Mailroom - Citipost Mail Newsletter, May 2024
Citipost Mail
Supporting you with every step of your marketing journey. Experts in mail.
Welcome to Mailroom, the official Citipost Mail Newsletter.
We are delighted to welcome all our valued clients and potential partners to our very first edition of the Citipost Mail Newsletter: Mailroom.
Mailroom aims to be more than just a newsletter; it forms part of our approach to adding value to our clients and is a further communication channel that we hope will support you with your marketing journey. Our industry is facing many challenges, and we are conscious that we have an obligation to keep you informed of industry news, product and service changes, and offer solutions to help you communicate with your customers more efficiently.
This is another vehicle we have created to help us share these things with you so that we can navigate the future together and help keep your business moving forward.
At Citipost Mail, we are continually working on providing you with innovative, high-quality solutions in order to fill any gaps you may have in your end-to-end marketing supply chain. For example, if you need help with selecting or reaching new customer sectors, are struggling to stand out amongst your competitors, or are looking for ways to make your marketing budget work better for you, we are confident we can help. Just contact us and one or more of our industry experts will be delighted to support you in your marketing journey.
Lesley Yeomans
Deputy Managing Director
IN THE NEWS
Ofcom looks at the future of the universal service obligation.
At the beginning of April, the deadline passed for the public to feed their thoughts into Ofcom’s review of Royal Mail’s Universal Services Obligation.
What is the Universal Service Obligation?
The “USO” is the obligation placed upon Royal Mail to deliver 1st and 2nd class letters six days a week at a one price goes anywhere tariff. 1st class letters are supposed to be delivered next day no less than 93% of the time. Royal Mail also have an obligation to deliver parcels. Currently only 2nd class letters have a regulatory price control. Technically the majority of letters that are posted through an Access operator (such as Citipost Mail) fall outside the USO, but Access letters are still dependent on Royal Mail’s USO network for delivery.
Why is Ofcom reviewing the scope of the USO?
In recent years Royal Mail has been losing a lot of money, while the quality of service they have been achieving has not been good enough. At the half-year 2023-24 Royal Mail made an operating loss of ￡319m. Ofcom is concerned that given the number of letters has fallen by half in the past ten years, it is no longer economical for Royal Mail to deliver letters in the way required by the USO.
Ofcom has been seeking views
Ofcom has concluded that post is still valued by consumers, but that many would be prepared to have a slightly slower service if it was more reliable. A majority of consumers would still like a delivery on Saturdays and some will still require a next day service. Ofcom is considering allowing Royal Mail
to deliver on fewer days or reduce the speed of the services it currently offers. Depending on what Ofcom decides, the savings to Royal Mail could be as much as ￡650m every year. Citipost made a submission to Ofcom which stressed the need for better quality of service, fewer price rises and real incentives for Royal Mail to make itself more efficient.
What happens next?
Ofcom has said it will produce an update in the Summer. We will report back when we know more. Changes will either require new legislation or new proposals from Ofcom, which would in turn require a further consultation. It is very unlikely there will be any change before April 2025.
IN THE NEWS
Royal Mail announce a Summer Price Increase
Royal Mail have announced a Summer 2024 price increase to access their service. As a result, at Citipost Mail, we will be reviewing their current rates as this upcoming change will affect the pricing of our services; this price increase is driven by Royal Mail’s Access price increase.
Royal Mail have given a justification for the earlier- than-usual price increase stating that it is a reflection of the current operational costs of Royal Mail’s Universal Service Obligation. This is in line with Royal Mail declaring losses of ￡419 million in 2022/23 and ￡319 million for the first six months of 2023/24.
On average, it appears that Mailmark Economy services will have the lowest price increase of around 7.7%, Advertising Mail is benchmarked at around an 11.7% increase, and Business Mail services will increase on average by 15%.
That is an overall increase for Letters and Large Letters by a blended average of 12.1%.
We understand the importance of budgeting and planning. Our Commercial department are currently working on our new tariffs and we will aim to get these to you as soon as possible, along with some suggestions on how you might best mitigate the effect of some of these increases. Rest assured,
our commitment to providing exceptional value and customer service remains unwavering.
领英推荐
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS & RESEARCH
Are you Nurturing Sustainability in your Direct Mail Marketing?
Direct mail marketing remains highly effective, but in an era prioritising environmental sustainability, businesses must adopt eco-friendly practices. With 4 out of 5 consumers favouring environmentally responsible companies, integrating sustainability into direct mail strategies is crucial. Here are our top tips for nurturing sustainability in your mail marketing.
By adopting sustainable materials, designing with environmental considerations, promoting recyclability, and educating recipients, businesses can align direct mail marketing with eco-conscious consumer preferences, contributing to a greener future.
Read the full blog here: https://www.citipostmail.co.uk/nurturing-sustainability-in-direct-mail-marketing/
LATEST NEWS
Citipost Mail: One of the UK’s Best Workplaces 2024
Citipost Mail is thrilled to announce our inclusion among the top 100 in the UK’s Best WorkplacesTM 2024 List (Medium organisations) by Great Place To Work.
On Thursday 14th March, Hannah Simmons, Head of HR, and Samantha Spendley, Office & Compliance Manager, attended the awards ceremony at Grosvenor House Hotel, London to receive our UK’s Best WorkplacesTM Award, a recognition that amplifies our commitment to fostering a culture of trust and innovation. Through rigorous evaluation of employee feedback, we're honoured to be commended for our emphasis on ongoing learning, individual growth, and collaborative culture. This marks our third accolade from Great Place To Work in the past year, alongside achieving the Investors in People Gold accreditation too. A proud and exciting year for the Citipost Mail family!
Read the full blog here: https://www.citipostmail.co.uk/citipost-mail-one-of-the-uks-best-places-to-work-2024/
INCENTIVE SPOTLIGHT
Save Money on Your Marketing Mail by Optimising Incentives
With Royal Mail notifying clients that the price of mail is increasing in early summer, we are working harder than ever with our clients to ensure that they are cashing in on Royal Mail incentives. If you are sending Advertising Mail, are you aware of, or benefiting from, the Advertising Growth, First Time User or Testing and Innovation incentive from Royal Mail? Our incentives blog series explains in simple terms who is eligible for an incentive and explores what you could be saving on your marketing mail.
Read our incentive blog series here: https://www.citipostmail.co.uk/save-money-on-your-mail/
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Say hello to Citicreative
Are you seeking expert support to grow your brand & reach your customer base?
Does your current marketing team require support to design or amend your marketing material on a quick turnaround?
Are you looking for industry-leading creative at a competitive price point?
Say hello to Citicreative, a creative and communications service that is part of the Citipost Mail family. Our Citicreative service specialises in elevating brands and supporting your business with our unmatched creativity and expert, timely support.
At Citicreative, we have assembled a team of specialists – creatives, copywriters, communication strategists, designers, and artists – that deliver high-impact creative work to leading brands across a multitude of sectors. From amending existing designs and supporting with surplus work to designing new cutting-edge campaigns, we leverage the latest tools and techniques to ensure your brand stands out in today’s competitive landscape.
Our specialisms can cover all your marketing needs, from social media to web design to email marketing. Where direct mail is a central channel to a campaign, we are industry leaders, using market leading data to inform our design work.
Join the ranks of visionary B2B leaders who have experienced the transformative impact of our creativity. Get in touch and let’s redefine your brand narrative together.
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