Self-service postal kiosks introduced into three communities earlier this year are proving quite a hit amongst residents. In February a Pay&Post kiosk was installed in the Crosby Hotel, Crosby while machines were introduced into Shoprite, Victoria Road, Douglas and the Wessex Garage, Douglas in March. The initiative was aimed at increasing location and accessibility to postal services for customers, as well as offering them the opportunity to transact their postal business outside the traditional working hours. Since their launch, feedback from users of the kiosks have praised the machines for their ease of use, quick transaction times and self-weighing positions. Interestingly, traffic figures show customers are using the machines the most before 9am, in the evenings and at weekends, proving users prefer to have flexibility in when they choose to do their postal business. The machines allow customers to weigh, stamp and pay for packages to be posted quickly and efficiently in a matter of seconds, as well as being able to pay electricity, gas or phone bills and government rates. Postal kiosks were first trialled in Regent Street Post Office, Douglas last August and 94% of the first 600 customers to use the kiosks rated them as excellent and said they would use them again. Marty Quine, General Manager Retail Network, Isle of Man Post Office said: “Introducing the postal kiosks into these three areas was intended to give our customers more opportunity, in terms of time and location for using post office services and increase the opportunity to attract business before and after normal opening hours. So far transaction data has provided evidence that there is a need for this level of choice and this is certainly very encouraging news.” Competitions were held at the launches of both Shoprite and the Wessex Garage and prize presentations to the winners have now taken place. At Shoprite children had to design their own postal kiosk and Francesca McGowan’s entry was first in the over 7yrs category, with Aleesha McGowan clinching the under 7yrs category and Hana Lawrie was chosen as the overall winner. Meanwhile Bruce Matthews was drawn as the lucky winner of a different competition held at the launch of the postal kiosk at the Wessex Garage. (Photographs accompany this release). -Ends-