Jersey Post announces COVID-19 initiatives

Jersey Post has today announced that it is delaying its annual price rise. The announcement is one of several measures Jersey Post is taking to support the community and local businesses while continuing to maintain mail and parcel services.

The new measures include:

• The postponement of a price increase scheduled for March 26 for at least three months to help islanders through the coronavirus pandemic
• A Business2Home directory designed to provide a link between businesses offering home services and the community
• The introduction of social distancing at Post Offices to safeguard customers and staff
• Hands-free capturing of customer details directly, avoiding the need for customers to handle counter equipment such as signing pads and pens
• New signing procedures no longer requiring the customer to sign for mail deliveries requiring a signature
• The introduction of split shifts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 while continuing to deliver mail and parcels for Islanders
• Broad Street and Rue Des Pres Post Offices remain open to cater for Islanders and businesses

Business2Home

Jersey Post’s new Business2Home directory is designed to support businesses that have had to adapt their business models and are now delivering their services to the community.

David McGrath, Jersey Post's Head of Marketing, said "In these challenging times when the Island's community is pulling together, we're seeing local businesses adapting to deliver their supplies and services directly to homes.

Given the current environment with enforced social distancing, home-schooling and remote-working, the need to get products and services delivered to the door is more necessary than ever before. Business2Home is a one-off brochure that will be delivered to every Island household to help get information about these products and services to our community."

Any business or charity that wants to tell Islanders that they will 'deliver' their product or service, can sign up free of charge to be included in the brochure. This could be anything from meals, groceries, office supplies, essential supplies such as prescriptions, or home services such as dog-walking or plumbing repairs. Once companies have completed the online registration, Jersey Post will print and distribute the business directory to every household on the Island.

Any business wishing to sign up should visit www.jerseypost.com/business2home and complete the registration form by midnight Sunday, March 29.

Mail and Parcel Services

Due to the exceptional commitment of postal staff, who provide an essential front-line public service, we are continuing to maintain collection and delivery services, keeping people connected and businesses moving.

Our number one priority is the health and safety of our customers and colleagues. To enable Jersey Post to continue to deliver this vital service to Islanders and businesses, we have some steps you can take to reduce the transmission of coronavirus.

• Sign up for SecureDrop
• Sign up for 24/7 Parcel Lockers
• Clean your letterbox and SecureDrop daily
• Maintain social distancing when receiving a delivery
• Only visit post offices if absolutely necessary and maintain social distancing when visiting
• Maintain good hygiene as per official guidelines

Niall McClure, Managing Director, Post and Logistics said: “The men and women who provide a crucial service, delivering mail and parcels, are helping to keep Islanders connected and businesses working. We have put in place measures to ensure the health and safety of these workers, and we would ask all our customers to help us by observing the official advice on social distancing. If one of our front-line staff asks you to keep your distance, please understand they are not being uncharacteristically unfriendly, they are just following best practice.

In the difficult weeks and months to come we expect our role to become even more important, as we help to deliver essential supplies to those who need help most. Keeping as many of our staff healthy and fit for work now therefore has to be our priority.”

Jersey Post has drawn up a list of measures to protect its staff and prevent the spread of the virus by asking Islanders to think about safety first when receiving post and parcels:

• If you see a postie coming towards your door, please DO NOT OPEN YOUR DOOR. We will sign your parcels and letters for you.
• We will leave the parcel, food or medication on your doorstep and then knock. Give the postie enough time to step away from the door.
• If you are already outside your house, go inside or step away 2 metres from your postie. Please do not approach your postie.
• Remember we are only trying to help protect you from this virus.