Competitor Watch
Irish Postal operator An Post has rushed through four new initiatives aimed at keeping communities connected through mail and parcels throughout the coronaviris crisis.
The new services have been developed in conjunction with the Irish government and the Irish CWU as part of An Post’s new community support action plan.
An Post delivery staff will check on the well-being of older or vulnerable customers along their postal routes and, from a list of five questions, determine their current needs around repeat prescriptions and shopping. Their requirements will be relayed directly back to the local HSE team (equivalent to our NHS). An Post will also deliver essential supplies back to these customers.
A mail and parcels collection service has also been developed for these same housebound customers. Where a customer is not able to create an online postage label, they can pay by phone and write a payment code on the envelope or parcel. An Post will then create the postage label on the customers’ behalf at no additional charge.
Every household in Ireland will receive two free postcards from An Post in an effort to help people stay connected during this period of social distancing. The postcards will be free to send through the postal system to anyone across the Irish republic. A total of five million cards have been made by An Post to be delivered to households, hospitals and prisons across Ireland. Extra cards will also be available for people to pick up in their local post office.
In addition, a newspaper-ordering and delivery service for all customers is currently being set up in conjunction with Ireland’s national and local newspaper groups.
An Post CEO David McRedmond, said: ‘As more bank branches and other retailers close and more people stay close to home, our dual, trusted, essential services of the Post Office and the postal service can play an even more central role for individuals and communities.
‘Working together, we will get through this crisis. I couldn’t be more proud of our staff and postmasters.’
