‘Through the roof’

Our increase in automation is a crucial part of our plan to change our future as we adapt to the challenges we face.

We need to change in line with market demand and ensure our network is set up to deliver larger parcels and next day items – key growth areas – as efficiently as possible.

The creation of our three new parcel hubs will mean a second, later delivery for online shoppers and those who have ordered larger items. It’s important that we start to adapt as quickly as possible.

Postman Chris Cole, from Bristol South East Delivery Office, describes the growth in the amount of parcels he is delivering as ‘phenomenal’.

‘If we’ve got to deliver later parcels to keep the customers happy, keep the customers with us instead of going elsewhere – so be it,’ he said. ‘We’ve got to do it.’

Nigel Connell, who is also based at Bristol South East, has been a postman for 46 years.

‘The parcels have gone through the roof since I first started here,’ he agreed. ‘It’s the sheer volume of parcels now. It’s how people shop today, that’s why shops are closing all over the country because more and more people are buying online. We must take the contracts for the later parcels because it’s business, and that’s it.’

The large-scale nature of these changes means everybody across the business will need to change to adapt to the new network.

Some of the changes are ready to be deployed already, like elements of our new technology. Other things need to be trialled before we roll them out, such as van deliveries.

But the reality is that we need to get moving immediately. Our numbers were unfortunately not where we would have wanted them to be last year, so there is an urgent need to change as quickly as we can.