8 Postal News Q3 2013 Postal News Q3 2013 9 make sure you have several on hand so that New boxes/bags system will have an article on that in the next you can make changes on a needs basis. Australia Post has indicated that it is looking issue of this journal. to introduce a new system which it anticipates Is There a Future for Post POST Increasing Size of Installation will address some of the limitations in the current system. POAAL will monitor this very Perhaps you have the customer demand and Office Boxes? carefully because there are implications for the space to increase the number of post Post Office (Private) boxes have been a LPOs in any changes to the system. office boxes at your LPO. What do you do? feature of mail delivery in Australia for OFFICE a long time. Will that continue to be • If you own the premises, check with the the way as letter volumes decrease and local Municipal Planning Office that you Increases in payments customer needs change? can install more boxes. You may need There have been several increases to the to provide a plan with an explanation. Annual Post Office Box LPO Payment With the increased digitalisation of mail, and the Mail Management Fee since the BOXES • If you rent the premises, check with will customers still need a physical mail box LPO Agreement was implemented. The located at a Post Office? Will the younger the owner or agent and get written payments are linked to the basic postage Do you have Post Office Boxes permission to increase the size of generation simply have a Digital Mail Box rate, and increases are automatic when located somewhere in the cloud? (still known to many as Private Boxes) the PO Box installation. Do not the BPR increases, not linked to the at your LPO? If so, then read on... start work before you have that amount the customer pays, which varies written permission. As letter volumes fall, will customers in from place to place and which would the future at renewal time consider a Post • Write to Australia Post requesting seriously disadvantage the large number Office Box worthwhile considering the authorisation to purchase new post of Licensees whose post office box setup expense and the location? Background boxes as was previously the case prior to the The Mail Management fee is in two office boxes from Speedie Engineering is largely for subsidised customers. More subsidised post office boxes are located Over the years alternative mail box Following the introduction of the Licensed LPO Arrangements? Surely it made sense categories: Private and Business/ Services. A pro forma letter for this at LPOs than at Corporate Post Offices, companies have set up and continue to Post Office arrangements, a level playing field for AP to send out the accounts, follow up Government institutions. It is further purpose is available from POAAL or on meaning that these hundreds of Licensees operate in competition to Australia Post. was introduced for all Licensees in regard to slow payers and so on. And why should divided into numbers of delivery points the POAAL website. would all be worse off it the Annual Many large buildings have their own Post Office (Private) boxes. Previously, where Licensees have to pay for replacement in each of these categories. The “over • Check with Australia Post regarding the Post Office Box payment were linked to internal private box setups. Recently we a post office was located in an area where locks and keys? Surely it made sense for 1000” private points rate and the “over numbering for an extended post office customer rental rates. have seen Toll Holdings make a concerted there was no mail delivery, the payment to AP to provide them. POAAL thought 400” business points rate are negotiated box installation. attack on the market share of mail (online the Post Office Agent for post office boxes that common sense should prevail, and individually by Licensees with Australia parcels) with parcel lockers in service was for the “subsidised rate” – which was fortunately AP agreed to this. Post, thus giving Licensees the opportunity • When authorisation is received, proceed Pros and Cons stations, newsagents at shopping centres. substantially less than the standard payment to show their negotiating skills and with ordering the new boxes. Payments to explain to AP why the Licensee is The benefits of post office box Future generations of Australians may have for this service. In other words, you were • Arrange for them to be professionally installations are many. They include: Look at Pages 12 and 13 of the LPO requesting the payment they can justify. a Digital Post Box in the “cloud” to receive discriminated against according to where installed, paying particular attention drawing customers to your outlet; annual Payment Scheme to check the payments what would have been ordinary letters/ your post office was located. Marketing to any building regulations or Council payments and mail management fee; made to Licensees who have post office box bills and opt for a parcel locker at the local requirements. Try to arrange to have the indoor sorting – no outdoor delivery; installations at their LPO. What do you do when you have Post Office servo for ordering online or the odd hard The LPO arrangements saw beneficial change. Boxes vacant (ie not let)? Australia Post will work done at a weekend to lessen the Australia Post chases the slow payers. copy letter/document occasionally needed. As a large number of subsidised (reduced Payment 1: Annual Fee for each let Box provide Licensees, free of charge, with “rent inconvenience on your business and your Some Licensees see a disadvantage in rate) post office boxes were at POAs, Agents Payment 2: Mail Management fee for each me” signs for boxes, and brochures. Banners other post office box customers. Advise having to store items which are carded Australia Post does not have a monopoly (now Licensees) were disadvantaged before Box let. can also be borrowed from AP, advising current box customers that work will be to post office boxes because of the space on post office boxes or parcels, it is all up the level playing field was introduced. There customers of vacancies. done on a specific date and that their involved and because some customers for competition. What impact will that was the same amount of work regardless of The Annual Fee for each let Box is in two mail will not be available while work is are slow at collecting their items or competition have on your LPO? Owners of location, so why shouldn’t the payment be categories: Licensee owned boxes and AP Locks and Keys in progress. Store mail from those post perhaps do not clear their box frequently. LPOs are business people and should look the same? And why should Licensees have owned boxes. It is further broken down Spare locks and keys are available to Licensees office boxes in a secure place while the However, there are good systems for to retain and expand current business and to send out their own accounts for post office into small, medium, large and A4 size boxes. free of charge from Australia Post. Always new installation is taking place. storing items awaiting collection, and we seek new business. Here is a sample calculation Number Annual fee Total Annual MMF per Annual MMF MMF assuming 240 leased PO Boxes. Private Business MMF private of boxes let per box PO Box fee Private private delivery Business per business business MMF total The first table is for the PO Box subtotal point delivery point subtotal fee only, the second is for the Mail Management Fee (MMF) for Small 190 175 15 $73.34 $13,934.60 Small 175 $29.35 $5,136.25 15 $73.34 $1,100.10 $6,236.35 the PO Boxes. Medium 40 25 15 $107.07 $4,282.80 Medium 25 $29.35 $733.75 15 $73.34 $1,100.10 $1,833.85 Large 10 0 10 $165.74 $1,657.40 Large 0 $29.35 $0.00 10 $73.34 $733.40 $733.40 TOTAL: $19,874.80 TOTAL: $8,803.60 The grand total for these 240 PO Boxes is $19,874.80 + $8,803.60 = $28,678.40.