Help me cut local post office queues
16th June 2008
MP seeks "mystery shopper" recruits to time local queues
Following answers to letters to Post Office Limited's Managing Director and parliamentary questions, Kingston and Surbiton's Liberal Democrat MP, Edward Davey is asking people to help him monitor and cut queuing times at local post offices.
Alan Cook, Managing Director of Post Office Limited told Mr Davey their "aim is to serve the majority of our customers within five minutes of joining a queue" and "to ensure all customers are served within ten minutes", and that the Post Office monitors "on a monthly basis a representative sample of 1000 branches" with "mystery shoppers", who also record how many people are in the queue and the number of counters open.
Alan Cook then said that the main post offices in Kingston - New Malden Crown Office, Surbiton and Kingston - were all "currently meeting our standard", though admitted they were having to increase the overall staff hours per week at New Malden, and to agree a new service action plan at Kingston and Surbiton. Commenting, Edward Davey said:
"Local people will be astonished to learn Post Office Limited think the queues at Surbiton, Kingston and New Malden Post Offices are acceptable. I can only think the Post Office's "mystery shoppers" sent to check out the queues deliberately choose the quietest times.
"I will ask for copies of the mystery shopper reports provided to the Post Office - but it would be great if local people could volunteer to be our own community's "mystery shoppers". If anyone wants to record the exact time they spend queuing at these local post offices, log it and report it back to me, that would be extremely helpful.
"You can also help by complaining directly about the queuing times - by 'phone to Post Office Limited on 08457 223344, or online at www.postoffice.co.uk, or by freepost to Royal Mail Customer Services, Freepost RM1 1AA.
"Anyone wanting to help me monitor the queues can ring my office on 020 8288 0296."
Notes
The Parliamentary answer is here.
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