CTT - Correios de Portugal has reformulated the proposal that complements the postal network density targets and minimum offers of service defined by ANACOM, in order to remedy aspects in its initial proposal that did not fully take into account the framework set out by ANACOM on 10 January 2019. This follows ANACOM’s rejection of CTT's initial proposal, which it considered did not fully meet user needs.
In ANACOM’s view, the postal establishment in each municipality where CTT is required to ensure provision of the full range of concession services under the requirements of the current targets, must be either (i) a post office or (ii) a postal services office that provides the full range of concession services under conditions equivalent to those at post offices.
CTT's reformulated proposal responds to ANACOM's concerns and takes the framework defined by ANACOM in its decision of January 2019 properly into account. As such, CTT:
- has made clear that its proposal applies to all postal services offices which, in each municipality, provide the full range of concession services. These operate every working day for a minimum daily period of 6 hours in 99% of the municipalities in Portugal and every working day for a minimum daily period of 3 hours in the remaining 1% of municipalities;
- has presented a more complete training plan that gives training to all staff who provide concession services, including staff serving the customers of these services. CTT also specifies that training will be delivered in real time, in the presence of services requested by customers, and that simulated training will be given in respect of other concession services, and furthermore, that continuous training will be given whenever there are complaints about procedures or the manner in which these services are delivered;
- undertakes to ensure that premises are kept in a good state of conservation, and reports that provisional conditions required for the adequate provision of postal services will be taken into account in situations where there is a need to do work on premises; CTT also guarantees accessibility for users with special needs, and specifies the external signage to be used at postal services offices in order to ensure easy identification;
- will conduct customer satisfaction surveys on a six-monthly basis and specifies the procedures to be followed in relation to submitted complaints, thereby allowing for a complete record of complaints and appropriate processing procedures;
- will specify, at the level of customer service, the procedures for improvement that are proposed for postal services offices and will ensure the creation of a dedicated space for customer service and the provision of postal services; this will have the spacing necessary to protect the confidentiality of transmitted and stored information, as well as the organisation necessary to protect objects, in order to ensure the confidentiality and privacy of transmitted and stored information, and responding to ANACOM's concern, especially as regards the need to ensure the confidentiality and inviolability of postal items, data protection and privacy and safeguarding the confidentiality of information;
- clarifies, as regards information made available to the public, that the means of updating such information will be supplied and that the information to be made available to the postal service offices will be communicated with necessary advance notice to ensure compliance with the deadlines set by ANACOM. CTT also makes clear that information on opening hours is to be posted in a visible location outside the establishment, even when it is closed, preferably at the door of the postal services office;
- makes clear, as regards the operation of the postal service office, that customers entering the postal services office before its closing time will still be served;
- indicates clearly, within the scope of the control and supervision to be performed by CTT, that internal audits will be held, with information on their periodicity, and on the necessary recording of relevant information.
The draft decision to accept CTT's revised proposal is now submitted to the consultation of users for 15 working days.
It is recalled that ANACOM's decision to complement the density targets of the postal network and minimum offers of service stems from a set of exceptional circumstances that justified urgent review of the postal network density targets and minimum offers of service, and in particular from the changes implemented by the concessionaire in its network of postal establishments. These changes resulted in an exponential increase in the number of municipalities lacking post offices (there were 33 municipalities without post offices as of January 2019), affecting the way postal services are provided to users and with an impact on the satisfaction of their needs.
This consultation is conducted for a period of 15 working days, closing on 01 August 2019. Contributions should be sent by email to densidade-rede@anacom.pt. ANACOM calls for a broad response to the consultation by the market's various agents and participants.
Consult:
- CTT adopts ANACOM's guidelines on postal network density targets https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=1476205
- Consultation on the review of objectives of postal network density and minimum offers of service https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=1475960
