New Zealand Post announced today it is enhancing its PostShop Kiwibank services in the Takanini area in Auckland to provide customers with easier accessibility and additional services.
The changes involve relocating the current PostShop Kiwibank store which is situated at 15 Princess Street, Takanini, to the Southgate retail centre where many people in the Takanini and surrounding area choose to shop. This will occur at the end of February 2010.
The new location is 2 kilometres away at 230 Great South Road, Takanini, where there is currently a PostCentre (which offers postal and courier services) operating. The change would mean the PostCentre is upgraded from offering postal and courier services to providing customers with a full suite of postal, courier, bill payment and Kiwibank services, including the ability to apply for a home loan.
The existing PostShop Kiwibank at Princess Street will continue to offer postal and courier services as a PostCentre outlet from approximately the end of March 2010.
Group Manager Retail, Michelle van Gaalen, said the change in the configuration of PostShop services in Takanini reflected the need for enhanced service levels to meet increased demand in the Takanini area.
"We have paid close attention to the Takanini area since an initial review was undertaken in 2007. Our view is that there is a real demand in the area for our services and we want to ensure they are located where the majority of customers shop.
"The Southgate retail centre has become a high destination shopping area for people in Takanini and its surrounding area. Providing a PostShop Kiwibank at the Southgate retail centre has many benefits including the fact that customers are already choosing to shop there, there are significant parking facilities, a wide range of other stores customers also visit and it is accessible from the numerous bus routes that travel Great South Road.
"Given that Southgate is an ideal location to meet the majority of customer needs in Takanini, we have asked the existing franchisee at Princess Street to host a PostCentre outlet, which he has agreed to."
Ms van Gaalen said New Zealand Post and the new Southgate PostShop Kiwibank store franchisee were together making a significant investment in upgrading services in Takanini. "We therefore need to ensure that the location and level of service provide a viable business for both parties, now and in the future."
Ms van Gaalen said the changes would be timed to ensure a seamless transition for customers. There will be no change to the Princess Street PostShop Kiwibank until the new Southgate PostShop Kiwibank store is up and running.
She said regular customers of the Princess Street PostShop Kiwibank store will still be able to use postal and courier services there. Customers seeking bill payment and Kiwibank services will be directed to the new Southgate store.
New Zealand Post operates a retail network of over 300 PostShop Kiwibank stores and over 600 PostCentre outlets. This network is constantly reviewed to keep pace with urban developments, customers' changing shopping habits and increasing use of electronic transactions.
The proximity of other PostShop Kiwibank stores is also taken into account. "We change the make up of our network of stores with the majority of customers in mind. In some cases it may mean opening new stores or increasing the level of service while in others the level of service offered may decrease."
Ms van Gaalen said changes to services were made after careful consideration. "We appreciate that changes involving a reduction in services may inconvenience some individuals and this is taken into account. However, we have to use our resources wisely and ensure that we have a sustainable network with reasonable access to our services for the majority of customers."
ENDS
Contact:
Keith FitzPatrick
Media Communications Manager
New Zealand Post
04 496 4566
027 453 9882