Business Post Share Discussion Threads

[dutch2] 11/5/2006 15:17

The share price is being driven down now...because the results will be GOOD...
The Big Boys want to buy the shares cheaper, just before Results Day !!
Best of Luck...

[farmsted] 11/5/2006 14:57

The results must HAVE BEEN LEAKED !!!

[warranty] 28/4/2006 19:29

Solis/CG don't you think this is a good sign as customer service has been your main concern? At least it proves they're accepting it as a factor.

[solis] 26/4/2006 17:18

warranty

- PRINCIPLES

excuse shouting.

Have received same survey and filled it out. They seem to sense the customers disatisfaction...............

[chrisgail] 25/4/2006 14:50

They, BPG, have just sent me a Customer satisfaction survey, it won't make good reading!

But at least they are paying (shareholders money) to find out what thier Customers think. (using an independant firm.)

We will see what happens.

[warranty] 21/4/2006 22:25

Solis, if you think Fedex may make a bid why wouldn't you buy the shares??

[solis] 19/4/2006 16:02

I use BP in my business and can say that they are the best of the bunch with regard to the lighter parcels. Too expensive for pallets and heavier items.

However, I understand that 3 franchises have been taken out lately with another 2 more today. It would be nice to think that they were the less efficient ones, but not in my opinion. Some of the franchise areas did not fit in with the distribution of the Fedex at the prices that BP were prepared to pay. I also think that BP has been taking more of the income. The franchisees were on a hiding to nothing.

The ones I knew of either had got into too much debt or refused to get into debt at such thin margins, not helped by BP not continuing the support they had promised.

I do agree however that the more likely scenario is that Fedex does not like franchisees but wants a clear run at BP and the Kane's are cleaning up to sell up.

I don't own shares, but I definitely would not having heard all this now.

DYOR

[chrisgail] 11/4/2006 22:02

warranty, that is the fear, the fear of the unknown, the competition my be worse. I would like to use DHL but they cost much more. As I said above (289) why don't they charge me a little more and do a better job?

[warranty] 09/4/2006 22:56

cg, just keep using BPG you never know they may not appear brilliant to you but they may still be better then their competition!!

[chrisgail] 09/4/2006 20:08

As a customer I am aware that failing depots have been taken back into company control, in some cases with area managers running them for a while, this does in the short term improve service, but sadly once the managers go it soon returns to its old level of 'service'.

mdp963 you will know that they did try, seriously to improve around 2002-03 and so did the share price. I do not see that 'serious' attitude at the moment.

You might be asking why do I remain acustomer? My local depot does work hard at customer satisfaction, its the other weak links that let them down.

Is it 'simple wrong' to say a company does not care about its Customers, if they can not bring themselves to mention them in a strategy statement? I think not.

One other thing, when they sent out customer satisfaction surveys (they dont now), I allways used to add, in the any additional comments section, I will be happy to pay and extra 50p to £1 a parcel for 'better service'. That was an increase of 5 - 12% I can't be alone in that view, does this mean more profit and happy customers and shareholders? I think so.

[dutch2] 09/4/2006 13:14

I have been following this for some time now...the UK Mail side of the
business is doing extremely well... better than anticapated..the lead up to year end results will reflect this..

[warranty] 06/4/2006 18:53

mdp963, exellent and informative post and good to get a more knowlegable inside view on the company and clientelle. I too believe disposing of underperforming franchisees is a major step forward as is taking the cost up front to clear the decks.

I think the share price should now react strongly on the back of this initially up to the £5 mark and then we'll see how trading goes. Should hopefully be some positive broker upgrades to follow shortly as well.

[mdp963] 06/4/2006 07:53

I used to own a BP franchise. I got out 5 years ago before the problems developed - saw them coming and took my money - keeping the property I had built up.

Spoke recently with some of my old contacts about what was happening and why

They were worried at the time about the ability of BP to retain Fed Ex contract -apparently they were under very severe pressure - so to have done so is indeed positive moves

The BP have always had a problem with under performing franchisees - mainly because they historically have not paid the franchisees sufficient to survive. Equally they allowed people into the network who should never have been there. If would appear that they have finally bitten the bullet and decided to get rid of the poor performers ( taking under their own control) and to pay those that remain little more. Some locations (usually the more remote ones) will always have to be franchises and some will always have to be subsidised.

BP locations are not necessarily the best ( the good franchisees always out performed the company locations) but owning them BP will at least remove the weak links in the network - which can only be a good thing. They have taken this as a one time hit ( should have done it 5 years ago!!) but it should really strengthen up the company

Another interesting view is that for the first time in a while overall opinion seems to be that Peter and Michael Kane could be prepared to sell their stake. Not sure about this ....personally I believe it depends on just how much Peter is enjoying the grief ( and his flash cars) and how involved the younger Kane generation is involved in the company

It is simply wrong to say that BP don't care about their customers

[warranty] 05/4/2006 17:21

Not being a customer Chrisgail can't comment on their service but they seem to have got themselves back on track and the city boys quite like them even if you don't so my moneys on a quick rebound to >500p.

[chrisgail] 04/4/2006 12:51

I am a 'Customer' of this company, they have no commitment to the Customer at all. If you are thinking of investing in this company read thier 'strategy' statement, no mention of Customers, service, quality, customer satisfaction. No mention of any of the qualities that make companies great organisations.

BP in the long term will fail, that's what happens to companies who do not care about Customers.

Don't say you have not been warned.

[warranty] 01/4/2006 10:28

Like the look of yesterdays developments and the markets reaction so in at 386 and hope you're right Elsworth. I wonder if TNT will be interested in taking BPG out when they offload their logstics division in a month or two??

[elsworth] 31/3/2006 08:15

horsemike good post......... with todays results it should be over £6 and climbing.

[investoree] 21/3/2006 14:16

Can anybody please give an explanation as to why there are numerous small buys and sells with BPG on a regular basis which do not appear cost effective or serve any obvious purpose. The price seems to constantly fluctuate without any trades taking place. I realise that this is a somewhat illiquid stock but would appreciate any information. I have just had small punt 400 @ 335.5 but this trade does not seem to have shown yet.

[horsemike] 06/3/2006 16:48

Have recently doubled my holding in BPG (paying £3.22) and seen them drop even further to todays buy price of around £3.13 it was with some relief I read this snippet in Sunday's Financial Mail.

"Dobell has increased M & G Recovery's exposure to some of UK's biggest companies in light of the fact that they now meet the fund's objective, which is to invest in companies that have fallen out of favour with the market. He has bought more of parcels and mail group Business Post, though shares are tightly held and difficult to get. Business Post represents one of Dobell's newest unloved stocks in Recovery and he passionately believes that it will be a major beneficiary of the deregulation of Royal Mail."

Tom Dobell is one of a hard core of fund managers that has consistently proved adept at beating the Stock Market. He works for M&G and manages their 1.6 billion Recovery Fund. He looks on most of his holdings as 3 to 5 year investments.

[pugugly] 23/2/2006 15:58

Anyone any views on whether the FexEx contract will be renewed?

[scumdog] 22/2/2006 13:07

Slip sliding away . . .

[scumdog] 21/2/2006 14:39

Back to where it started!

[saltedcrab] 21/2/2006 08:53

run rabbit run run run

[saltedcrab] 20/2/2006 21:53

yes, buy back in at 400p