November 2015
Customer Briefing Document - Christmas & New Year
Introduction
This document outlines our operational plans for the 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.
Newspaper returns credit deadlines will remain unchanged, so it is important if your returns are
not collected daily, or you are closed for a period of time, that you discuss this with our Customer
Services team who can advise you.
Newspaper Alterations:


Sales Point detailing the stores proposed allocation, will be sent to stores on the dates shown
below.
Where stores are closed, but still have HND, it is important that the store remains open, but
figures are amended to only HND copies – and to ensure future allocations are not affected,
please let us know so the Sales Centre can be made aware.
Issue Date for Sales Point
Alterations to be made by:
Christmas Eve 24th December
Boxing Day 26th December
Customers receive
Salespoint on:
Friday 18th December
Tuesday 22nd December
Bank Holiday 28th December
Tuesday 22nd December
3pm on 22nd December
New Year’s Eve 31st December
Tuesday 29th December
3pm on 29th December
New Year’s Day 1st January
Tuesday 29th December
3pm on 29th December
3pm on 18th December
3pm on 22nd December
Christmas TV listings:


Allocation will be released for Customers to amend their standing orders between 25th
November 2015 and 4pm on 30th November 2015.
We are also aware, that a number of titles will be on a split distribution and we will share this
information with you nearer the time, but it is important that stores are made aware, that
supplies to all stores may not be on the same day.
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 28th December 2015.
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 29th 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.
Date
Day
Day Type
Newspaper
Distribution
Magazine
Distribution
18/12/2015
19/12/2015
20/12/2015
21/12/2015
22/12/2015
23/12/2015
24/12/2015
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Normal
Weekend
Weekend
Normal
Normal
Normal
Normal
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
N
Y
Y
Y
CLOSED
25/12/2015
26/12/2015
27/12/2015
28/12/2015
29/12/2015
30/12/2015
31/12/2015
01/01/2016
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Weekend
Weekend
Bank Holiday
Normal
Normal
Normal
Bank Holiday
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
N
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Newspaper
Returns
Collection
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Magazine
Returns
Collection
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Customer
Services
Hours
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
Close 1pm
Close 11am
NORMAL
Close 12pm
NORMAL
NORMAL
Close 1pm
Close 12pm
Vouchers



Due to the shorter working weeks over Christmas / New Year we will be supplying retailers with 2
voucher recall notes and 2 envelopes w/e 26th December 2015. If you do not receive these,
please contact your local customer services team.
Due to the shorter working week we are not crediting vouchers w/e 2nd January 2016. We will be
crediting an average value of your voucher credits – this will be based on your last 13 weeks
history. This will appear on your weekly summary invoice.
All voucher envelopes will be processed as normal w/e 9th January 2016 and we will also reverse
the average value credit given to you the previous week.
Should you have any questions then please do not hesitate to contact your local customer services team.
Seasons Greetings from everyone at Smiths News.