Dunedin Metro post office doors to close – management refuse to front

The Dunedin Metro Postshop and Kiwibank will shut its doors today after a hard fought community campaign against the closure.

Save Dunedin Metro Postshop and Kiwibank campaign spokesperson Victor Billot says a cake and a card were delivered to staff this morning to thank them for their great service to Dunedin people over the years at Dunedin Metro.

He says the campaign has not kept the doors open on the post office, as over a century of post office services in the Exchange area comes to an end.

“We do not consider our campaign a failure. With little warning, no consultation, and a total lack of interest in what their customers think, the failure is with New Zealand Post management. The buck stops at the top – mystery man CEO Brian Roche who refuses to front up to the public.”

He says the new motto for New Zealand Post should be “the customer is always wrong.” 

“New Zealand Post management have badly damaged the respect and loyalty of their customers in Dunedin.”

The Omsbudsman would be approached as New Zealand Post was failing to consult with its stakeholders and fulfill its social responsibility, the group believed.

Mr Roche has not personally replied to any requests or correspondence, and instead Dunedin people have been treated to a stream of increasingly patronizing responses from head office public relations staff.

Mr Billot says people will be closely watching the problems associated with pushing customers towards the congested Moray Place and South Dunedin Post Shops.

“This decision has harmed Dunedin and it has harmed the businesses and local community.”

Over 2500 signatures have been sent to NZ Post CEO, public meetings and rallies held, hundreds of personal letters and emails, and “stamp mobs” formed at post offices to buy symbolic stamps.

The decision to close has been criticized by local MPs, the City Council, Chamber of Commerce and Unions Otago.

A last minute meeting this week between the campaign group and Mayor of Dunedin Dave Cull resulted in the Mayor asking New Zealand Post management on national television to consider keeping some postal services at Dunedin Metro, an offer which was refused without consideration.

Mr Billot says that NZ Post could still offer limited services at Dunedin Metro if they wanted as a staff counter would be kept open at the remaining post boxes.

TVNZ Breakfast interview with Mayor Dave Cull versus NZ Post public relations mouthpiece

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/nz-post-improving-services-despite-closures-4255024/video

Listen to the public relations doublespeak from New Zealand – their “revolutionary” plans for removing our post office is somehow improving our service. I’m not sure how John Tulloch knows, as to the best of my knowledge, neither he nor any other NZ Post managers have actually bothered to come to Dunedin to listen to their customers.
So much for the customer is always right! No wonder NZ Post are losing customers – the customer is always wrong as far as they are concerned. 

Dunedin sends a giant postcard to New Zealand Post CEO Brian Roche

When New Zealand Post CEO Brian Roche collects his mail, he will need a bit of help to carry a Giant Postcard sent with a special message from Dunedin - Save Dunedin Metro Post Office and Kiwibank.   

A special public signing of the Giant Postcard will be held at 12.30 today outside the Civic Centre in The Octagon.

Save Dunedin Post Shop and Kiwibank campaign spokesperson Victor Billot says members of the public are invited to sign the Giant Postcard and add their messages.

The postcard reads “Dear Brian, please don’t shut out post office. Yours sincerely, Dunedin.”

The giant postcard can be viewed online at http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22147001/Dear_Brian.pdf

The Dunedin Metro Post Shop and Kiwibank is under threat of closure next week. 

Head office managers have refused to meet with local people to hear their concerns.

Following the unveiling and public signing outside the Civic Centre, supporters will carry the Giant Postcard to Dunedin Metro Post Shop in the Exchange where an attempt will be made to freepost it.

“We will be asking people to trudge all the way down the Exchange with us to symbolize the trip that busy, heavily laden New Zealand Post customers will have to make every day without their post if Dunedin Metro is closed.”

Supporters are gathering outside the Civic Centre today to highlight that not enough organized support from city representatives has been seen.

“We have had a letter or two sent, some individual councillors joining us, but there does not seem to be the co-ordinated and high profile public backing that Dunedin ratepayers would expect from the City.”

The mayor has declined to meet with the group today as he has a prior engagement.

Mr Billot says a meeting has been arranged with the Mayor next Tuesday.

“We want to meet with the Mayor, it would have been good to have had some kind of meeting a month ago.”

However the group would be staging a walk past of the DCC at today’s gathering to register their concerns.

2518 signatures have been gathered on a petition and sent to New Zealand Post.

For more information, contact Victor Billot on 021482219