An Post

parsi

Cork wrote:

Ryanair don't get state subsidys for flying between Cork & Dublin.

Irish Rail do.

Many OAPs avoid collecting benefits from their local post offices since paypath was introduded at their local credit unions.

The post offices don't have much social benefit.

Ryanair don't let you use a free travel card so hence no subsidy.

So now the pensioners go to their CUs ? So the auld ones in the country go to their local town is it and not their PO in the village ? There are more POs around that CUs

bonkey

Cork wrote:

Ryanair don't get state subsidys for flying between Cork & Dublin.
Irish Rail do.

I wasn't aware that Irish Rail flew between Cork and Dublin.

Many OAPs avoid collecting benefits from their local post offices since paypath was introduded at their local credit unions.

Many being the operative word. See, the problem with using that sort of logicis that it means those who live in urbanised areas are disproportionately represented....and they were never the people for whom the "social benefit" argument strongly applied.

The post offices don't have much social benefit.

Not on a percentage-of-population, or percentage-of-elderly-population count, no.....but thats because of the inappropriateness of using population as a base.

What many people seem to overlook is just how the rural elderly are getting hit from all sides.

They are elderly, and as a result we have (whenever the topic arises) ppl complaining that too many of them are still allowed to drive.
They are living rurally, so we have people complaining that its not cost-effective to supply them with any meaningful public transport.
And now....because they're not a significant population percentage, we have people suggesting that its not worth the cost of keeping the few resources they need access to within easy reach.

So, they shouldn't be allowed drive, shouldn't be given public transport, and don't need An Post nearby because the nearby town (that they can neither drive to nor get the bus to) is a more cost-effective location for them.

Gosh...life is just peachy for them. Why not just cut off their pensions and other benefits altogether? After all, the money isn't cost-effectively spent, isn't spent on a significant population percentage, and, well, its their own fault for not living in or near a town. Then, once they've no benefits, they've no need of the services like the Post office at all.

jc

jc

galwaydude

The american embassey in dublin sent my visa application form to my Galway address instead of my Dublin address. It took 8 days to get there.What the hell is going on. 8 days is a joke. Is there any other way i can get the package back up to dublin without physically travelling to Galway as i cant wait another 8 days to receive it!!!!

It only took 6 days a few weeks for the INS centre in the states to send the approved form to me in dublin.

Victor

MrPudding wrote:

Why do we not have postcodes?

They aren't needed. Technology has moved on from postcodes. Databases and barcodes are much better.

MrPudding wrote:

That would imporve productivity.

Only for private couriers. And spam merchants. They are the ones wanting post codes.

Is it true that the introduction of postcodes is being blocked by the unions?

No, the government want it and will probably make An Post pay for it.

moshpit77

Is there any other way i can get the package back up to dublin without physically travelling to Galway as i cant wait another 8 days to receive it!!!!

Swiftpost. Guaranteed next day

oscarBravo

Victor wrote:

Technology has moved on from postcodes. Databases and barcodes are much better.

Databases containing what? Barcodes encoding what?

Moriarty

Last I heard, An Post has a proprietary database and barcoding system that identifies every business/residence in the country. The ESB have something similar. The two are not related in any way afaik. ComReg, bless their souls, have set up an implementation committee to develop a public post code system because government thought it'd be a good idea. IIRC they're meant to report in the next month or two.

The ESB, eircom and to a lesser extent other telcos, courier companys and snail-mail spammers are the main pushers for a public post code system from what I've seen and heard.

Culchie

Moriarty wrote:

Last I heard, An Post has a proprietary database and barcoding system that identifies every business/residence in the country. The ESB have something similar. The two are not related in any way afaik. ComReg, bless their souls, have set up an implementation committee to develop a public post code system because government thought it'd be a good idea. IIRC they're meant to report in the next month or two.

The ESB, eircom and to a lesser extent other telcos, courier companys and snail-mail spammers are the main pushers for a public post code system from what I've seen and heard.

Yeh, An Post, as normal, bought out a perfectly profitable company called PMI a couple of years ago that were geo-database experts for the Marketing Industry......they have basically proceeded to turn a dynamic, entrepreneurial and profitable company into a loss making elephant, by placing their own cronies at the helm.

Cork

Culchie wrote:

into a loss making elephant, by placing their own cronies at the helm.

Pity. An Post needs to dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century. What new products has this company recently introduced?

ST Particks Day Post Cards
Gift Voucher Shop

Only for being a monopoly - it would have shut years ago.


People are far too willing to put up with bloated state monopolies. Thanks to the EU - the game is nearly up for An Post.

parsi

Yes. But who will replace it ? Thats the problem. The likes of DHL will only want the lucrative city-city business and not have anything to do with sending a letter from Sneem to Buncrana. The cheaper end of parcels may go with GLS and we all know what a shining beacon of light they are - a veritable example of private sector at its best (this was a sarcastic sentence).

At the end of the day its not bad value to be able to send a letter for 48c.

parsi

galwaydude wrote:

The american embassey in dublin sent my visa application form to my Galway address instead of my Dublin address. It took 8 days to get there.What the hell is going on. 8 days is a joke.

8 days is a joke. So is the embassy being unable to send a document to the correct address. Its possibly even scary that the much lauded Americans with the databases and technology can't get that right.

sceptre

Cork wrote:

What new products has this company recently introduced?

Sod new products, I could do without the postal service moving into non-core businesses most of the time. All most people want is for them to concentrate on the "products" they currently have and to do them efficiently and reliably. When that happens maybe they can think about moving into kissograms, travel agencies and line-dancing.

lucernarian

I used to think that it was the CWU's fault for the dire state of An Post but as time passes it seems that management have to shoulder the blame now. This is an ongoing problem which would have been dealt with far more rapidly with effective management.

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine got a letter from Dublin. I was expecting the same letter but I recieved it 10 days later! The difference was that he lived in Drogheda town and I live 3 miles north. I am in the same postal area as he is.

I have lost all confidence in the postal system and my entire family try not to use it. My sister recieved a package (a small teddy, very light) from Germany last week from a friend. It took almost 3 weeks. She told her friend not to send letters in case they should be lost in the post.

I would be happy in a way if An Post went finally under... It could signal a fresh start for a new company with new structures.

And btw in my area (pop. of 2500) we have no post office, but a credit union. It would suit the local elderly population for social welfare to be paid at the credit union.

murphaph

Yikes-who said GLS! They are attrocious. I once bought a DVD burner from Komplett and when i failed to show after 2 weeks I was gettng p!ssed rightly off. I complained to Komplett and they were very professional. They emailed me what was supposed to be my signature according to GLS! It was nothing like my signaure (mainly because I never signed for it!). I'm sure Komplett thought I was spoofing looking for a free burner. Anyway-they coughed up another drive which did actually arrive. About a week later I got a strange phonecall. It was from a neighbour of mine who reckoned there was a parcel at their's for me. Fair enoug you're thinking-but this 'neighbour' is my local Eurospar! It was the manager ringing me. Outrageous from GLS.

I posted a birthday card from D15 to Kells yesterday at 14:00 and it was delivered first thing this morning, so it's not all bad!

netwhizkid

An post are a world class company and the way this fianna failure, regressive undemocrats government is treating them is a total disgrace. Noel dempsey would not even meet the CWU and postal worker march in Killarney last Saturday. They are worst sort of dopes this country has seen. Noel Dempsey has got some neck on him for sure. They won't even pay the Retired Post pensioners. 70+ pensioner have now died without their increase as agreed nter sustaining progress. I can't wait for the next election to vote against these corrupt traitors.

Culchie

netwhizkid wrote:

An Post are a world class company.

LOL !

Regardless of who is to blame, is it the Unions or the Management/Government, this statement could not be futher from the truth.

They are a joke.

Name me one single thing that make An Post stand out as a world class company.....just one.

netwhizkid

The fact that they as a collective company and their workers who put up with what dribble and rubbish they hear from the like of Noel Dempsey calling for the introduction of Royal Mail into the irish mails market. I have a feeling that Red letter boxes will be back if these muppets have anything to do with it.

The fact that they have served us through thick and thin and they are an Irish company makes them world class. Royal Mail here again i have a distinct feeling there is some grave turning going on.

murphaph

netwhizkid wrote:

The fact that they as a collective company and their workers who put up with what dribble and rubbish they hear from the like of Noel Dempsey calling for the introduction of Royal Mail into the irish mails market. I have a feeling that Red letter boxes will be back if these muppets have anything to do with it.

The fact that they have served us through thick and thin and they are an Irish company makes them world class. Royal Mail here again i have a distinct feeling there is some grave turning going on.

Your whole post is summed up like so; 'An Post are good because we get to run it badly ourselves rather than the brits running it badly for us. Good one'. Who gives a fcuk what colour the lettterboxes are so long as the post gets delivered in a reasonable manner. By the way, An Post haven't served us throuh thick and thin, they've gone on strike like everyone else. Your post is pure rhetoric with no substance!

jrey1981

There was a great quote in the Irish Independent yesterday from an An Post spokesman, along the lines of

"We are not currently aware of any delays in our sorting centres, however there are a number of issues impacting our ability to deliver the service we want to deliver."

If An Post is privatised it will be cherry-picked and rural post offices would shut down as is happening in some UK villages - with all the consequences for community and society that go with this.

What An Post should be doing is focussing on what they can do and do it well rather than going down the cheap labour route - pay decent wages etc. and grow the areas of the business where they can add value - eg get the parcel services up to a high standard, target business customers regularly and proactively etc.

I have experience of UPS, DHL, Fed Ex, GLS and Royal Mail. On the whole UPS, DHL and Royal Mail are ok. UPS and DHL are high cost premium services. Royal Mail are good value for money.

Havent had good experiences with GLS or Fed Ex so even paying the high cost of these firms does not guarantee a service that matches the price.

My experiences with An Post have been good (parcels I have sent) - I would be happy to pay a bit more to keep it.

Culchie

jrey1981 wrote:

There was a great quote in the Irish Independent yesterday from an An Post spokesman, along the lines of

"We are not currently aware of any delays in our sorting centres, however there are a number of issues impacting our ability to deliver the service we want to deliver."

If An Post is privatised it will be cherry-picked and rural post offices would shut down as is happening in some UK villages - with all the consequences for community and society that go with this.

What An Post should be doing is focussing on what they can do and do it well rather than going down the cheap labour route - pay decent wages etc. and grow the areas of the business where they can add value - eg get the parcel services up to a high standard, target business customers regularly and proactively etc.

I have experience of UPS, DHL, Fed Ex, GLS and Royal Mail. On the whole UPS, DHL and Royal Mail are ok. UPS and DHL are high cost premium services. Royal Mail are good value for money.

Havent had good experiences with GLS or Fed Ex so even paying the high cost of these firms does not guarantee a service that matches the price.

My experiences with An Post have been good (parcels I have sent) - I would be happy to pay a bit more to keep it.

It's not going to be an easy one to solve without someone having some balls and tackle it head on.

Obviously (a la nickname) I'm from a rural background, and understand the argument of the 'social service' that An Post provides. However I think this is now a redundant argument. There is nothing that Post Offices provide around the country that a Credit Union (which exists in every town in the country now) could not provide.

The problem with it being privatised or bought out is the 'cherry picking' scenario.

I don't have all the answers myself, but with some innovation and embrace of technology (hence investment) and tackle these Union issue surely An Post can remain Irish. Simply selling out to Royal Mail is the easy option to avoid the real issues, and the customer will not win out in the long run, it will still be a monopoly.

If we can pay our motor tax on-line, self assessment of income, then surely we could buy stamps on-line (maybe individualised with RSI number) and self assess the postage charges as well. If you don't pay enough you get an invoice in the post or e-mail or whatever. Hardly rocket science.

Jrey1981 .... Your point about raising prices is also not the answer, that's simply throwing money down a black hole, the problems will still persist.

They are looking for €2 to deliver a package now. How can business absorb those costs without passing them directly onto the customers?

oscarBravo

Culchie wrote:

There is nothing that Post Offices provide around the country that a Credit Union (which exists in every town in the country now) could not provide.

There's no Credit Union in Knockmore.

Culchie

There's nothing in Knockmore

I'm sure it's hardly too much of an inconvenience to get to Foxford or Ballina

oscarBravo

Sure, why not send us to Sligo or Galway while you're at it?

Culchie

OK, let's get to the point, what exactly are the critical services that Knockmore Post Office provides that could not be provided a few miles away in a credit union or similar type establishment?


Just because there is a Post Office there now, doesn't automatically mean there should always be one. We have cars now remember, not like when the Post Office infrastructure was put in place.

Thomond Pk

Where An Post are leaking most money is in single tarriff delivery. Until this country stops building 25,000 one-off houses a year on hillsides An Post will lose substantial sums of money. A post man in Midleton can deliver three sacks of mail in a days work; in many parts of Ireland postmen are delivering half a sack a day, much of it promotional junk mail being delivered to holiday homes half a mile down a boreen.

Noel Dempsey needs to look no further than accross the table to Martin & Dick to see where this mess comes from and with the April 2005 Rural Housing Guidelines the losses will only increase.

I very much doubt if the Royal Mail will have flat rate delivery charges

oscarBravo

Culchie wrote:

OK, let's get to the point, what exactly are the critical services that Knockmore Post Office provides that could not be provided a few miles away in a credit union or similar type establishment?

I dunno. What are the critical services provided by Foxford or Ballina Credit Unions that couldn't be provided a few miles away in Sligo?

Culchie wrote:

Just because there is a Post Office there now, doesn't automatically mean there should always be one.

True. Presumably that explains the demise of Corroy and Cloghans post offices. I wonder when it will be used to explain the closure of Ballina and Castlebar?

Culchie wrote:

We have cars now remember, not like when the Post Office infrastructure was put in place.

Great. Let's foster an even greater dependence on cars.

Culchie

With all due repect Oscar, you didn't raise one significant point there.

I'm from that neck of the woods as well, but I think you are just wanting to hold onto your post office for the sake of it.

My village had a post office that nobody used, other than the nostalgia element, it's not missed in the least.

And regarding the car comment, if you look back through my posts, I'm suggesting some innovative ideas will stop alot of the nonsensical transactions that take place at the Post Offices such as buying bloody stamps and getting parcels weighed or paying bills.
No reason why that all can't be done without leaving your home, never mind using the car to go into town.

Any cash transaction can be done at Credit Unions, the infrastructure is already in place, as are the staff and systems.

oscarBravo

Culchie wrote:

With all due repect Oscar, you didn't raise one significant point there.

With all due respect, I wasn't trying to. I was questioning your blithe assumption that post offices are somehow an unnecessary luxury.

Culchie wrote:

I'm from that neck of the woods as well, but I think you are just wanting to hold onto your post office for the sake of it.

I didn't express an opinion on the subject.

Culchie wrote:

My village had a post office that nobody used, other than the nostalgia element, it's not missed in the least.

And that's your justification for getting rid of post offices that people do use? More often than not, I have to queue in Knockmore post office.

Culchie wrote:

And regarding the car comment, if you look back through my posts, I'm suggesting some innovative ideas will stop alot of the nonsensical transactions that take place at the Post Offices such as buying bloody stamps and getting parcels weighed or paying bills.
No reason why that all can't be done without leaving your home, never mind using the car to go into town.

So, you can buy a stamp without leaving your home. So, you can weigh your parcel without leaving your home.

What exactly are you planning to do with the parcel you've stuck those stamps on?

Culchie wrote:

Any cash transaction can be done at Credit Unions, the infrastructure is already in place, as are the staff and systems.

So, because a proportion of the services available at my local post office could be provided several miles away, it should be closed?

Culchie

LOL, why bother with the computer or the internet at all, you can write me a letter, I'll probably get it sometime next week.
Aren't you right now in front of your PC bypassing antiquated means of communication and expense?

Times move on, people have, it's time An Post did as well and brought about a level of service required in todays world.

Not selling sheets of stamps over the counter.

oscarBravo

Culchie wrote:

LOL, why bother with the computer or the internet at all, you can write me a letter, I'll probably get it sometime next week.
Aren't you right now in front of your PC bypassing antiquated means of communication and expense?

Absolutely. I'll get on to the supplier who's posting me 15kg of equipment from the US and ask him to email it to me instead.