers informed choices
and resolving issues.
Ken Boon
Driver, Northern Home Counties
distribution centre
For using his lorry to gently bring
a car to a halt in the hard shoulder
after the driver had collapsed
and the car was veering erratically
across the motorway, and
then administering first aid to the
driver.
Sean Hartley
Postman, Blackburn
For rescuing a terrified mother
and daughter from an upstairs
window when their house was
on fire – Sean was in his garage
when he heard the screams and
grabbed his ladders.
Andy Kelly
Delivery office manager, Prescot
delivery office
For his role with the Territorial
Army, including eight months
in Afghanistan when he was
responsible for the triage of
wounded soldiers.
Dave Lynch
Investigation manager, Swindon
For his role in assisting the police
to apprehend an individual suspected
of stealing mail.
Eddie Stuart
Postman, Kennington & Walworth
For helping to detain a suspect
until police arrived after an
elderly man was robbed at
knifepoint while Eddie was on
his delivery.

12 May 2013 email courier@abcomm.co.uk
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 Help
line
0800 028 6142 or
email
disability.helpline@
royalmail.com
Pensions Help
line
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
Security Helpdesk
Tel 020 7239 6655 or
email
securityhelpdesk@
royalmail.com
Royal Mail
Uniforms
Helpline
0800 731 5137
Email royalmail@
dimensionscorporatewear.co.uk
Contacts
How to get in touch
Questions/ideas
to Moya Greene
Email Justsayit@
royalmail.com
Or write to
Freepost Just Say It
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
Shift into Sports
www.shiftintosports.
com
passcode: post2012
Feeling First
Class
www.
feelingfirstclass.
co.uk
passcode: FFC1
Royal Mail on site
gyms
www.
royalmailfitness.
co.uk
On the house
CUSTOMERS have been quick
to praise staff at our mailing
house support team, based at
Stoke contact centre.
The team takes pride in helping
third party partners process their
customers’ Direct Mail and fulfilment
items efficiently.
Field service manager Graham
Flaherty says: ‘At a customer engagement
event, several people
gave massive credit for the work
done by the mailing house team.’
Wendy Lainton, business customer
service adviser, says: ‘It’s
great there is a wider team we
can reach out to in operations,
where they have daily contact
with the regional distribution centres
so they can help us resolve
Great work… some
of our mailing
house specialists –
(front row from left)
Angela Longshaw,
Katie Reice,
Sajda Begum,
Wendy Lainton,
Sharon Newton.
(Middle row from
left) Donna Beer,
Frank Dixon,
Emma Pilkington,
Anne Kelter, Lisa
Wharton. (Back
row from left) Chris
Birch, Carly Morse
and James Butler
any problems.’
Team manager Emma Pilkington
adds: ‘Our named customer
contact process enables mailing
houses to help their own customers
and help us do the best job. If
there’s an issue we can’t solve on
the phone, we’ll send someone
out to work on-site to get a particular
mailing absolutely right.’
‘It’s all about exceeding expectations,’
says Frank Dixon, strategic
lead for mailing houses. ‘I’m
pleased to say this is what the
team does well – very well! They
are all customer service heroes
and heroines; the team knows
that being great is the key factor
that will set us apart from our
competitors.’
court in the act
Our regular round-up of convictions across the country.
Rob Fitzgerald, financial and criminal investigator, says:
‘These cases demonstrate that, apart from the hefty
custodial sentences these offences attract, Royal Mail
will take every opportunity to use Proceeds of Crime Act
legislation to recover our losses. This can allow us to get
back the full value of the goods stolen by the individual,
and can be far more than they themselves made from
their crime. Crime does not pay.’
Gary James BALDERSON, a
postman at Wigan delivery office,
stole postal packets containing
DVDs and console games and sold
them through online auction
companies. He pleaded guilty to
two charges of theft, one of
attempted theft and one of
converting criminal property at
Liverpool Crown Court on 8 April.
He was sentenced to two years’
imprisonment. Royal Mail has
started confiscation hearings to
recover the full value of the goods
stolen – £53,533.85, for which
Balderson received £29,802.47.
Julian Anthony GREEN, a
postman at Ipswich mail centre,
was found guilty of theft and
converting criminal property (he
cashed stolen foreign currency) at
Ipswich Crown Court. He was
sentenced to eight months’
imprisonment on 8 April and
Proceeds of Crime Act
proceedings are under way.
Oluushola Zion OMOWANILE,
a postman at Whitechapel delivery
office who stole postal packets
containing cheques, pleaded guilty
to one charge of theft and two
charges of opening postal packets
at Kingston Crown Court on 20
March. He received a total
sentence of 22 months’
imprisonment.
Natasha Evelyn PONPONNE,
company director of Timekeepers
of Edgware, who had dishonestly
evaded postage, pleaded guilty to
two charges of fraud at Harrow
Crown Court on 15 March.
Ponponne received nine months’
imprisonment, suspended for two
years. She had already repaid
£123,000 and was ordered to
repay £3,000 more and £7,500 to
Royal Mail in costs.
Elmer Delos SANTOS,
postman at Hampstead Heath
delivery office, stole postal packets
containing financial items. Santos
pleaded guilty to three charges of
theft at Kingston Crown Court on 8
April and was sentenced to 16
months’ imprisonment.
www.partnersprogramme.co.uk
LOGIN: RMGROUP
ROYAL MAIL EMPLOYEE BENEFIT
0% APR
Representative
finance *
Corsa SXi 1.2i 16v VVT 3dr
£169
per month**
PLUS
Free Insurance ‡
21-75 year olds
Offers end 1 st July 2013 so to find out more about our great Partners Programme offers, simply visit: www.partnersprogramme.co.uk and use the
login: RMGROUP, call the Partners helpline on 0844 875 2448 or visit your nearest Vauxhall Retailer.
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WARRANTY 100,000 MILE
Official Government Test Environmental Data. Fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km). Corsa SXi 1.2i 16v VVT 3dr: Urban:
39.2 (7.2), Extra-urban: 62.8 (4.5), Combined: 51.4 (5.5). CO2 emissions: 129g/km.
*Available on selected models only, at participating Retailers. Refer to www.vauxhall.co.uk/offers or contact your local Vauxhall Retailer for details. Finance subject to status. Terms and conditions apply. Applicants must be 18 or over. Guarantee / Indemnity may be required. Finance
supplied by either Vauxhall Motor Finance RH1 1SR or Vauxhall Finance, PO Box 6666, Cardiff, CF15 7YT. Offer will apply to Vauxhall Associate Partners only. All other customers are excluded. Offer available on orders or registrations before 1 July 2013. **Corsa £2,303 customer
deposit followed by 60 monthly payments of £169. Corsa model shown includes metallic paint, optional at extra cost (£525). ‡First year insurance offer available on Corsa SXi models only. The offer will cover the full premium for drivers aged between 2 1-75 (motor policy only).
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. Insurance offer available on orders or registrations before 1 July 2013. Other insurance specific terms and conditions
apply. Vauxhall Partners includes all employees and pensioners of nominated companies and their nominated eligible relatives. Vauxhall Partners discount is in addition to all other retail offers, and is applicable to the vehicle, factory fi tted options, number plates and delivery. We
reserve the right to change or withdraw any aspect of the Vauxhall Partners Programme without prior notice. Vauxhall Lifetime Warranty covers lifetime ownership of first registered keeper, 100,000 mile limit. Terms and conditions apply. Correct at time of going to press 08/04/2013.

t May 2013 13
For daily news, visit myroyalmail.com Watch weekly
Follow us on @RM_COURIER
Building on
strong roots
by Hilary Robertson
Customer corner
Lingerie expert Figleaves is extending its business with us –
reaching almost a million customers every month
our team has maintained
and even extended
the relationship with lingerie
retailer Figleaves,
a well-established customer.
Martin Rule, one of the
drivers who works closely
with Figleaves, says: ‘I enjoy
going to see the team
at Figleaves – nothing’s
too much trouble for them.
They have peaks in their
business – Valentine’s Day,
Christmas, their summer
sale – and there’s always
something going on in their
business.’
Account director Peter
Senior says: ‘Our strategy to
retain this contract was to be
proactive against the threats
from other competitors.
‘The customer already
knows and trusts our team,
and we convinced them of
the value of our total pack-
Growing the business...
Martin (left) and Elliott
Knight at Figleaves
age.’
CSIS POSTBOX LANDSCAPE MASTER Included_Layout 1 06/12/2012 10:33 Page 1
£1,000 in
rewards
– grab
your
share
Find your special 10th anniversary Watch&Win spotter’s card in this
issue of Courier to win a share of £1,000 of Sainsbury’s vouchers
When you see a potential
business opportunity for us,
just fill it in with as much detail
as possible and send it to the
Watch&Win referrals team.
Every lead accepted between 31
May and 19 July 2013 will earn you
£10. You’ll be entered into a prize
draw for a first prize of £500, a second
prize of £200 or one of three runner-up
prizes of £100. All prizes will
be issued as Sainsbury’s vouchers.
Emma Shaw, sales referrals manager,
says: ‘We are looking for traffic
we don’t currently handle, like
brand new businesses that have just
opened up, or mail currently being
sent via our competitors. We will
check out all the leads to ensure they
don’t already have an account with
Royal Mail or Parcelforce Worldwide
or be using the Post Office to send
their mail.’
Remember that mail identified
within the Royal Mail network
from Access/DSA mail customers is
ineligible for the Watch&Win scheme.
Leads submitted to Watch&Win will
only be accepted if they were publicly
observable.
How do I spot leads?
You or your family receive a parcel
delivered by a competitor
A customer tells you they use other
carriers to send out items
You spot a competitor’s van collecting
from a business
You see a new business starting or
receive a leaflet advertising a local
small business
You are online and spot a business
advertising that its products are
delivered by a competitor.
Contact Watch&Win on 08000 32 11 44, email watch&win@royalmail.com or go online at www.royalmail.com/watchandwin
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14 May 2013
A bumper batch of fundraising feats for Prostate Cancer UK, our charity of the year
Making a
Cardiff-erence
Pwllheli postman Dylan Williams is a regular runner
in the Cardiff half marathon, and raised a
whopping £1,800 for Prostate Cancer UK this year.
‘My father was diagnosed with the condition
three years ago and, after treatment, has been
given the all clear,’ says Dylan. ‘Now my brothers
and I get checked every year.
I wanted to do something to
help the charity.
‘It’s always good to
achieve £500 in sponsorship,
so when I hit £1,800 this
year, I was delighted. Customers
on my round and where
I live, as well as colleagues,
were really
generous. With the
matched funding
from Royal Mail, it’s
reached £3,600,
which is amazing.’
Cardiff mail centre staff staged their
very own cup final against a Welsh Assembly
XI to raise £500 for Prostate Cancer UK.
They were inspired by our charity recording
of Abide With Me, which is traditionally
sung before the FA Cup Final each year – although
they didn’t quite make it to Wembley,
playing their match at Cardiff’s Leckwith
Stadium.
External relations manager Mike Norman
says: ‘We were delighted when the Welsh
Assembly agreed to take part and
support this worthwhile cause.
We’re also encouraging
Download our
charity single! All
profits go to Prostate
Cancer UK, and the
business will also donate
£1 for every download up
to £100,000. It’s available
on iTunes and
Amazon MP3
Single
inspires
‘cup
final’
victory
our local community to
download the song and
help us raise as much
money as possible.
‘And there was more
good news – we won
the match 5-3!’
Sharing the support
Retired postman Bill Kenefec took his Courier to a
meeting of Middlesbrough Prostate Cancer Support
Group, which meets monthly. Bill, who took
the photo, says: ‘We showed them the support
given to Prostate Cancer UK by Royal Mail, and
they were really impressed. Anyone is welcome
to come along for support from the group.’
Rising to the challenge…
Lorna Ord and Staci Hawkins with
fancy dress prize winner Phil Carder
Graduates grow the total
by JEnny wilkinson
The adventures of a stuffed
bunny were among the fundraising
frolics that helped our graduates
and apprentices raise an
amazing £44,691 for Prostate
Cancer UK. That’s enough to
fund a specialist nurse.
A variety of innovative events were
organised by the 11 teams taking part
in the charity challenge. Team 13
raised more than £3,000 with the help
of their mascot Rowland the Royal
Mail Rabbit. He travelled around the
UK collecting donations and was photographed
at several places, including
Swindon Town Football Club, Westonsuper-Mare,
Birmingham, Manchester
and London.
The stuffed bunny even headed
Eye-opener... friends and family
got an insight into the mail centre
overseas to Malta and New York, with
his adventures documented on his
blog and Twitter pages.
The team also organised fancy dress
events, bake sales and raffles.
Apprentice Staci Hawkins says: ‘It
was challenging at times, but we had
a great turnout at the events. We owe
much of the fundraising success to
cake donations from colleagues and
their families.’
An award ceremony recognising
the efforts of the graduates and apprentices
saw Team 10 (see below)
presented with the Fundraising Challenge
Team Winners title.
Meanwhile, the Most Outstanding
Individual prize was awarded to Team
11’s Lyan Hodge, and Team Six picked
up the Most Innovative Fundraising
Idea award.
Over the top
Winning ways... Team 10 took
the title. (From left) Elliot Geddes,
Benjamin Finch, Methun Sivachelvan,
Elliott Grunwell, Tim Gurney and Peter
Macdonald, who presented the award
Helena Platt, talent and succession planning
manager, says: ‘We designed this fundraising
to challenge our graduates and apprentices
and give them the opportunity to test
their skills in new environments. It’s been
fantastic to witness the energy, personal
growth and achievements of this group – the
number of people they’ve involved across
the business and beyond has been brilliant.’
Community investment manager Gary
Grange adds: ‘I strongly believe that the
scheme we have developed, and the way
this group of graduates and apprentices
have made it so successful, will help create
a legacy for the future leaders of our
business and charities.’
Open to all
Team 10 took the title for an open day for family and friends at Home Counties
North mail centre, which raised £4,500. Matched funding brings that to £9,000.
‘We held a raffle, and everyone was so generous in bringing in prizes and
making food,’ says graduate trainee Tim Gurney, who organised the day.
‘Everyone was proud to show friends, family and the community what we do.’
Mail centre manager Neil Molloy says: ‘More than 250 members of the public
took the opportunity to visit. Our local MP, Mike Penning, came along and
raised our new flag too.
‘I’m amazed at the generosity of employees, who donate their hard-earned
money to good causes like this.’
Daring staff at Wimbledon
delivery office wore
their pants over their
trousers to raise money
and awareness for Prostate
Cancer UK.
‘Our target was to raise
£100,’ says postman Kevin
Tester (pictured fifth from
left). ‘In the end, we managed
to raise £122. With Royal Mail
matched funding, that means
£244 for the charity.
‘Our manager, Paul Julian,
asked for ideas, and we
thought that wearing pants
over our trousers in the office
was something everyone
could do. Even the women
got involved.’

t May 2013 15
For daily news, visit myroyalmail.com Watch weekly
Follow us on @RM_COURIER
Special delivery... Richard
made sure Laurie got her card
Weather
is snow
match for
Richard
Postman braves the white stuff to deliver
100th birthday card from the Queen
Determined Richard Harrison
braved heavy snow to deliver a
birthday card from the Queen
to customer Laurie Mundy.
Richard, from Holbeck delivery
office in Leeds, says: ‘Mrs Mundy
celebrated her 100th birthday on
24 March, and most deliveries
across Leeds did not go out that
day due to the severe weather.
‘But I didn’t want her to miss
out on her special day.’
‘I’m overwhelmed with the support’
November saw life change from the Rowland Hill Fund and from
dramatically for Clacton postman
colleagues will help me get back some
Tony Gibbs when he was in-
of my independence and mobility.’
volved in a serious road traffic The specially-made wheelchair
accident. But thanks to his colleagues
Tony needs will cost around £7,000.
and the Rowland Hill As well as the support from Rowland
Fund, he’s about to have a brand Hill, donations, a disco and raffle at
new wheelchair.
Clacton raised nearly £1,000.
‘My dad is a postman at Colchester, The latest event was the annual veterans’
and they’ve also been busy fundraising
football day between Colchester
to help me,’ says Tony.
and Clacton, as well as a quiz night.
‘I was on my way to work when Tony says: ‘I’m overwhelmed by
the accident happened. Now I’m the support I’ve had from colleagues
paralysed from the chest down and and the Fund to help me get moving
April confined courier to a wheelchair. advert V2.qxp The money 19/04/2013 again.’ 09:24 Page 1
Do you, or someone
you know, need help?
The
Rowland
Hill Fund
supports Royal Mail Group
staff, pensioners and
dependants in times of need.
Call 0800 6 888 777 then
select option 4 or visit
www.rowlandhillfund.org
Richard is delivering on a different
round now, but has known
Mrs Mundy and her grandson for
two years and took photographs
at her 99th birthday last year.
‘They asked if I could deliver
her special card this year,’ says
Richard. ‘I checked with my
manager and the current postman
on that delivery and I was
pleased they agreed. I’ve never
delivered one before!’
Veterans... Clacton colleagues helped raise
£1,210 by playing football and (inset) Tony Gibbs
500 and
counting
Courier now has more than
500 followers on Twitter.
Are you one of them?
If not, join our growing band of
followers and you could win £500
in holiday vouchers. Follow us and
tweet where you’re going and why
with #WereAllGoingOnASummer-
Holiday to be in with a chance of
winning.
win!
Colleagues
who’d like to
support Tony
should email
mick.collins@
royalmail.com
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Cars are brand new. All prices include VAT and are correct at time of print. Prices are on Personal Contract Purchase on a 4 year lease (i.e. the option to buy at the end but no obligation to do so). Other mileages, length of finance and deposits can be quoted. Full details available on request. Images are for illustration purposes only.
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16 May 2013 email courier@abcomm.co.uk
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 UKbased
Royal Mail employees
over the age of 18 or UKbased
Royal Mail pensioners.
2. Closing date for receipt of
entries is Friday 28 June 2013
(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
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Street, London SE1 0UE. 12.
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Mail Group Ltd, 100 Victoria
Embankment, London EC4Y
0HQ. 14. Neither AB Publishing
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If you would like to unsubscribe
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enter by email, please write
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email entry.
Our prize is
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
Courier photo
competition,
24-26 Great
Suffolk Street,
London SE1
0UE. Please
include your
home
address.
Tim Sams
You’ve been framed
Anyone for tennis?
Spence Alsop from Westhill delivery
office in Aberdeen had an
ace time at the Indian Wells tennis
tournament.
‘Our son played competitive
tennis against Andy and Jamie
Murray when he was young,’
says Spence. ‘We went for the
final three days and saw all the
world’s top eight players. I nearly
got Andy Murray to pose reading
Courier but he got called away –
rats!’
Zeeshan Khan from Camp Hill
delivery office in Birmingham
took his Courier to Lahore, Pakistan.
He’s pictured at the famous
Wagah Border between Pakistan
and India.
Tim Sams from Rushden delivery
office dropped in to the main
post office in Little England, in
the tea-growing region of Sri
Lanka.
Another post office pic, this
time from inclusion manager Kay
Clements. Kay toured Rajasthan
in India and is pictured outside
the local post office in Bundi.
Peter Ashin from Matlock delivery
office is pictured relaxing on
Grenada, the spice island. ‘It was
a nice winter break away from my
snowy rural round,’ says Peter.
Kay Clements
WINner!
Spence Alsop
Zeeshan Khan
Peter Ashin
win!
Wizard prize
Whether it’s dungeons, sea
life sanctuaries or rollercoasters
that float your boat, with a
Merlin annual pass you can enjoy
free entry for all the family.
We have a family pass for two
adults and two children up for
grabs, worth nearly £500. It gives
you free entry to more than 30
Merlin attractions across the UK for
the year (opening time restrictions
apply).
To be in with a chance of winning
a year’s worth of entertainment,
simply answer the following question
and send your entry to arrive
no later than Friday 28 June 2013.
Don’t forget to include your name,
home address and a contact number.
Email couriercompetitions@
abcomm.co.uk putting Merlin in
the subject box, or send your answer
on a postcard to Merlin competition,
24-26 Great Suffolk Street,
London SE1 0UE.
Q: Which legendary king is
Merlin associated with?
The one4all Crossword
Bag yourself a £10 One4all gift card
in our crossword competition
6
1
2 3 4 5
Name
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 May crossword, 24-26 Great Suffolk Street, London SE1 0UE to arrive by
28 June 2013. See above left for full terms and conditions.
7
10
11 12 13 14
17
15
16
9
8
Home address
Postcode
clues
Across
4. Large brass instrument (4)
6. And 1 Down. Royal Mail
improvement programme (8,8)
7. Largest city in the state of
Minnesota (11)
9. ‘Love Me ____’, a hit single
for The Beatles (2)
10. Ornithologist (11)
11. Charlie Brown’s dog (6)
14. And 17 Across. One of
the players featured on the
football heroes stamps (4,6)
15. ‘Catcher In The ____’, JD
Salinger’s classic novel (3)
16. Kigali is the capital of this
landlocked African country (6)
17. See 14 Across
Down
1. See 6 Across
2. New ways of working at
Liverpool South delivery office
have halved complaints about
these
Royal Mail items (6,3)
3. Gambling city Las Vegas is
in this US state (6)
4. Printing error (4)
5. Disgraced US cyclist (9)
8. Cooking containers (4)
11. Large, thick, flat piece of
stone (4)
12. Funeral fire (4)
13. Trees associated with
longbow making (4)
14. Chinese boat (4)
March’s answers
ACROSS
7 Doctor Who. 8 Toll.
9 Medway. 11 Error.
12 Scrub. 13 Set. 14 Skylight.
16 Two. 17 Athletes.
DOWN
1 Editors. 2 McElderry.
3 Joe. 4 Sweeney.
5 Hogwarts. 6 Dehydration.
10 Website. 14 Spa. 15 Hoe.

t May 2013 17
For daily news, visit myroyalmail.com Watch weekly
Follow us on @RM_COURIER
F tball frenzy
from the archive
Latest
stamps
Seven of the players featured
on our football heroes special
stamps lined up at the iconic
home of football, Wembley Stadium,
to launch the set this month.
The stamps feature eleven of the
UK’s greatest footballing legends,
and mark the 150th anniversary of
the Football Association and the setting
of the ‘Laws of the Game’, and
the 140th of the Scottish FA.
World Cup winner Sir Bobby
Charlton says: ‘It’s an unbelievable
honour and one I never could
have imagined when I started playing.
Stamps are usually reserved for
royalty, but this shows the inroads football
has made into the lives of people.’
Liverpool and England star John
Barnes says: ‘It’s a triumph for football.
My father named me after John
Charles because he admired him, not
for a minute thinking I would ever be
on a stamp like him.’
Manchester United and England
legend Bryan Robson says:
‘It’s a great privilege to be on a
stamp and it’s something that’s
inconceivable when you’re playing.’
Scotland star Denis Law says: ‘To
be chosen as one of the 11, when
there have been so many great
players over the years, is brilliant.’
Kings of Wembley... John Barnes,
Denis Law. Dave Mackay, Sir
Bobby Charlton, Gordon Banks,
Find out more at www.royalmail.com/footballheroes Bryan Robson and Jimmy Greaves
CSIS COURIER HALF PAGE 2013_Layout 1 21/03/2013 11:26 Page 1
Win the football
stamps
WIN!
We’ve got 10
presentation packs
of our football heroes
stamps up for grabs for
lucky readers.
The pack features all 11
stamps presented in an illustrated
brochure that describes the
players’ careers.
Just email your name, home
address and contact details to
couriercompetitions@abcomm.
co.uk putting football stamps
in the subject box, or send on
a postcard to Football stamps
competition, 24-26 Great Suffolk
Street, London SE1 0UE by
28 June. We’ll pick 10 entries at
random to win the packs.
service papers
The General Post Office’s
(GPO) communication with
the public took many forms
over the years.
Posters and adverts
promoting and explaining
services are often the most
popular examples. The GPO
also held a series of expert
public lectures from GPO
employees to communicate its
reinvention as a modern,
innovative organisation.
In 1934, a series of officially
sponsored lecture notes and
slides was launched to help
staff.
The notes were compiled
into 47 booklets with card covers,
published between 1934
and 1939 as the Post Office
Green Papers.
The British Postal Museum
& Archive (BPMA) now holds
the original Green Papers and
lecture notes in its archive at
Mount Pleasant, London.
Their content, covering
broad subjects like technical
and engineering issues, public
relations and medical services,
was written and illustrated by
experts.
Order issues of
printed papers,
staff training in
London, recovered
stores, the Post Office
Savings Bank, the Post
Office medical service and
Post Office investment from
the BPMA for just £3 each,
with free postage for Courier
readers until 30 June 2013
(subject to availability).
Order online at www.
postalheritage.org.uk/
publications-greenpapers,
entering discount code
CRGR33N at the checkout or
by phone on 020 7354 7272.
Special
reader
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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.
■ Walk this way: several walking
events are coming up. Sunday 2
June – Walk for Scotland,
Edinburgh – 10.2 miles for men
and 6.8 miles for women. Contact
Terry Crossley on 0131 336 3620.
Sunday 7 July – Postman’s Walk,
York – 10 or 6.7 km. Contact Sean
Martindale on 07843 012051.
Saturday 21 September –
Postman’s Walk, London – 6 or 3
miles. Contact Steve Wynn on
07773 465939.
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Apple Employee Purchase Programme
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letterbox
Isn’t it about time Royal Mail
released an app for
smartphones for tracking
customers’ parcels?
With all the smartphones
already in the marketplace and
Royal Mail’s migration towards
all parcels being tracked, this
seems a natural product to
develop and for once get
ahead of our competitors.
While the online track and
trace works very well, apps
are what people are using on
their phones. There is also the
possibility of using the app to
advertise our products at the
same time.
John McCarthy, postman,
Totton delivery office
Signal woes
Appy days
Money-saving offers and help when you need it
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Nick Landon, managing
director of our parcels
business, replies:
A tracking app is a fantastic idea.
And the great news is that we’ve
just launched a mobile version of our
website, along with a range of other
popular services that our customers
can access from their smartphones.
The benefit of the mobile site,
which looks and works just like
an app, is that you don’t have to
download it – it simply recognises
your smartphone or tablet and
automatically fits to its screen size.
As well as track and trace, it has
a postcode and address finder, price
finder to tell customers how much
their item will cost to send, and a
Post Office and Parcelforce
Having read previous letters and
replies about the PDAs being no
good, PDA failures are NOT
down to misuse by postmen and
collection/delivery drivers.
I have been using this type of
PDA since 2000 and have trained
various trades on using them,
including traffic wardens.
Could you tell me why we
have no signal in the NR area,
including the rural areas, as this
is what is causing the PDAs to
fail?
We have asked several times
to see if we can get a booster in
the cabinet or on top of it, and
we always get a no.
Brian Leftwich, PDA
champion, Norwich mail
centre
Key: Employees only
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David Lloyd Leisure
Gym membership and free trials.
Tel: 0844 848 4737
Visit: www.davidlloyd.co.uk/
employeeoffer
English Heritage
Free entry for colleagues and family to
280 English Heritage sites by showing
star
letter
Worldwide depot finder.
Type www.royalmail.com into your
smartphone browser.
Richard Bramley, service
manager, technology
organisation, replies:
I understand from your letter that you
have raised issues about connectivity
with the helpdesk and not had a
helpful response.
In our experience, the PDAs we use
are pretty stable devices. However,
they can sometimes be affected
by a poor signal. Occasionally,
the structure and contents of our
buildings can impede the signal.
But outside, it would be down to the
Vodafone signal coverage, as you
suggest.
I am going to take this up with BT,
who provide the Vodafone service.
I have arranged to visit you with a
telecommunications engineer to look
at the specific issues at your site.
Employees and pensioners
a work pass.
Quote: EHCORPRM13.
In addition, staff can claim 15%
discount at English Heritage online and
onsite shops.
Visit: www.english-heritage.org.uk/
support-us/corporate/corporatemembership
or intranet for a list of
free-to-visit sites.
Hoseasons
Discounts on holidays.
Quote: mail.
Tel: 0844 561 8502
Visit: www.hoseasons.co.uk/royalmail
Hovertravel
50% discount off standard adult and
child period returns, day returns and
single tickets.
Tickets only available on day of
purchase at Hovertravel terminals.
Company ID (Royal Mail pass)
required to receive discounted
fares. Discount eligible for the staff
member plus one and subject to
availability.
Merlin Entertainment
Up to 55% off entry to top
UK attractions.
Quote: Royal Mail.
Answers
don’t
wash
The vehicle wash at
Peterborough mail centre
is always breaking down
and it takes a couple
of weeks or so before
someone comes out to
‘repair’ it.
Of all the topics that
regularly crop up at
weekly team briefs, the
non-functioning wash is
probably top of the list.
Imagine, then, our
reaction at the recent
round of CPC (Certificate
of Professional
Competence) driver
training courses. Year
four’s topics include
Royal Mail’s brand image
and reputation. The
tutor showed a slide of
a particularly filthy artic
lorry and said how bad
that looked to passing
motorists.
We all nodded our
heads sagely and said:
‘We know, we’ve been
banging on about this for
years.’
As I write this, once
again the wash has been
out of action for many
days. The vehicle I drove
to Skegness yesterday
was so dirty you couldn’t
see the logo on the back.
Keith Hazelton,
distribution driver,
Peterborough mail
centre
Tel: 0871 222 9906
Royal Mail on site gyms
Visit: www.royalmailfitness.co.uk
Shift into Sports
Contract-free, discounted fitness
facilities.
Quote: post2012.
Visit: www.shiftintosports.com/
royalmailgroup
Warner Leisure Hotels
Save up to 50% on thousands of breaks
Quote: GG396
Tel: 0800 1 388 399
Visit: http://www.warnerleisure
hotels.co.uk/privilege-holiday-club/
welcome/index.aspx?tp=GG396
SUPPORT FOR YOU
Childcare Voucher Scheme
Save up to £904 per parent,
per year.
Quote: S462321D.
Tel: 0800 612 9015
Visit: www.kiddivouchers.com
Disability Helpline
For disability-related issues.
Colin Simons,
distribution manager,
replies:
Our washes cannot be used
in minus temperatures due
to the fine spray and tubes
in the system – we have
had three burst water pipes
this year already.
We also prevent people
using the wash when the
ground is frozen to reduce
possible slips and trips.
Looking at your wash
specifically, it was out of
action waiting for a new top
brush motor, which needed
scaffolding erected to
replace it.
We appreciate how
frustrating it must be when
you want your vehicle to
represent the business. Your
letter was a good prompt for
us to look again at getting
this repair done.
We make every effort
to help people keep their
vehicles clean if their wash
is out of service. A year ago,
we fitted an industrial size
jet wash at Peterborough.
We also supplied three
sets of two brushes with
extra-long poles and extralarge
water barrels, and
we’ve just supplied a safety
set of stepladders so drivers
can clean their screens.
Stop press!
Good news –
Peterborough’s
wash has now
been fixed.
Tel: 0800 028 6142 or
through RNID Typetalk and BT Text
Direct.
Email: disability.helpline@
royalmail.com
Feeling First Class
Visit: www.feelingfirstclass.co.uk
Passcode: FFC1
HELP
Free 24-hour independent and
confidential advice for
colleagues.
Tel: 0800 688 8777
Visit: www.rmghelp.co.uk
POOBI
Financial help for hard-pressed
employees with children.
Tel: 020 7239 2295
Visit: www.poobi.org
Rowland Hill Fund
For those in financial hardship.
Tel: 0800 688 8777
Visit: www.rowlandhillfund.org
Volunteer/fundraiser support
For colleagues raising charity cash or
volunteering.
Tel: 0151 284 1221
All letters printed win a £25 One4All gift card, with a £50 gift card for each
month’s star letter. We try to include as many publishable letters as
possible, but due to space we are unable to publish all of them.
Just the job?
I always wonder how you find out about
vacancies within Royal Mail and any
training you can do to progress.
A lot of in-house vacancies seem to be
kept hush-hush.
Couldn’t we have a noticeboard with
vacancies so everybody gets a chance to
see them? I’m very interested in working
for the investigations team but I’ve never
come across the chance.
Gary Brooks, Oldham delivery office
Carl Du-Plessis, head of
resourcing, replies:
You may have seen the article in the last Courier
reminding people about our website that lists all
internally advertised vacancies. They are certainly
not hush-hush!
You can search by all sorts of criteria such
as type of job and register for alerts so you’ll be
notified when a vacancy matching your criteria
comes up.
You can find the site at www.royalmailgroup.
com/myjob and you can access it from any
computer, tablet or smartphone.
Missing award
On 18 February I completed 30 years’
service with Royal Mail. I have heard nothing
concerning a long service award.
Can you tell me if they have been stopped?
Paul Dewberry, postman, Haslemere delivery
office
Service not
recognised
I recently completed 25 years’ service.
However, I was informed by HR that this
important milestone will not be recognised as
our long service recognition only goes up in 10
year increments.
While I appreciate this is company policy and
do not expect any monetary award, I strongly
feel Royal Mail should send out a ‘thank you’
letter for this many years’ service.
Most companies recognise the 25-year
Not ID-eal
Why is it that customer service staff persistently tell
customers that they can pick up items from the local
enquiry offices without a P739 card, telling the customer
they only need to take their passport as proof of identity?
We have even had customers being told they can
pick up Special Delivery items just with ID, even if they
do not live at that address and do not have the P739.
Surely this goes against everything the business tells
us when handing out items?
I believe the idea is to prevent fraud, not add to the
problem.
Could someone please give us clear instructions or
the business policy on this?
Claire Campbell-Smith, Canterbury enquiry office
Alex Harvey, customer experience compliance
manager, replies:
We’re really sorry to hear reports of this misinformation; our advisers are
fully trained about the right policy, and experience tells us that the vast
majority of them provide accurate information to customers. We also
know from past experience that some customers can misinterpret the
advice they have been given to try to obtain their items.
On occasion, we also receive complaints from customers who have
tracked their items on our track and trace website and can see the
item is being held at the delivery office, but they have not been left a
‘Something for you’ card. If that item is required urgently, for example
holiday or concert tickets, it isn’t always appropriate for us to tell
them to arrange a redelivery. To best help the customer on these rare
occasions, the adviser should contact the relevant delivery office to
make arrangements that do not penalise the customer or compromise
the security of the mail.
If we are given details of who the customer spoke to, we can, and do,
provide further coaching for the individual who has given out incorrect
information.
Jayne Collins, Operations commercial interface
manager, adds:
There are precise instructions in the ‘Undeliverable and Reposted’
Operational Specification, which clearly details the customer’s obligation
that they must be in possession of the P739 card and provide an original
form of identification confirming the recipient’s identify before the item is
handed over. Our Standard Operating Procedure 223 ‘Issue Customers’
Mail at Enquiry Office’ also clearly details this process, and our P739
cards state that the card should be taken when collecting items as proof
of the addressee’s ID. All these standards are available to download
from the Operations intranet site.
milestone and all my friends and family are
amazed we do not. This certainly does not
reflect well on us as a caring employer.
Jack Sambee, Royal Mail Wholesale
Jim Prentice, HR team, replies to both letters:
Jack, you are correct that we recognise and reward
people’s loyalty and service at 10-year milestones. Like
birthdays, different people will have a different view on which
milestones are important, but we had to take a decision
to make sure there is a consistent policy in place. We’re
sorry that you feel your 25-year milestone has not been
recognised. You would have received an award and letter for
reaching 20 years.
Paul, you should have received an award for 30 years’
service. This should have been presented to you by your
line manager. I am looking into why this has not happened
in your case, and whether any interruption to continuous
service such as a career break might be the reason.
People reaching each 10-year milestone of continuous
service receive an award pack from their manager, including
a certificate and letter. For 10 years’ service each employee
receives a pen, then for 20 years and for each 10-year milestone
beyond that they receive a lapel pin. Employees reaching 20, 30,
40 and 50 years’ service enjoy a choice of a gift or voucher, from
£80 to £400 depending on the length of service.
LETTERBOX
Email
courierletters@abcomm.co.uk
write to Courier letters,
24-26 Great Suffolk Street,
LONDON SE1 0UE
TEXT COURIER TO 80800
(MAX 160 CHARACTERS)
Please include your home
address with your letter
You said,
please make your
letter no more than
100 words and about
one clear topic
they acted
Following your feedback, we will update you on some of
the issues you’ve raised in previous letters
Time for action?
In September 2012, Stephen Collings
raised the issue of standardising the
collection time window option on the
P739 card. The issue came up again
in January this year, raised by Chris
Manna.
Jayne Collins, Operations commercial
interface manager, says: ‘We carried
out a trial in around 50 delivery offices
in December and January, including
Hawksworth, where Chris is based. Trial
P739 cards had three standard boxes
offering “collection from 2pm today, 4pm
today or Next working day” options.
‘The trial results were inconclusive and
we were unable to say that these “collect
from” options were singularly responsible
for reducing customer complaints, as
a similar pattern was evident in the
control offices. The feedback from staff
in the trial offices was positive, so the
recommendation was to revisit the idea,
with a further trial at a future date taking
into account the staff feedback.’
Shoes blues
In October 2012, John McCarthy
wrote in about his CAT footwear
not lasting as long after delivery
revisions, as he is walking for longer.
In her reply, Julie Brown, uniform
and print supply adviser, talked about
a trial to put two new types of shoe
through their paces – postmen and
women across the UK were trying
out the footwear.
In December, Philip Court asked
about half-sizes for work shoes. He
also asked if he could take part in
the trial.
Julie says: ‘I can confirm that Philip
received trial footwear in January. The
trial has now finished, and I am due to
get the results imminently. If one of the
trial shoes proves a success, we could
introduce it from the autumn.’
Courier will keep you posted!

special
When he’s not pounding the pavements in
Stanford-Le-Hope, postman Terry Bull is
all at sea or jumping out of a plane!
MY other
life
short
walk
When Llangollen postman John Walker led
his postwoman daughter Ruth down the aisle,
he caused a stir by sticking to the shorts he
always wears at work.
Ruth decided not to wear shorts for her big day, but
opted for a dress with red embroidery to signify our
corporate colour scheme.
As well as John and Ruth both working for us,
Ruth’s husband Andrew Skinner and mum Liz both
worked at Chester mail centre for Christmas last year
– a real Royal Mail family.
John has worn shorts daily since he joined in September
1999 – come rain, shine or snow.
‘I used to be a farmer,’ he says.
‘I’m used to being outdoors in all types of weather.
When Andrew originally suggested I wear shorts to
walk Ruth down the aisle, it was a bit of a joke, but
when the doors at Rowton Castle opened, the
guests’ laughter made all our nerves disappear.’
lovebug
steals
the
show
To cut a long story
short... Ruth and
John on the big day
It’s tough to qualify for Crufts, the
world’s most prestigious dog
show. But Lovebug, a
Staffordshire bull terrier owned by
Plymouth customer service
adviser Janina Augustynowicz, is
so successful in the show ring
she’s earned lifetime entry to the
show.
‘This year, Lovebug (full show
name Ramblestaff on the
Rampage for Toroloco) was
competing in the veteran class as
she is now a more mature sevenyear-old’,
says Janina.
‘We were competing against
champions from all over the
world. I was delighted that she
came fifth.’
Nearly 22,000 dogs compete at
Crufts each year, and it attracts
more than 150,000 visitors.
Janina says: ‘The atmosphere
is amazing. The Olympics was
such a big part of Royal Mail last
year – Crufts could be seen as the
Olympics for dogs!
‘As most tickets are bought in
advance and all the entry passes
sent through the post, I would
imagine it generates decent
revenue for Royal Mail
as well.’
all
at sea
‘I sea. Scuba diving is one of my passions and –
am an onshore volunteer for Sea Shepherd Conservation
Society and I love being on and in the
despite my fear of heights – I managed to paraglide in
Turkey last year. Now I’m set to skydive from 15,000
feet at Hibaldstow Airfield with crew from the Sea
Shepherd fleet to raise money for the charity.
In more normal charity activities, we spread the word about
Sea Shepherd’s global campaigns to secure support for ocean
wildlife conservation. We take an information stall around
events such as the recent International Dive Show and we
fundraise wherever we can, locally and around the UK.
Sea Shepherd is a cause close to my heart because it investigates
and takes action against illegal ocean activities around
the world. Since 1977 it has been helping protect dolphins,
seals, sharks and whales in particular.
My skydive is my toughest challenge yet and I can’t imagine
jumping out of a plane at 15,000 feet.
Seas the day... Terry during
his paraglide last year.
It’s a skydive next time