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Contents
lntroduction
The Post Office
Objectives
mage
Putting the Customer first
How we are organised
if Post Offices
Products and S
Automation
vices
What you will be doing
Your Remuneration
Your Contract
Training
Pre- Transfer
‘Transfer Day
On-Site Training
Ongoing Training
Other Training Issues
Support
Training
Retail Network Manager Newwork
Customer/Subpostmaser Helpline
Communications
Counter News
Brief Encounter
Regional Newsletters
Courier
Talking Shop
Cascade System
‘The National
Conclusion
federation of Subpo
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Introduction
wi and congratulations on joining
Post Office Counters Ltd, (POCL), dhe
largest retailer in Europe, As a newly appointed
subpostmaster, it is important that you quickly
feel part of Post Office Counters
‘The purpose of this booklet is to
give you an overview of the Post Office Group, and Post Office
Counters’ part within it
help you familiarise yourself with POCL, our structure, the
products and services we offer, our mission and objectives,
how we work and what we expect from you;
provide information on the support you can expect;
pive you general information on the training you will receive
We appreciate you may’find the early days of your appointment
challenging, but have no doubt you will find ic interesting and
fun. As Post Office Counters’ success depends on your success,
please do not hesitate to make use of the support and expertise
on offer.
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The Post Office
the Post Office was formed in 1635 when
King Cl
ies opened his Royal Mail service
to the public. Postage was originally paid by the
person receiving the letter, We have been
around for over 350 years, therefore that makes
us one of the longest established busine:
the UK.
‘sin
Now the Post Office is owned by the Government and is
responsible for providing postal and counter services throughout
the country: Up to the 1970s, it received a subsidy from the
Government, but over the last 20 years the Post Office has been
rani as a commercial business, and currently makes an annual
profit of well over £500 million,
The Post Office Group consists of four businesses:
+ Post Office Counters Lid.
* Royal Mail
* Parcelforce
+ Subscription Services Ltd.
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Post Office Counters Ltd
Post Office Counters Lid, (POCL) operates a network of over
19,000 post offices nation-wide, making it the largest retail
chain in Europe. Itis bigger than the four major banks and main
building societies put together, and is the largest handler of cash
in the UK.
Every week around 28 million customers visit our network of
offices, which offer over 170 products and services on behalf of
both Post Office businesses and external clients.
Post Office Counters has 14,000. employees and over 18,000
subpostmasters and franchisees. It handles over £140 billion in
coins and notes each year, and has a turnover of around £1.2
billion a year.
Royal Mail
Royal Mail collects, sorts and delivers mail and packets within
the UK and overseas, and delivers around 67 million letters every
working day to 25 million addresses. In addition to fixst and
second class letter services, it offers a range of priority, insured
and specialist business services.
Royal Mail is recognised as providing one of the best postal
services in Europe, Over 90% of all first class letters reach their
destination the next working day afier posting
Royal Mail employs about 160,000 people, including 80,000
postmen and women, and has a fleet of 30,000 vehicles.
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Parcelforce
Parcelforce is the UK's leading carrier of time-critical packages,
parcels and small freight. It offers a wide range of services for
business and private customers, As well as delivering to every
single address in the UK, Parcelforce provides a world-wide
distribution service.
Heavy investment in technology allows Parcelforce to track
around 140 million parcels every year, so that it can provide
customers with complete delivery information
Parcelforce has some 100 delivery depots, 13,000 employees and
a fleet of 9,300 vehicles.
Subscription Services Led.
Subscription Services manages television licences on behalf of
the BBC. This represents around 90% of Subscription Services’
turnover. Over recent years, it has set up a number of new
ventures, such as its celebusiness centre. This handles around
100,000 customer calls every week in response to advertising
from businesses such as home-shopping companies, gas supply
companies, charities and the Department of Social Security.
Subscription Services employs some 1,600 people and manages
over 21 million television licences.
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and Objectives
11 businesses need to have a clear focus
LA and direction. Post Office Counters has a
mission statement, which was launched in 1995,
to ensure that staff and subpostmasters have a
sure direction.
clear understanding of our
Our mission statement is:
We are dedicated to making our service a
growing success commercially and one for
everyone to be proud of.
We aim to offer all our customers outstanding
personal service in every one of our thousands of
post offices throughout the United Kingdom.
We care for all our employees, subpostmasters
and other agents and we cherish our place in
every community.
Every year we set top objectives to help us all focus on those
things that will enable us to achieve our mission and longer-term
goals, From the top business objectives the regions and business
units develop their own objectives, which help support both the
mission and the top business objectives
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Image
Pp” Office Counters Limited requires
subpostmasters and their staff to set and
aniain high standards. You must at all times
consider the image you project. For example,
+ ‘Those serving on the counter to wear a name
badge, or display one in a prominent
position
You to display the corporate sign outside your office.
Your office to be clean and bright.
Space allotted to the Post Office part of your premises to be
adequate ~ especially on the customer side.
‘What Makes a Good Post Office
Research by POCL has identified that good quality premises
create more business and greater customer loyalty. itis therefore
in your own interest to ensure that you offer the highest
standards of accommodation and advice. Here is a list of
important attributes for any post office outlet
+ Good uncluttered and regularly cleaned premises (both,
interior and exterior).
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Good access for people with disabilities (level entry or ramp
and wide doorway)
Customer first
A substantial retail offer which can capitalise on post office
footfall (by ensuring cu offer on their
way to the Post Office counter). C ustomers are vital to the survival of the
business. We need to ensure customers are
mers pass the ret
Good visibility (prominent fascia and lozenge) to maximise
given outstanding personal service. That is why
passing trade, Post Office Counters has developed a business
philosophy called “Putting the Customer First’
Maximum opening hours so that your post office is a centre
of convenience for the local houscholders.
Putting The Customer First ensures we
continually focus on the ever-changing needs of
We are also able to offer you access to:
our customers,
+ Post Office equipment sourced! from. our equipment cata
As a new appointee you will be required to attend Putting the
+ Post Office career wear for staff serving Customers, Customer First training, which is a series of training sessions
normally delivered face-to-face by your Retail Network Manager.
If you are considering a refurbishment of your premises, ‘This is generally carried out once you have settled into your job,
please bear in mind the following: at agreed times and dates, however, it could also be covered as a
- art of your Induction training.
+ Any alteration to the accommodation necils the approval of Part of yo! “ 8
your Retail Network Manager before commencement,
All accommodation must ensiire sufficient security for all Post
Office monies, you and your staff: Your Retail Network
Manager can arrange a review of your arrangements with the
regional security teams,
‘That your premises allows you to fully comply with the relevant
Health and Safety legislation. Your Retail Network Manager can
advise you on the key areas that need consideration,
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organised
Structure
POCL is organised into 7 geographical regions,
each with its own Regional General Manager,
and a team of support staff to enable the region
to deliver its overall business plan. The region:
are:
Midlands based in Binminghurn
North East based in Leeds
North Thames & East Anglia base! in Si Albans
North Wales & North West posal in Manchester
Scotland & Northern Ireland hie! in Gliegow
South East based in Tunbridge Wells
South Wales & South West based in Bristol
‘There are also central business units located in London and
Chesterfield, which provide various fimetions such as the
strategic direction for the business and policy development. They
also provide support in marketing and new product development
to help all outlet staff sell ‘financial’ products and services, such
as personal and corporate banking, benefits distribution, savings
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and investments and bill payments for our external clients, and
‘branded’ products such as stamps for Royal Mail, lottery
products and foreign currency
The Retail Team in our Head Office, whom you may have already
been in contact with, ensures that all post offices present a
consistent image, and helps subpostmasters to improve the
private retail side of their business.
In Chesterfield, Transaction Processing handle ail transaction
information for the network of post offices, and is responsible
for settling with clients for the work Post Office Counters carries
‘out on behalf of their clients.
‘Types of Post Offices
We run a network of over 19,000 post offices, and these can be
broadly divided into owo main type
Branch offices directly managed by Post Office Counters and
run by our own staff ~ of which there are around 600. They
are usually large and situated in busy shopping centres.
Independent offices operated on our behalf by business men
and women like yourself, or large retail chains stich as
Safeways and AS
Products and Services
Post Office Counters offer a huge range of products and services
on behalf of more than 30 clients, including the Benefits Agency,
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the Department of National Savings, British Telecom, Girobank
and Royal Mail
With 28 million customers a week, we deal with a wide variety
of customers, who all require different services and products. For
example, parents with their children cashing their child benefit,
and customers paying gas and electricity bills and cashing
personal cheques. Holiday makers who require passport forms
P az assy
can also purchase their travellers cheques, currency, uavel
insurance and continental motor insurance. Businesses can send
parce
s and letters by guaranteed services, as well as stocking up
on stationery.
Automation
Post Office Counters is embarking on a £100 million
programme to automate ail of our offices. This will involve
installing new computer equipment at every one of our 40,000
serving positions. This new computer network will be one of the
largest in the world,
You will receive more information on awlomation as the
programme is implemented.
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will be doing
§ a subpostmaster these are some of the
things you can expect to be doing:
Handling letters, packets and parcels for
delivery by Royal Mail and Parcelforce.
Selling postage stamps, postal orders and
philatelic items.
Paying pensions and allowances,
Accepting payment of public utility bills like gas and
electricity.
Issuing television, fishing and game licences and, at certain
offices, motor vehicle licences.
Selling foreign currency, travellers cheques and travel
insurance.
Selling Littlewoods lottery scratcheards and, at selected offices,
national lottery scratchcards and tickets
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The level of these payments are fixed, and you are notified on
appointment what the level of these payments are for your office.
Remuneration
;nimum Payment Offices receive a fixed amount or
remuneration, inchiding a special cash allowance
T remuneration that you receive, and the
way in which that remuneration is Your Retail Network Manager and Agency Remuneration Manager
calculated, depends on the type of office that will be able to help with more details about these payments,
you run.
Smaller offices which have Annual Product
Payment Calewlations have remuneration ba
on:
Assigned Office Payments, a stable sum not affected by traffic
variations.
Product Payments, which are tralfic related and are assessed
annually, using {2-months data.
Larger offices which have Monthly Product Payment calculations
‘have remuneration based on :
Assigned Office Payments, a stable sum not affected by traffic
variations.
Product Payments, which are traffic related and are assessed
monthly, using one-month’s data.
Community Office and Restricted Hours Office payments consist
a
of a core payment, annual hourly rate and special cash allowance.
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Contract
sa new subpostmaster, you have entered
Ave a contract with POCL which states
what We as business expect from you, but
also what you can expect in return,
You will have received the full contract (on
your day of appointment at the latest), which is
a very ‘live’ working document for both you
and Post Office Counters Lid. You should read and understand it
in its entirety,
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Training
T raining for new subpostmasters is usually
delivered by an agency trainer: The duration
and content of the training varies from office to
office to
sneet your particular needs. However, as a
basic guide, the training available is outlined below.
‘Transfer Day
On the d.
Subpostmaster will be transferred to you. Re
of transfer, the cash and stock from the outgoing
nal personnel
(usually
auditor) will be on hand (o assist in the completion of
forms/records associated with the transfe
On-Site Training
On-site training takes place at your office and is undertaken with
an agency trainer. It covers a full range of transactions,
pro
ounting
edures, security and customer-care issues
‘The duration of the taining varies from office to office, and is
tailored to individual requirements.
Ongoing Training
Further training is provided at timely mtervals as necessary. This
will be assessed by your Retail Neework Manager.
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The training programme for new agents after the on-site training is Other Training Issues
generally as follows (chis may vary according to your own Regions
In addition to transaction processing your training will fully
requirements):
cover:
When ‘What
pay, contract and terms of appointment;
3-6 months afier initial on-site training Quality of
managing cash and stock;
performance
managing staff;
3-6 months after initial on-site training Overnight cash
holdings all work; I
3 7 whe wai security;
3-9 months after initial on-site training Putting the ¥
Customer First
dealing with problems.
programme
3-9 months after initial on-site maining Security training
9-12 months after initial on-site training Transactional
knowledge events
All training is complemented by workbooks which are designed
to let you learn at your own speed and in your own office. You
should receive the basic transactional books during your first few
days of appointment.
If you feel you need further training, please do not hesitate to
contact your Retail Network Manger in the first instance.
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The Helpline is open between the hours of!
08.15 to 18.00 hrs Monday to Friday
Support
I n order to help you make your business a
08.30 to 16.00 hrs Saturday
The number is paid at local call rave, so wherever you are in the
success, a wealth of support is available for , 1
country you only pay a local rate call charge
subpostmasters
The number to call is I GRO
Retail Network Manager Network.
When contacting the Helpline you should give your name, office
Each office is assigned one of the 350 Retail
and the nature of your enguiry. On most occasions they will be
Network Managers to support and help make able to answer your enquiry immediately, but if they are unable
improvements to both the post office and retail side of the to do so they will be able to connect you to the relevant
business. Your Retail Network Manager will visit you on a more :
) department, or forward
nquiry on your behalf.
formal basis and carry out an outlet review, which will identify
any areas where you need to make improvements, All calls to regional departments or your Retail Network Manager
should be made via the Helpline.
Customer /Subpostmaster Helpline
A Helpline exists to enable Post Office Counters to provide an
excellent service at all outlets by
Providing speedy, accurate information and support to staff,
agents, clients and the public on all Post Office Counters
enquiries and services.
Handling complaints ia an efficient and unbiased manner.
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Communications
s a new subpostmaster you have
Anes into a contract with POCL,
which states what we as a business expect
from you, but also what you can expect in
return, Like many large organisations we
have many ways of communicating with
staff and subpostmasters
The communications you will receive are
Counter News
This is a national weekly bulletin containing all transactional and
accounting procedural changes. On occasions, supplements are
issued which may cover a new business transaction.
Brief Encounter
This document is issued every two months to train you and your
staff on new transactions, or to improve your knowledge and
awareness of current transactions within the business.
Regional Newsletters
These are issued weekly, and cover regional and local
requirements in addition to the national Counter News.
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Courier
staff and
Courier is a national monthly newspaper
subpostmasters. It is designed to keep you abreast of ‘what is
going on’ in the business, regionally and nationally
Talking Shop
Talking Shop is a monthly publication distributed to sub post,
offices, and covers regional and national issues,
Cascade System.
‘The cascade system is used to relay messages of urgency
throughout the network of outlets. You will be given full
instructions on the system during your initial training.
The National Federation of Subpostmasters
The National Federation of Subpostmasters is a registered trade
union and represents subpostmasters, negotiating remuneration,
etc. with Post Office Counters.
National Federation of
Further information on the
Subpostmasters can be obtained from their headquarters
The
National Federation of Subpostmasters
Evelyn House
22 Windlesham Gardens
Shoreham by Sea
West Sussex
BN435AZ_ Telephone:
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Conclusion
e hope this induction guide has
VV been helpful in your
understanding of Post Office Counters Ltd.
However, we cannot hope to cover
everything, therefore if there are any
further queries you may have please do
not hesitate to call our Helpline.
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