Research on the satisfaction and needs of users of postal services: the most important is fast and reliable delivery, price and shorter delivery time
The study on a representative sample of 1006 examinees over 18 years of age was carried out by VALICON for HAKOM.
Zagreb, 1 March 2023 Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM) carried out regular research on the satisfaction and needs of users of postal services in the Republic of Croatia. The aim of the research was to monitor the use of postal services and the satisfaction of individual users with prices, deadlines and quality of postal services. We also examined the information of users about the services of all postal service providers, as well as the way of informing them when sending postal items, submitting complaints, buying online, as well as knowing and using packages. The majority of the research is focused on HP — Hrvatska pošta d.d. (HP) as the national universal service provider in the Republic of Croatia, and part of the research includes other postal service providers.
The survey showed that a very high proportion of respondents, 95 %, visits the offices of Croatian Post. More than half (57 %) do so once a month or more often, and the most common reason for going to the post office is to perform financial services such as paying bills, withdrawing cash, etc. In addition to providing financial services, every fourth HP office visitor sends and receives letters once a month, and one in five sends and receives parcels. More than half of the respondents were satisfied with the distance of the nearest post office to their place of residence, or three-quarters of the respondents estimated that their nearest office of HP was less than half an hour’s walk. In order to improve work in HP offices, most respondents (45 %) believe that the decision not to collect the shipment should be changed on the same day the notification was left.
As far as the method of receipt of invoices/payments is concerned, respondents prefer traditional versus electronic means of receipt. If this were possible, just over half of respondents (58 %) would be willing to switch to a fully electronic way of receiving invoices. On the other hand, the trend of sending letters or postcards was not dead, two-thirds of respondents sent at least one postcard or a postcard in a year, with 18 % of those who sent six or more. The cost of sending letters or postcards is considered appropriate by the vast majority of respondents. Half of respondents think that the postal item should be delivered within two working days from the moment it is taken over, but one in four thinks that this should be done even faster, immediately on the next working day.
When sending postal items through different postal service providers, more than half of respondents (52 %) used Tisak plus services last year, followed by DPD and Overseas (some less than 40 % of users), then DHL (about 30 %), followed by all others. As the main reason for choosing another postal service provider instead of HP, respondents emphasise a more acceptable price (43 %), followed by faster service performance (38 %) and the possibility of adjusting the delivery time and place of delivery (37 %). Users are most often informed about the method of sending a shipment at the post office itself from employees when sending a shipment (50 %) and on the postal service provider’s website (39 %).
In the last two years, 21 % of respondents had reasons to object, and yet almost 40 % of respondents did not submit it. The customer service of one of the postal service providers was contacted by 17 % of respondents, and an average satisfaction rating of 3.9 out of a possible 5.0 indicates that more than half of the respondents had a pleasant experience.
Online sales and shopping have become very important in everyday life. This is supported by the fact that a large proportion of respondents (73 %) buy goods or products through online stores, of which 14 % had problems with the postal service provider and 70 % did not have any problems with online purchases. The most common problems were delays or non-delivery of goods/products.
In the period prior to the introduction of customs duties, before 1 July 2021, 75 % of online customers ordered products from non-EU countries. Following the introduction of a new collection of postal and customs duties on products from outside the European Union, 20 % decided to stop and 50 % reduced the frequency of purchases from these countries.
Parcels are a relatively new trend in postal delivery, which was used by 16 % of respondents, and more than 90 % had a positive experience and claim to use this service in the future. Among those who do not want or have not used packages, the most common reason is the desire to deliver to the address (57 %) or because they do not match the location of the package (35 %). The placement of parcels to the user’s home address is supported by 38 % of respondents, 31 % believe they do not need such a parcel delivery method, 19 % are not familiar enough about how it would work, and only 12 % do not want such a service at their address. People of younger age and residents of cities above 25,000 people are more likely to have a positive attitude towards packages.
The study of satisfaction and needs of postal users in the Republic of Croatia was conducted in July/August 2022 on a representative sample of 1006 respondents over the age of 18. The public survey for the Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM) was carried out by VALICON. The results of the study are available at the following link.
Zagreb, 1 March 2023 Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM) carried out regular research on the satisfaction and needs of users of postal services in the Republic of Croatia. The aim of the research was to monitor the use of postal services and the satisfaction of individual users with prices, deadlines and quality of postal services. We also examined the information of users about the services of all postal service providers, as well as the way of informing them when sending postal items, submitting complaints, buying online, as well as knowing and using packages. The majority of the research is focused on HP — Hrvatska pošta d.d. (HP) as the national universal service provider in the Republic of Croatia, and part of the research includes other postal service providers.
The survey showed that a very high proportion of respondents, 95 %, visits the offices of Croatian Post. More than half (57 %) do so once a month or more often, and the most common reason for going to the post office is to perform financial services such as paying bills, withdrawing cash, etc. In addition to providing financial services, every fourth HP office visitor sends and receives letters once a month, and one in five sends and receives parcels. More than half of the respondents were satisfied with the distance of the nearest post office to their place of residence, or three-quarters of the respondents estimated that their nearest office of HP was less than half an hour’s walk. In order to improve work in HP offices, most respondents (45 %) believe that the decision not to collect the shipment should be changed on the same day the notification was left.
As far as the method of receipt of invoices/payments is concerned, respondents prefer traditional versus electronic means of receipt. If this were possible, just over half of respondents (58 %) would be willing to switch to a fully electronic way of receiving invoices. On the other hand, the trend of sending letters or postcards was not dead, two-thirds of respondents sent at least one postcard or a postcard in a year, with 18 % of those who sent six or more. The cost of sending letters or postcards is considered appropriate by the vast majority of respondents. Half of respondents think that the postal item should be delivered within two working days from the moment it is taken over, but one in four thinks that this should be done even faster, immediately on the next working day.
When sending postal items through different postal service providers, more than half of respondents (52 %) used Tisak plus services last year, followed by DPD and Overseas (some less than 40 % of users), then DHL (about 30 %), followed by all others. As the main reason for choosing another postal service provider instead of HP, respondents emphasise a more acceptable price (43 %), followed by faster service performance (38 %) and the possibility of adjusting the delivery time and place of delivery (37 %). Users are most often informed about the method of sending a shipment at the post office itself from employees when sending a shipment (50 %) and on the postal service provider’s website (39 %).
In the last two years, 21 % of respondents had reasons to object, and yet almost 40 % of respondents did not submit it. The customer service of one of the postal service providers was contacted by 17 % of respondents, and an average satisfaction rating of 3.9 out of a possible 5.0 indicates that more than half of the respondents had a pleasant experience.
Online sales and shopping have become very important in everyday life. This is supported by the fact that a large proportion of respondents (73 %) buy goods or products through online stores, of which 14 % had problems with the postal service provider and 70 % did not have any problems with online purchases. The most common problems were delays or non-delivery of goods/products.
In the period prior to the introduction of customs duties, before 1 July 2021, 75 % of online customers ordered products from non-EU countries. Following the introduction of a new collection of postal and customs duties on products from outside the European Union, 20 % decided to stop and 50 % reduced the frequency of purchases from these countries.
Parcels are a relatively new trend in postal delivery, which was used by 16 % of respondents, and more than 90 % had a positive experience and claim to use this service in the future. Among those who do not want or have not used packages, the most common reason is the desire to deliver to the address (57 %) or because they do not match the location of the package (35 %). The placement of parcels to the user’s home address is supported by 38 % of respondents, 31 % believe they do not need such a parcel delivery method, 19 % are not familiar enough about how it would work, and only 12 % do not want such a service at their address. People of younger age and residents of cities above 25,000 people are more likely to have a positive attitude towards packages.
The study of satisfaction and needs of postal users in the Republic of Croatia was conducted in July/August 2022 on a representative sample of 1006 respondents over the age of 18. The public survey for the Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM) was carried out by VALICON. The results of the study are available at the following link.
For additional information please contact:
Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM)
- Roberta Frangeša-Mihanovića 9 Street
- 10110 Zagreb, Croatia
- Tel. + 385 (0) 1 700 70 07
- Fax + 385 (0)1 700 70 70
Media inquiries can be submitted online using HAKOM’s official website: www.hakom.hr
About Hakom
HAKOM - Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries – ensures preconditions for a fair market competition, stable growth and environment for innovations in the electronic communications and postal services market. HAKOM protects users’ interests and the possibility of choice among various communications and postal services at affordable prices, defines sustainable competitive conditions for operators and service providers under fair conditions for return on investment, and provides support to economic growth, public services and the quality of life in the Republic of Croatia by using modern technologies. HAKOM’ strategic goals are: to promote regulation of the electronic communications and postal services market, to support growth of investments and innovations in the electronic communications and postal services market, to provide efficient use of limited resources, to accelerate the growth of broadband products and services, to provide affordable offers of communications and postal services, to provide protection and informing of users, to build an efficient and comprehensive information system, to define and implement efficient processes, and to acquire multi-disciplinary expertise in market regulation.