Transforming the way the uk post office communicates with its audiences
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Transcript of Transforming the way the uk post office communicates with its audiences
Post OfficeTransforming communicationsinside a 365-year-old institution
Alana Renner, Post OfficeKatie Macaulay, AB
Introducing today’s Post Office…
It’s not just about selling stamps
• Largest provider of foreign currency on the UK high street
• One in ten cars insured in the UK• One million MoneyGram transactions a year• Biggest cash handler in the UK - £80bn a year• For every £1 in circulation,14p goes through
Post Office
Wow facts
2,486 stores1,720 branches600 stores 727 stores 12,000 branches
The UK’s largest retail network
Our branches…
Our branches…
Our branches…
The comms challenge
Define Employer BrandDefine Employer Brand
Have Your Say Pulse – measure, listen and respond
Have Your Say Pulse – measure, listen and respond
Reduce NoiseReduce Noise Drive RecognitionDrive Recognition
Develop Channel StrategyDevelop Channel Strategy
Agency and client relationship
Where did we start?
2007 audit • Mix of quantitative and qualitative research• Key findings and bold recommendations
– A new paper-based channel for subpostmasters– A tone of voice programme– A better way to measure engagement– Developing online communications
Meet the UK’s 11,500 subpostmasters
The launch of subspace
Tone of Voice Programme
What do we mean by Tone of Voice?
• It’s about words – the right words, in the right order, at the right time
• It’s about reflecting and enhancing an organisation’s personality and values
• It’s about clearer, more compelling communication that is hard to ignore
Put your shoes back on here.
And, it saves money too!
• UK businesses lose £6 billion a year because of badly written letters.
• When BT produced a clearer bill in plain English it received around 25%
fewer enquiries each quarter.
• General Electric saved £125,000 by redrafting manuals into plain English.
• The US Department of Veterans Affairs saved £20,000 redrafting one
standard letter into plain English.
A new tool for measuring engagement
Standard techniques were falling short
We discovered five dimensions hold the key to engagement at the Post Office
Engagement is belief in a
cause
The key engagement questions
Developing online media
The birth of subspaceonline
Subspace on tour
Nirvana – channels that truly integrate
Nirvana – channels that truly integrate
Building a communityBuilding a community
Building a community
Busting a few online myths
• Social media is not a panacea, it’s just another way to have the conversation
• You still need to manage, moderate and give direction
• Even early adopters need a reason to adopt
• The biggest barrier is technology – when, where and how you log on
Dear colleague letter; Newsletters; staff magazine
Team briefings; meetings
Canteen/water cooler gossip
Conversations with my line manager
“How I find out what’s happening.”
All-staff events
From formal knowledge hierarchies….
IC
To organic networks of influence….
How the audience shapes the message
How are we doing?
Is it working?
Key measures•Understanding contribution up to 68%•Open and honest communications – steady rise up 10% from where we started•From losing £1million a week in 2006 to £72million profit in 2010•Senior leaders at our desks.
What’s next?Truly integrated communications
What keeps my managing director awake at nights?
Making the most of
£1.34billion of government
funding
Making the most of
£1.34billion of government
funding
Fierce competition
Fierce competition
Cultural change –
moving to a sales culture
Cultural change –
moving to a sales culture
Maintaining pressure on costs while driving up
engagement
Maintaining pressure on costs while driving up
engagement
Synchronising clicks and
mortar delivery
Synchronising clicks and
mortar delivery
Protecting and
enhancing the brand
Protecting and
enhancing the brand
Decline in traditional markets
Decline in traditional markets
Our Ambassadors