Fun Run Organisers Walk Away from Missed Postal Deliveries

Feb. 16, 2011 - PRLog -- Great Midlands Fun Run charity organisers are cracking down on postal failure this year, to ensure participants get their vital information packs in preparation for this summer’s event.

Event Director Mr Tracey Spare hopes address auto-fill technology, supplied for free to the organisers by Postcode Anywhere, will make the difference between a trouble-free event, and the “headache” of replacing lost information packs.

He said: “A capacity 6,000 people participated in last year’s event, raising over £200,000 for over 210 charities, voluntary organisations and community interest groups, taking our total since 2003 over the £1m mark. Participants nominate their own charities, so it’s a great way for us to facilitate people’s individual fundraising targets.

“It’s crucial that we get an accurate postal address. We post out transponder timing tags, run numbers, and participants’ credit slips for paying in sponsor money. Every pack is unique to each entrant. Getting these packs to the entrants is crucial: without them, they can’t participate and they can’t raise the money.

“We’ve had situations where people have put in the wrong postcode or even completely incorrect address details when completing their online entry. Apartment blocks are a particular problem, where the address entered hasn’t matched up with Royal Mail’s data.

“Last year at least 1% of envelopes didn’t reach their recipient. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but that’s 60 people who haven’t received these vital packs. And it’s all up to me to make sure everything is put right, which can take up a considerable amount of administration time. Sometimes it’s just too late to fix. In all, it’s not just an administration chore I don’t want: it’s a considerable headache, and something we’re hoping Postcode Anywhere’s address auto-fill will fix.”

Postcode Anywhere’s managing director Guy Mucklow said: “The Great Midlands Fun Run is an excellent example of an organisation that can seriously benefit from address auto-fill software. It’s senseless to leave important packages at the mercy of human error, when address verification is so reliable and cost-effective. We look forward to seeing a considerable drop in delivery failure and hope the event generates significantly more funds for charities than ever as a result.”

The 8.5-mile route begins at Sutton Coldfield town centre, at 11am on Sunday, 5 June. The entry fee for adults is £16, juniors £10. Prospective fundraisers can register online at www.greatmidlandsfunrun.com or in person at the Sutton Observer office, 40 Birmingham Road, from 10am-3pm Monday-Friday.

For more information about Postcode Anywhere’s range of business efficiency software and services, please visit the website at www.postcodeanywhere.com.

ENDS

Media contact for Postcode Anywhere
Jim Williams – PR Manager, Postcode Anywhere
jim@postcodeanywhere.com
+44 (0) 1905 888 570

Press centre at: http://www.postcodeanywhere.com/press
Press Pack download: http://www.postcodeanywhere.com/assets/PDFs/press-pack-20...

Notes to Editors:

About Postcode Anywhere

Postcode Anywhere has been providing address services for ten years and is the fastest-growing reseller of Royal Mail’s Postcode Address File (PAF®). A multi-award-winning organisation, it has also appeared in successive Deloitte fast-growth European technology company lists. Postcode Anywhere supplies software and services which improve the day-to-day operations of over 8,000 organisations worldwide. Best known as a provider of address auto-fill and verification software, the company offers a range of data-driven services, including route planning and customer profiling. For more information about Postcode Anywhere, please visit www.postcodeanywhere.com.

Recent Awards and Recognition for Postcode Anywhere

•   Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA 2008/9, 2009/10 & 2010/11
•   Red Herring Top 100 Europe - 2010
•   Best Small IT Supplier of the Year - UK IT Industry Awards (finalist) – 2009
•   Dell Small Business Excellence Award (UK finalist) – 2009
•   Small-Medium Sized Business of the Year (regional finalist) - National Business Awards 2009
•   Orange Best Use of Technology (Midlands) - 2008 National Business Awards
•   Growth Business of the Year - Chamber Awards 2008
•   Small Business of the Year - Chamber Awards 2008
•   Customer Service Team of the Year (finalist) - National Customer Services Awards 2008

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Postcode Anywhere is a UK-based company best known for its market-leading “what’s your postcode” technology. Its services include route optimisation, international addressing, data cleansing, business information services and lifestyle profiling.