Saving an institution.

Certain institutions should be untouchable. The Post Office Ltd is one. An integral part of society that needs nurturing through difficult times!

I have fond memories of the Post Office. It was an especially important part of the lives of my grandparents, and through them and my National Savings Account, I learned the value of money. Their #local branch was a counter at the back of the newsagent on a small parade of shops, and it was the heart of the #localcommunity.

Coming out of lock-down some 30 years later, I would see queues streaming out of the #Berkhamstead branch. The staff working tirelessly to do everything asked of them from behind a glass screen, and always with a smile (under their PPE). As a customer, you’d just join the queue (mask on, hands disinfected), wait your turn, and feel guilty for sending 30 parcels all requiring paperwork. This is a local branch, serving a community of people and businesses in an affluent area in the Home Counties.

I’ve changed jobs, and instead of being based in a sleepy village, I’m now in my home town of #Watford , which sometimes struggles with the real “local feel”, as I’m sure most large towns do. Last week I went to the main branch of the PO within WHSmith #business #community #digital #economy and found myself being underwhelmed, maybe even disappointed. In this large branch, there were fewer staff, more overly complicated machines and slower moving queues than in the village branch. The queue was so slow, that I got fed up and left without posting my parcel.

I’m not a retail expert, but when I walk into a public space and I see hand-scrawled signs (see picture), it makes my skin crawl. When it’s in a major retailer, seriously stop it! It reflects badly on the branch, the staff and more importantly the brand. 

This “national institution” has been in decline for decades, with fewer people needing it day-to-day than before, but even in this digital world, the services it offers are vital to communities and the economy. The Post Office has clearly been let down by generations of reduced funding and widespread closures. 

It’s been my job for many years to make sure that brands can deliver their message on a local level easily through quality training and #CMS that adhere to clear #brandguidelines delivering consistency of message. That’s exactly what we do at We Are Acuity. If your business isn't quite connecting with your grass-roots and subsequently your customers, then get in touch and we’ll let you know how best to solve that problem!

If you'd like to find out more about how to activate your brand with local audiences, improving relevancy and connection get in touch with We Are Acuity. You can book a FREE 30 minute chat here.

Or if you'd like to read more about Local Marketing have a look at our blog page "Local Thinking': https://www.weareacuity.com/local-thinking-our-blog

#retail #retailmarketing