Postcomm appoints Goldwag as size-based pricing gets tentative OK

by Daniel Farey-Jones, Brand Republic 11-Apr-05, 07:00

LONDON - Postcomm has appointed a new commissioner Wanda Goldwag to replace Julia Kaufmann, whose term with the commission ends in May.

Goldwag has more than 20 years' experience in direct marketing and started her career at Yves Rocher, the multinational cosmetics company. Since then, she has held senior posts at Fidelity Investment Management, direct marketing agencies WWAV Rapp Collins and Smith Bundy.

On the client side she has also had spells at Thorn EMI, Thomas Cook, Queercompany.com and the Air Miles Travel Company, where she was joint managing director.

Postcomm chairman Nigel Stapleton said that Goldwag's skills would help the commission as it prepares for the full opening of the postal market to competition on January 1 2006 and finalises the next Royal Mail price and service quality control.

"Our ability to handle this challenging workload will be much enhanced by the marketing skills and the business experience, big and small, that Wanda will bring to the commission," he said.

Postcomm is currently consulting on Royal Mail's revised proposals for size-based pricing, having announced last week that it is "minded" to accept the proposals and time their introduction for April 2006.

Postcomm said that Royal Mail had taken on board points raised by its 2004 consultation on size-based pricing, and it was now satisfied that the proposals are reflective of Royal Mail's costs, putting Royal Mail in better shape to compete.

"With full competition in postal services next January, it is essential for all parties that Royal Mail's prices align with its costs. Some of its current prices are a carry-over from its days as a national monopoly when cost reflective pricing was less important. To allow this to continue would unbalance a fully competitive market," Stapleton said.

The main changes to Royal Mail's original proposals are an increase in the maximum thickness of large letters from 10mm to 25mm, and a maximum thickness of 35mm for reply-paid mail. Royal Mail has also increased the number of weight steps for large letters and packets.

Postal services watchdog Postwatch said it would submit its reponse to the consultation by the July 4 deadline. According to Postwatch chairman Peter Carr, Royal Mail and Postcomm are working together to ensure that size-based pricing is introduced in April 2006.

Carr said: "It is a disappointment to Postwatch that the regulator has decided that the 12 months' notice, which large customers and many UK businesses were promised, is to start with the launch of today's consultation document."

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