Whistl Magazine Winter 2017

Whistl magazine Winter 2017 How you rated us in our customer satisfaction survey. THE SCORES ARE IN!

81%

84%

83%

Interviewwith ClaireSchweidler fromKirkleesCouncil

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY RESULTS NEWCODE TO TACKLE SCAMMAIL A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AWHISTL ENGINEER INDUSTRY IN BRIEF

Here at Whistl we love feedback. It’s helpful to knowwhat’s working, what isn’t and howwe’re living up to our promises. We were delighted with the results fromour 2016 customer satisfaction survey which showed that themajority of you are happy with the service we’re providing. Here’s how you rated us. The scores are in!

Wells Said

Well I hope you’ve all had a good start to the year. I’m pleased to say that 2017 has started on a positive note for us here at Whistl thanks to our healthy performance last year. We exceeded our profit targets for 2016, saw strong growth in packets and parcels and moved a staggering 3.7 billion items through our network. Doordrop Media also enjoyed a good year with a 20% increase in revenue thanks to popular uptake of its intelligent targeting and insight services. It has to be said it’s been somewhat of a rollercoaster ride for UK business and consumer confidence since the Brexit vote and shock election of Donald Trump, however it’s good to see that international ecommerce still remains strong. Here atWhistl we continue to help businesses build their cross-border tradewith international delivery options designed to suit the needs of retailers and their customers overseas. In a highly competitivemarket customer satisfaction is crucial, so it’s never beenmore important to work with a trustworthy delivery partner that brings the stability, reliability and consistency you and your customers expect. In fact I’mdelighted to see that 83%of you were happy with the servicewe’re providing. We pride ourselves on our quality of service so it’s good to know that we’re gettingmost things right! I hope you enjoy the issue. Please do tell us what you think ofWhistl Magazine by completing our reader survey. We’d love to hear what you like, what you don’t like and what you’d like to seemore of. In themeantime we’ll keep you posted on all the latest industrydevelopments@whistluknews. NickWells Chief Executive Whistl 2 Whistl Magazine • Winter 2017

“Good relationships, quick to respond.”

“They are proactive, knowledgeable and responsive”

“The vanman is always on time or within a fewminutes and the price is excellent.”

Cate Hillis Yorkshire Building Society

Duncan Carroll Tesco Personal Finance

Julie Smith Angus Conservative & Unionist Association

“Account managers are all extremely helpful and accommodating, it’s why we chooseWhistl as our DSA provider.”

“Whistl are reliable, flexible andwe receive good value for money.”

“You do what you say you will do, when you say you will do it.”

TimAmbler Brightsource

Eastgate Theatre Ltd (Peebles)

Ann Jack West Lothian

83%

83% of customers were satisfied or very satisfied doing business with us

Everything we do here is underpinned by our five promises so it’s good to seewe’re doing a pretty good job of delivering on them.

72% of customers agreed we provide a reliable, dependable, quality service

84% were satisfied with the timing of collections

78% were satisfied with our value for money

73% of customers agreed it’s easy to use and reach us when they need to

81%

83% were satisfied with the quality of their account manager

were satisfied with sustained quality of service

60% of customers agreed we see things from their perspective and do the right thing for their business

78%

81%

78% of customers agreed we are friendly and helpful and have a can-do attitude

71% of customers agreed we are straightforward, open and honest

Respondents as a % of those who scored from 8-10 on a 10 point scale from 1 (completely disagree) to 10 (completely agree).

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Whistl Magazine • Winter 2017

News

New code to tackle scammail

Here at Whistl we remain committed to cracking down on scammail and have been working closely with Royal Mail, the National Trading Scams team and UKMail to developways of combating the practice. Together, we have established an industry-wide code of practicewhich has already resulted in several mailings being intercepted and returned to sender, the data of which has been sharedwith other postal providers. Most scammail is sent to the UK fromoverseas, sowherever possible it’s essential to combat this practice at source. In fact Royal Mail’s research shows that 50%of scammail enters the postal network via the Universal Postal Union, 36% through Access arrangements and 14% through Royal Mail’s own retail channel. Through greater collaboration, and by working together with lawenforcement agencies, our aim is to tackle the scourge of scammail and prevent operators using the postal systemto distribute fraudulent letters.

The Code of Practice • Activelywork together, andwith law

enforcement agencies, to tackle the scourge of scammail • Proactively share intelligence of confirmed scammailings and suspected scammailings • Terminate any mailing identified by law enforcement agencies as being used to attempt to scam the recipients • Include anti-scam terms and conditions in contracts that are consistent across the industry • Forge closer ties with law enforcement agencies and the broader communications community to prevent scams through letters, electronic communications, telephone calls and other means • Provide help and support for victims of scams by sharing information received in our enquiries with appropriate partners including the National Trading Standards Scams Team, law enforcement and other agencies.

UK exportmail andparcelsmarket worth £2.9billion

The UK export mail and parcels market generated some 870 million individual items and around £2.9 billion in revenues in 2015 according to the mail and express specialist Triangle Management Services. Their latest International Mail and Parcels Digest, developed in collaboration with over 30 leading industry players, shows a vibrant marketplace offering an ever-developing range of services. It found that the UK has become a transit centre for international outbound mail and parcels thanks to the healthy overseas market for UK brands and the UK’s highly competitive air and road freight market. As a result, the market has seen the emergence of a wider choice of international services and new players. In fact, the growth in cost-effective tracked services and cross-border returns at the economy

end of the market has brought more choice for users, and greater competition for incumbent operators. Andrew Goddard, Commercial Director at Whistl said: “As the market becomes more competitive it’s more important than ever to deal with a reliable provider that offers the quality and consistency you need to build international trade. “As the UK’s second largest mail provider Whistl gives you that assurance with a full range of delivery options as well as expert support on everything from customs and duty to filling out the paperwork.” For more information about Whistl’s international services email whistl.magazine@whistl.co.uk . To download the International Mail and Parcels Digest visit www.triangle.eu.com

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Get mail-ready Tomake sure your mail is machine readable and processed quickly and efficiently you just need to follow a few basic rules.

1

Ensure the address is legible Wherever possible type the address instead of handwriting it. Use fonts such as Arial or Times Roman in 10 or 12 point font in black on a white or creambackground.

3

2

Include the correct postcode Ensure all mail has a full and valid postcode typed in capital letters. Visit www.royalmail.com/postcode-finder to search for a postcode.

OX4 5ZZ

3

Ensure there’s no irrelevant text in thewindow Fold your letters carefully so that no extraneous text is visible in the window.

4

Make sure the entire address is visible Set your address template correctly so that the full address is visible in the window when the letter is folded with no pictures or print visible behind the address.

5

Seal envelopes correctly If you’re not using self-seal envelopes and need to use sellotape please ensure it goes edge-to-edge.

For further information about preparing your mail visit www.whistl.co.uk

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Whistl Magazine • Winter 2017

Customer Focus

Cutting costs for the council

“Using an approved CCS supplier is the best way of procuring cost- competitive services at best-practice standards.”

As council budgets becomemore andmore constrained, the pressure to cut costs and improve efficiency has never been more important. Here, Claire Schweidler, Document Solutions Manager of Kirklees Council explains how sourcing postal services as a consortium through the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has enabled the Council tomake significant savings.

What are the potential pitfalls to avoid? Don’t get too distracted by savings on mail items that only generate small volumes. Although there are over 200 categories listed on the RM1063 Framework, you should start by prioritising 10 large-volume items before reviewing everything else. What do you look for in amail provider? A good understanding of the demands that local government face and providing innovative solutions that improve efficiency is key. Where do you findmost savings can bemade on post? As far as Kirklees Council is concerned, most of our savings are achieved by making sure all our mail is machine-readable, and has the correct address and postcode. We also save on print, stationery and consumables by using hybridmail for certain mailings. Howmuch have you savedwithWhistl? In the months following the tender, Kirklees Council has made a 17% saving. As a consortium that includes Yorkshire, Humber and Association of Greater Manchester Authorities – significant savings are expected in the year ahead! Howdid you benefit fromsourcing a postal provider through a CCS framework agreement? It made the whole tendering process much quicker, easier and simpler to follow. Because the bidding suppliers had already signed up to pre-agreed terms and conditions there was less scope for re-negotiation, which made the contract procedure much more straightforward. For more information about Whistl’s extensive services for the public sector, please phone 01628 879611 or email whistl.magazine@whistl.co.uk

What’s your main challenge regarding post? Our main challenge is to deliver a more efficient service whilst reducing costs. Because we send out post that can be of a time-critical nature such as bills, reminders, legal documents and benefits, it’s really important that the mail we send out arrives on time. Working with an organisation that can handle the high volumes of post we send and that can improve cost-efficiencies is therefore really important to us. Howmany items of post does Kirklees Council send? Around 2 million items of mail every year. Why did you put the postal contract out to tender? As our existing contract withWhistl was about to expire there was an opportunity to team up with neighbouring local authorities that were also seeking to source postal services. By forming one consortium it meant we could benefit frommore competitive prices based on our combinedmail volumes – this adds up to around 27 million items per year. What advice would you give to other councils when choosing a postal supplier? Although price is very important, the quality of service is more so. Delivery needs to be efficient, quick andmost importantly of all, secure. Choosing a postal supplier should not purely be down to cost, it’s about implementing new efficiencies, good contract management and providing supportive customer service. Using an approved CCS supplier is therefore the best way of procuring cost-competitive services at best-practice standards. Where should you start when looking for amail provider? Speak to your procurement team initially as they will have a list of CCS approved postal providers. Then it’s down to you to shop around, visit depots, talk to the sales and operational managers.

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Puttingquality in the frame Suppliers bidding for the Yorkshire, Humber and AGMA tender were evaluated on a number of different criteria set out by the Postal Goods and Services Framework. Here’s where we scored particularly highly to win the contract.

Implementation • Plan of action and named dedicated support • Training provision throughout contract period • Risk assessment e.g. weather Proposed innovation • Improve quality control and reduce non- machineable items • Improve transparency withmail tracking, testing and reporting • Add value through expertise and close collaboration

Service delivery • Specified collection and delivery times • Application of volume discounts with transparent tracking • Solutions for improving mail quality and cost- efficiencies • Processes for managing undeliverable/incorrect mail • Established security procedures

Contract management • Commitment to work in partnership with each authority • Establish induction plan, training, transport routing and absence cover • Good complaints handling and resolution procedure • Supportive account management with good understanding of sector

Social value • Generate local jobs, apprenticeships and opportunities for young people

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Whistl Magazine • Winter 2017

Public Sector

The CrownCommercial Service at a glance

What is the Crown Commercial Service (CCS)? The CCS works across government and the public sector, helping to procure services with the aimof improving the quality of the service delivery and saving money for the taxpayer. What are the benefits of sourcing services through the CCS? It’s a quick and easy way for public sector organisations to procure best-value, best-practice services that comply with UK and EU legislation from reputable suppliers in the industry. What is a CCS framework? The CCS’s operations break down into framework agreements. These are a set of pre-tendered contracts with a range of approved suppliers from which public sector customers can purchase goods and services.

What CCS framework hasWhistl been awarded?

Lot 1 Collection and delivery; bulk, standard mailing and doordrops. Lot 2 On-site hybrid mail solutions; printing on-site and delivery of mail. Lot 3 Off-site hybrid mail solutions; printing, addressing and enveloping off-site and delivery of mail. Lot 4 International mail services; global delivery service available including; bulk, standard mailings. Lot 7 Off-site inbound mail solutions; mail can be opened, scanned and digitised off-site before being distributed, also includes archiving, destruction, indexing and screening services.

TELL USWHAT YOU THINK OF

WHISTL MAGAZINE! Do you enjoy readingWhistl Magazine? Think we could do things differently? Are there any changes to themagazine that you’d like us tomake, or are we doing things about right? We want to know what you think so that we can give you a more enjoyable read. That’s why we’ve put together a survey that will help us understand what you’d like to see more of and what you’d like to see less of. We’d be grateful if you could help us shape the future of Whistl Magazine by taking just a fewminutes to complete our survey at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/whistlmagazine . Thanks!

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Whistl Magazine • Winter 2017

Aday in the life... TOMASZ NIEWIADOMSKI WHISTL ENGINEER

When it comes to keeping things running smoothly, WarringtonWhistl Engineer Tomasz Niewiadomski is theman that canmake it happen. We catch upwith him to find out what it takes to be aWhistl engineer working behind the scenes of the UK’s second largest postal operator.

I start my day… bright and early at 8am. First I read through the depot supervisor’s emails, then I’ll check the Machine Information Report to see whether there’s anything that needs urgent attention. After checking-in with the operation staff to see if all’s OK, I have my regular conference call with the engineering team to discuss any faults that we need to prioritise. The rest of the day is spent at the Whistl Warrington depot servicing the machines and undertaking general maintenance tasks. To be aWhistl engineer you need to be… patient, calm and focused. You need to be able to problem-solve in a very busy environment so you need to keep a cool head if you’re going to deal with issues effectively. The best part of my job is… working with great like-minded people. I get a lot of satisfaction fromworking with my engineering colleagues and the team in operations meeting our quality targets. I have gained… a lot of experience working at Whistl. I regularly attend training workshops and really enjoy developing my skills and knowledge.

The biggest project I had to manage… was the installation of the current Siemens machines in Iver and Warrington. Over the next 10 years… I would like to see the installation of new letter and packet sortation machines as well as more technical training. My proudest moment… is knowing that hundreds of millions of letters received by people in the UK have been processed by Whistl’s machines. It makes you feel like you’re providing a great service to people in the community. I never like… being unable to fix a machine. I’ll always domy utmost to solve the problembut if I can’t I’ll call on other engineers. I endmy day… at 4pm after writing up a summary of the day’s events. Out of hours… I enjoy spending time with my wife, walking my two German Shepherd dogs and fitness training. I’ve also started learning PC programming and developing analysing software. A little known fact... is that I have a passion for martial arts, specifically MMA Krav Maga and Taekwondo.

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Whistl Magazine • Winter 2017

Industry in brief DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY & POSTAL AFFAIRS, CHARLES NEILSON PROVIDES HIS REGULAR ROUND-UP OF INDUSTRY NEWS.

Ofcom issued its annual monitoring update on the postal market in November, here is an overview of their findings. Ofcomannual monitoring of the postal market

Parcel volumes continue to grow In the parcel market volumes and value continue to grow with 1.987 billion parcels delivered in the UK with a value of £8.245 billion. However competition in this area has seen a small average unit revenue decrease to an average of £3.31 per item. Unsurprisingly there is a significant difference in the volumes and values that are delivered domestically and internationally. Domestic parcels account for 82% of the volume and 66% of the value, international outbound accounts for just 8% of the volume and 22% of the value and finally international inbound accounts for 10% of the volume and 12% of the value. We’re pleased to see that Access volumes remain stable and have been so for several years (ignoring the impact of our withdrawal from end-to-end delivery and return to DSA). With our growing focus and capability in both the UK and international markets, and the backing of our highly efficient collection, trunking and depot infrastructure, we’re well placed to provide a one-stop-shop for your mail and parcel needs.

Royal Mail managed tomiss five out of its eight performance targets in the year butmost of themisseswere nearmisses. Despite this performanceboth residential andbusiness consumerswere generally happywith the servicewith85%saying theywere very or fairly satisfied comparedwith 73% (residential) and 77% (business) in theprior year. Interestingly, business customerswere also asked to rate several aspects of the service for satisfaction. They rateddelivery consistency (74%) and items deliveredundamaged (87%) highlywhereas only 39%were very or fairly satisfiedwith theprice of postage. Decreasing people costs long termmust remain a strategic priority for Royal Mail since it still accounts for some two thirds of Royal Mail’s cost base. DSA volumes remain stable In the mail market Access volumes have remained stable at 7.1 billion items, helped in part by the return of our end-to-end volumes. The market overall declined to 12.28 billion items giving Access a 58%market share overall. Royal Mail’s retail and USO business showed a decline to 5.1 billion items.

Access Contract Review2016

Royal Mail launched a consultation on a number of possible contract changes in September 2016. This included dropping the requirement for the zonal indicator on zonal Mailmark postings, allowing actual data tomeasure Fall to Earth rather than sampled data, changing the mathematics of the Urban Density Measure and removing the tolerances for holders of two price plans. Whilst many of the proposals have merits, there are significant concerns from the industry about the removal of tolerances – Royal Mail received 15 responses to its consultation overall. Happily, Royal Mail has decided to pause and reflect on the content of the responses and will invite further comment from the industry in 2017 to see if a satisfactory solution can be found for all parties. Here at Whistl we will of course play an active part in these discussions on your behalf.

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Can we do more for you?

Mail Offering UK organisations an innovative range of economic and efficient mail

delivery services. • Pre-sorted mail • Unsorted mail

• International mail • Hybrid mail

Packets & Parcels National delivery services for UK organisations sending packets and parcels with a range of delivery options.

• Pre-sorted • Unsorted

• Tracked

International A range of services for sending mail, packets and parcels overseas.

TO FIND OUT MORE Existing customers contact your account manager

• Pre-sorted • Registered

• Unsorted • Tracked parcel services

New customers call us on 01628 861503 e-mail whistl.magazine@whistl.co.uk visit www.whistl.co.uk

We hope you enjoy readingWhistl Magazine. If you’d like us to feature anything in particular in future issues, or would like to feature as a case study please get in touch using the following contact details.

Doordrop Media End-to-end management of doordrop campaigns using analytical insights to target the households you most want to reach, helping your media spend go further.

email whistl.magazine@whistl.co.uk write NatalieWalker, Whistl UK Ltd, Meridian House,

Fieldhouse Lane, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 1TB

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Whistl Magazine • Winter 2017

Returnaddress:Whistl UK Ltd, Meridian House, Fieldhouse Lane, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 1TB

Reach customers worldwide with Whistl The world comes shopping on UK e-commerce sites. If you’re looking to generate more cross-border trade, Whistl can help. Not just with all the delivery options you and your international customers want, but expert support on customs, duty and stuff like that. In short, we put the world within reach.

Call 01628 861503 e-mail whistl.magazine@whistl.co.uk visit www.whistl.co.uk/worldwithinreach

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