Post Offices and meeting the needs of the customers

Post Office Locals can sustain the network, if they meet the needs of customers –

Over the next few years, changes to the Post Office network could see as many as one in five dedicated sub-post offices around the UK being replaced by a new model of post office known as Locals.

A Post Office Local is a post office service operating within an existing retail premises, such as a shop or garage.

Our report ‘Staying Local: the future of the post office network in Wales’  shows that people welcome the longer hours, convenience and friendly service Post Office Locals offer.  In particular, convenience was important to those customers who lived in isolated areas with little or no alternative services nearby, and elderly customers who spoke of mobility issues and a lack of transportation.

But people also said that they had concerns about privacy, the range of services and products, and knowing what their local service offers. Some customers interviewed expressed concerns about the capability of some staff in Locals to undertake more complex transactions such as mailing heavy parcels, and pension withdrawals, highlighting a need for better training and support for employees.

A higher percentage of people in Wales have life limiting illnesses that may affect their ability to physically get to their nearest post office and vulnerable consumers could be disadvantaged if the demand for more products and services at locals is not addressed.

Disabled and elderly consumers are highly reliant on the post office, with seven out of ten visiting the post office at least once a week, and for most the post office down the road is the only one they can get to. This is also true for consumers in some of the most isolated rural areas in Wales. Post Office Locals could play a key role in securing a post office network fit for the future.

The role of the post office in the community cannot be underestimated.  People we spoke to praised those who run post offices as beacons of the community.  It is evident that a local, friendly service is greatly valued and that good quality localised services should not be lost.

Where Post Office Ltd and a potential operator propose to introduce a Post Office Local in place of an existing post office, there will be a local consultation asking for the views of constituents on whether a Post Office Local is the right choice for that area. There will be no national consultation on these changes as conversions will take place on a case by case basis.

With this in mind, we would like to see the Welsh Government  monitor and evaluate the likely impact changes to the post office network may have on smaller communities and their businesses, specifically deep rural communities where access to services is limited.  The Welsh Government should also be seeking all opportunities to promote the support that is available to these businesses, such as its Post Office Diversification Fund..

The Post Office Locals model will start being rolled-out across Wales this summer.  Therefore, it is vital that Post Office Ltd ensures that it delivers a model that meets its customers’ needs, both now and in the future. This is a massive shift away from traditional sub-post offices and thousands of customers shouldn‘t be asked to sacrifice quality of service for the sake of convenience.   By addressing the concerns raised in our research, Post Office Ltd has an opportunity to make sure that consumers can have both.

Rebecca Thomas is a post specialist at Consumer Focus Wales