PD CEN TR 16894-2015 PDF

Full title and description

STB PD CEN TR 16894-2015 — Postal services. Quality of delivery: Reforwarding. This PD (published designation) reproduces the CEN Technical Report that defines a measurement methodology for the re-forwarding (mail redirection) service offered by postal operators and for assessing its delivery quality.

Abstract

This Technical Report specifies a best‑practice method to measure the quality of a re‑forwarding service for domestic addressed mail that is collected, processed and delivered by postal operators. It describes service characteristics, test items, test customers, sample design and indicators, and recommends an independent, auditable measurement approach. The document is intended as a measurement methodology (not as a service‑level commitment intended for direct operator comparison).

General information

• Status: Active / published (national PD adoptions also available).
• Publication date: 2015 (CEN approval 8 September 2015; PD/edition dates listed by national bodies around 30 September–6 October 2015).
• Publisher: European Committee for Standardization (CEN) — Technical Report CEN/TR 16894:2015; PD editions/adoptions published by national bodies (for example BSI as PD CEN/TR 16894:2015).
• ICS / categories: 03.240 — Postal services (Quality of service measurement).
• Edition / version: 2015 (CEN/TR 16894:2015; PD CEN/TR 16894:2015 as national publication/adoption).
• Number of pages: CEN TR core document commonly recorded as 11 pages; some national PD/republished versions list 16 pages (national forewords/cover pages can account for the difference). Users should check the national publication for the exact page count.

Scope

The report covers methods for measuring the quality of a re‑forwarding (also called re‑direction or redirection) service for domestic addressed mail. It applies to mail delivered to homes, PO boxes or business premises where the customer has contracted their postal operator to forward incoming mail to an alternative address for a defined period. The scope emphasises measurement design, representative sampling (where appropriate), test item selection and auditable methodology rather than setting cross‑operator performance targets.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition and service characteristics of re‑forwarding services (temporary and permanent redirection scenarios).
• Design of a measurement programme: test items, test customers (panel selection), sampling and sample size principles.
• Performance indicators and reporting rules for delivery quality of re‑forwarded mail.
• Requirements for independent measurement and auditable methodology (independent supplier, panel management).
• Guidance on limiting scope (domestic focus, household vs business contracts) and on how to extend sampling for more representative results.
• Clarification that the methodology is for measurement and monitoring and is not intended to produce direct, legally binding operator comparisons without further alignment.

Typical use and users

Regulators, national postal operators, quality‑of‑service teams, independent measurement agencies, consumer bodies and consultants use this Technical Report to design and implement re‑forwarding quality assessments. It is also used by national standard bodies when publishing PD/adopted national versions and by researchers analysing postal QoS.

Related standards

This Technical Report is part of the CEN/TC 331 family on postal quality of service. Related deliverables include standards and technical specifications for transit‑time measurement of single‑piece and bulk mail (for example EN 13850 and standards for bulk‑mail measurement), CEN/TS documents on information availability and other QoS measurement methods, and forthcoming/related CEN postal QoS outputs (complaints handling, addressing, tracking). Users should consult CEN/TC 331 publications for the full set of related documents.

Keywords

reforwarding; mail redirection; postal services; quality of delivery; QoS measurement; sample design; postal operator; CEN/TR 16894:2015; PD CEN/TR 16894:2015.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: CEN/TR 16894:2015 (also published in national PD/adopted formats) is a CEN Technical Report that provides a standardised methodology for measuring the quality of re‑forwarding (mail redirection) services offered by postal operators.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the design and conduct of measurements for re‑forwarding services: service definitions, test items, panel/test customers, sampling, performance indicators, reporting rules and requirements for independent, auditable measurement. It is a measurement methodology rather than a set of service commitments.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Postal regulators, national postal operators and their QoS teams, independent measurement firms, consumer organisations, standards bodies publishing national adoptions (PD versions) and researchers.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The document was published in 2015 as CEN/TR 16894:2015 and is recorded as active in national catalogues and PD listings; national adopters may publish PD or translated editions with their own forewords and page counts. For the latest confirmation of current status or any subsequent revisions, consult your national standards body or CEN/TC 331.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is one of several CEN deliverables produced under CEN/TC 331 on postal services and quality‑of‑service measurement. Users should consider it alongside other CEN standards and technical specifications dealing with transit‑time measurement, information availability and complaints handling.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Reforwarding, re‑direction, mail redirection, postal services, quality of delivery, QoS measurement, sample design, independent measurement, CEN/TR 16894:2015.