FSB Survey - Future of Post Offices

[Paul Bulpit]

From an email just received, this survey doesn't take long and you don't have to be a member. The Federation of Small Business is a powerful lobbying group.

The last FSB postal survey, carried out in 2006, was an enormously useful lobbying tool and we are now looking to update the data we have on small businesses' usage of Post Offices.

In particular we are keen to find out what other services, apart from postal, you as a business customer would like to see from the post office.

The results from this survey will also be used to inform the current inquiry ‘Post offices: Securing their future' going through the Business and Enterprise Select Committee at the House of Commons. Chairman of the Committee Peter Luff MP said:

"I look forward to seeing the results of the FSB survey. It is enormously important for us to hear from the small business community. We want your views on the future of post offices. This is a real chance to influence Government policy. "

The survey will take just a few minutes to fill in and will close on the 27th February.

Please click on the link below to fill in the survey

http://www.fsb.org.uk/surveys/post2009.htm

[Mike Hughes]

The last FSB postal survey, carried out in 2006, was an enormously useful lobbying tool

Was it? I don't remember seeing any Post Office closures being stopped by it.

we are keen to find out what other services, apart from postal, you as a business customer would like to see from the post office

Additional services? They must be joking. All anybody trying to send something from a post office wants is shorter queues and faster service.

How difficult can it be? The key to running a succesful business is to offer a service people want, charge a reasonable price and make it easy for them to use. Which bit of this can't they understand.

Mike

[Paul Bulpit]

Don't shoot the messenger!

The survey itself contains questions to which the answers given by the many members of this Community who use Post Offices may turn out to be helpful.

As somebody said on a recent thread, 'get rid of that buffoon Crozier' - unfortunately that ISN'T one of the questions, but there is space to write it in the 'Any Other Comments' box.

Q7 doesn't have one of these, I wanted to say 'Take my mail directly to the local depot and put it into the outgoing cage myself'.

Q17 is a bit ambiguous I didn't know which way to answer! Is that 'Yes', I would mind, or 'Yes', please bombard me with more surveys?


Paul

[Mike Hughes]

It's OK Paul. You weren't my target but what a dumb ass survey and questionaire.

As you say, Q7 has 'Other (specify)' as option but no space to specify.

Another one asks for the impact of the recent closures on your business and then doesn't allow you to select both 'I have to use another post office' and 'Queues are now longer than they were'.

And there are several where there isn't an answer you'd like to give.

Mike

PS. This:

'Take my mail directly to the local depot and put it into the outgoing cage myself'

Is exactly what I do most of the time these days. Why they don't just have a cage for doing this officially when stuff is too large for the post box I don't know.

[bamboo]

This is a real chance to influence Government policy

That's the flaw in FSB's thinking. As far as I can see this Government has no policies

[Darren B]

Trying to send something by post is easy UNLESS is bigger than a A5 piece of paper.

This stupid new size and weight system has caused bigger queues, i now repeatedly have to stand behind people everyday who have only qued because they dont know what size stamp to use.

If they want to save money, stop doing these stupid services for nothing like with drawing money from your bank - yet another que causing problem

and yes why cant i put a small packet ina post box

[Paul Bulpit]

why cant i put a small packet ina post box

Can't you?

If we've already taken the sacks round to the depot just after 5pm (to catch the first lorry) and then we get another small order that can be processed, but won't fit in the pillar box on the corner, then I watch out of the office window until I see the van come to empty it and run the parcel across.

All our local postmen seem pretty nice people, always a smile, and one wears shorts and RUNS everywhere!


.

[parklifeclothes]

and yes why cant i put a small packet ina post box

You can get arrested for things like that

[parklifeclothes]

A lot of the problems are of the red tape variety, we've been in the process of setting up an OBA with daily collection and you can't just deal with one person/department, so makes everything so much more complicated and painful.
The staff at the Post Offices are always lovely and I wouldn't envy the Postman's job, its just a shame its run by people who probably never use its services so haven't a clue, much like all the big businesses going bust, couldn't quite see Woolies MD at the pick n mix counter.

[Darren B]

Can't you?

If we've already taken the sacks round to the depot just after 5pm (to catch the first lorry) and then we get another small order that can be processed, but won't fit in the pillar box on the corner, then I watch out of the office window until I see the van come to empty it and run the parcel across.

All our local postmen seem pretty nice people, always a smile, and one wears shorts and RUNS everywhere!


.

Well no they dont bloody fit

Adn your right about the red tape, i dont understand why i cant have an account that allows me to drop all my mail off and pay the bill at the end of the month? It's what i do with a couriers

[parklifeclothes]

Until we get our OBA sorted we give the post office an amount of money at the start of the week and each day they process the mail, ring us with the amount and then deduct from our kitty, not the best option but we don't have to queue when dropping the mail bags off, much to the annoyance of the coffin dodgers purchasing their daily stamp.