The PDA

[spartakus]

Two questions:
1. Has anyone actually been trained in the use of these other than simply scanning parcels as delivered?
2. Does anyone know if managers use the pda to monitor your speed and route (etc) when out delivering?

1. Yes
2. Yes, But not realtime. RoyalMail collecting all GPS data from PDA. Location, your speed as well as if you are over speed limit(depends on what software they are using).

Once I lost a parcel, DOM find it where I scanned that parcel next day.

[cookiewise]

The PDA clearly has massive capability, but i've only been shown how to scan a letter/parcel. No formal training at all in any of the duties. The damn machine crashes all the time / freezes mid-use and i need to switch it off then on again. None of the machines in the DO still have their pen so customers need to use their finger.

One thing I've discovered is the huge number of letters that are scannable when normally you wouldn't expect it as they have no label with "tracked" and a myriad barcodes and 2d square things on them. Should I be scanning all of these? There are so many that it would seriously slow me down if I scanned each one.

I had one letter with no indication that it needed to be scanned, but I zapped a tiny barcode just for fun and it turned out to need a signature! It wasn't an official "signed for" with all the sticky barcodes, nothing like that. Is this RM trying to catch me out?

And on the subject of chaos in the workplace, staff were only told on Saturday that Monday was a holiday and the DO was closed. I came back from my round to find out Tuesday was my day off. A wee bit of notice would have been nice. Also, observing the 1 in 6 Saturday off has been bypassed once again as my day off the week before was Friday. Sneaky eh?

[glass joe]

One day PDAs will have flagging software in them like Amazon staff have. I heard PDAs actuals are pretty rubbish atm. Not heard them being used against postman atm.

[solway16]

The PDA clearly has massive capability, but i've only been shown how to scan a letter/parcel. No formal training at all in any of the duties. The damn machine crashes all the time / freezes mid-use and i need to switch it off then on again. None of the machines in the DO still have their pen so customers need to use their finger.

One thing I've discovered is the huge number of letters that are scannable when normally you wouldn't expect it as they have no label with "tracked" and a myriad barcodes and 2d square things on them. Should I be scanning all of these? There are so many that it would seriously slow me down if I scanned each one.

I had one letter with no indication that it needed to be scanned, but I zapped a tiny barcode just for fun and it turned out to need a signature! It wasn't an official "signed for" with all the sticky barcodes, nothing like that. Is this RM trying to catch me out?

And on the subject of chaos in the workplace, staff were only told on Saturday that Monday was a holiday and the DO was closed. I came back from my round to find out Tuesday was my day off. A wee bit of notice would have been nice. Also, observing the 1 in 6 Saturday off has been bypassed once again as my day off the week before was Friday. Sneaky eh?

My PDA freezes and is unresponsive regularly now.
After the recent software updates it does it more often - always seems to be same time of day when it happens, between 9 and 10.
Quickest way I found to reset is to hold the top 2 side buttons down and power button at same time for around 5 seconds.
Reboots and no more issues for that day.

[scoobymunster]

One day PDAs will have flagging software in them like Amazon staff have. I heard PDAs actuals are pretty rubbish atm. Not heard them being used against postman atm.

I don't think they are allowed to use PDA Actuals for conduct cases yet, but the data is there for it. Our DOM regularly mentions he knows who is hiding etc.

[SpacePhoenix]

One day PDAs will have flagging software in them like Amazon staff have. I heard PDAs actuals are pretty rubbish atm. Not heard them being used against postman atm.

I don't think they are allowed to use PDA Actuals for conduct cases yet, but the data is there for it. Our DOM regularly mentions he knows who is hiding etc.

Probably not directly, using the data they could choose a place to observe the suspect postie then they'd have witness evidence which AFAIK can be used in a conduct case

[cookiewise]

What does Adhoc delivery mean? It keeps coming up on my pda and I keep hitting the back button to reach "pending" as that's where I understand I should scan the parcel from. Hope this makes sense!

[GT85]

Adhoc Delivery allows you to manually input the barcode number if you are unable to scan it for some reason.

[wacko74]

Has anyone ever had to actually use the ''report an incident'' function that inadvertently comes up at least 10 times a day?

(I still don't even know what it is that I'm pressing to make it appear)

[yellowbelly]

Has anyone ever had to actually use the ''report an incident'' function that inadvertently comes up at least 10 times a day?

(I still don't even know what it is that I'm pressing to make it appear)

I think it's when you've got a postbox collection to do on your PDA and you inadvertently select the postbox collection manually before you've scanned the barcode
in the box when you do the collection (when it normally just disappears into the ether).

[fb1969]

Mine has managed to report an incident and send the information off, while just sitting in the pouch touching the sides

Today it locked up twice - once just before a Special that I had to AdHoc, then rebooted it only for it to happen a couple of hours later before a Tracked.

[fren]

1. Nope.
2. Nope.

A few of us in my DO noticed a new option - Leave in a safe place. Great, but when you click, it goes on about taking a photograph. Waste of time, most people just click delivered now.

you'll be fine........until the gaffer calls you into the office to prove what you did with the parcel that your customer says "wasn't delivered"............

1. Does the recipient get the message that it's 'Left in safe place - Shed' or 'In the box behind the garage'
2. Does the recipient and/or sender get the photo or is it only released and used as evidence if there's a non-delivery claim?

1. The only message you get is that it has been left in a safe place. No specification as to where.
2. No. The customer cannot see the picture. I guess there is a way managers can access them if there was to be a non-delivery claim.

It's changed this month - customers see the photo online now as part of the tracking, and what's entered on the PDA as 'the safeplace' (i.e. 'in the shed') is displayed both on the tracking and as part of the automated SMS & email updates.

[k979aaa]

1. Nope.
2. Nope.

A few of us in my DO noticed a new option - Leave in a safe place. Great, but when you click, it goes on about taking a photograph. Waste of time, most people just click delivered now.

you'll be fine........until the gaffer calls you into the office to prove what you did with the parcel that your customer says "wasn't delivered"............

1. Does the recipient get the message that it's 'Left in safe place - Shed' or 'In the box behind the garage'
2. Does the recipient and/or sender get the photo or is it only released and used as evidence if there's a non-delivery claim?

1. The only message you get is that it has been left in a safe place. No specification as to where.
2. No. The customer cannot see the picture. I guess there is a way managers can access them if there was to be a non-delivery claim.

It's changed this month - customers see the photo online now as part of the tracking, and what's entered on the PDA as 'the safeplace' (i.e. 'in the shed') is displayed both on the tracking and as part of the automated SMS & email updates.

But if it is not locked it is not safe is it!

[Celgar]

The PDA clearly has massive capability, but i've only been shown how to scan a letter/parcel. No formal training at all in any of the duties. The damn machine crashes all the time / freezes mid-use and i need to switch it off then on again. None of the machines in the DO still have their pen so customers need to use their finger.

One thing I've discovered is the huge number of letters that are scannable when normally you wouldn't expect it as they have no label with "tracked" and a myriad barcodes and 2d square things on them. Should I be scanning all of these? There are so many that it would seriously slow me down if I scanned each one.

I had one letter with no indication that it needed to be scanned, but I zapped a tiny barcode just for fun and it turned out to need a signature! It wasn't an official "signed for" with all the sticky barcodes, nothing like that. Is this RM trying to catch me out?

And on the subject of chaos in the workplace, staff were only told on Saturday that Monday was a holiday and the DO was closed. I came back from my round to find out Tuesday was my day off. A wee bit of notice would have been nice. Also, observing the 1 in 6 Saturday off has been bypassed once again as my day off the week before was Friday. Sneaky eh?

There are lots of letters and magazines with odd shaped bits of square & rectangular barcode that can be read by our PDA but they will mostly not register on the system. Generally the only ones you need to 'zap' are the 2D barcodes that are squares formed of four smaller squares. They will usually have a line of numbers & some letters underneath that can be typed in using the 'adhoc delivery' option if the square is damaged and will not register. They will often be printed on white squares of adhesive paper affixed to the parcel and are easy to spot. Ask another postie or your DOM, union rep, or coach if you are unsure about scanning items and using the PDA. It really isn't that difficult to use the PDA.

[Janet Brum]

Cookiewise, this topic might help you with what to scan or not: https://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communi ... 1&start=15" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;