Dear Customer
Customer Briefing Document - Christmas & New Year
Introduction
This document outlines our operational plans for 2014 Christmas and New Year period and provides the
key information on all of our areas of change over this period.
Trading Days:

It is important that we are aware of any changes to your trading dates during this period, and we
have previously written to you, to obtain this information. However, if you make any further
changes, it is important you contact your supplying depot as soon as possible.
Newspaper Deliveries & Recalls



The majority of national newspapers will be published throughout the festive period with the
exception of Christmas Day. Publishers will be informing us of any changes to their schedules
and we will provide you with updates via our weekly news bulletin ‘Your Round Up’.
Newspaper collections largely remain unaffected with the exception of Christmas Day when we
will not be making a collection of returns.
Alteration deadlines for your newspapers supplies are detailed below:
Issue Date for Sales Point
Customers receive
Salespoint
Customer Alteration
deadline
Christmas Eve 24th December
Friday 19th December
3pm Friday 19th December
Boxing Day 26th December
Monday 22nd December
12pm Monday 22nd December
New Year’s Eve 31st December
Monday 29th December
12pm Monday 29th December
New Year’s Day 1st January
Monday 29th December
12pm Monday 29th December
Magazine Deliveries & Recalls


The magazine publishing and on sale schedule will change over the festive period as we will not
be delivering magazines between 25th and 30th December 2014
This will also impact on our collection dates and it is important you refer to your magazine recall
note for our collection dates
Operations



The last magazine distribution will be on 24th December and the 1st magazine distribution after
Christmas will be on the 30th Decemeber
Customer service opening hours will be affected over the Christmas period and these are detailed
below.
Invoice production and distribution will remain unaffected during this period.
Page 1
Vouchers



Due to the shorter working week we will be supplying retailers with 3 voucher recall notes and 3
envelopes w/e 20th December 2014. If you do not receive these, please contact your local
customer services team
We are not crediting vouchers as normal w/e 27th December 2014. However we will be crediting
you via your weekly summary invoice the average value of your voucher credits – this will be
based on your last 13 weeks history.
All vouchers will be processed as normal w/e 3rd January 2015 and we will also reverse the
average value credit given to you the previous week
Day
Newspaper
Distribution
Magazine
Distribution
Newspaper
Returns
Collection
Magazine
Returns
Collection
Contact Centre Hours
20-Dec-14
Saturday
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Normal
21-Dec-14
Sunday
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Normal
22-Dec-14
Monday
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Normal
23-Dec-14
Tuesday
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Normal
24-Dec-14
Wednesday
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Open until 13:00
25-Dec-14
Thursday
No
No
No
No
No
26-Dec-14
Friday
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Open until 11:30
27-Dec-14
Saturday
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Normal
28-Dec-14
Sunday
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Normal
29-Dec-14
Monday
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Normal
30-Dec-14
Tuesday
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Normal
31-Dec-14
Wednesday
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Open until 13:00
01-Jan-14
Thursday
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Open until 11:30
02-Jan-14
Friday
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Normal
03-Jan-14
Saturday
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Normal
Date
Should you have any questions then please do not hesitate to contact your local customer services team
Seasons Greetings from everyone at Smiths News
Page 2