Possible future of Royal Mail

[franco1]

I previously worked for Whistl but now with RM and i think that we will eventually be scanning every single item of mail including letters.
At first this seemed to me to be an absolute nightmare but i can tell you all that with Whistl our scanners were designed differently.
Basically the scanner is constantly emitting an infra red beam so you dont have to press anything, just point at barcode.
We had them attached to our wrists and i can tell you that it doesnt slow you down much, you just need to get used to it and you can scan and walk at same time.
I firmly believe that this will be in the pipeline for RM now that they are fully private and investors pump money in to modernise and compete with competitors.
Track and trace is the next big thing for customers. They want to be able to know where their items, whether they be parcel or letter, are located in the delivery pipeline.
The internet will allow for this as it already does to some extent.
Also sadly, 90% of indoor work will go.
This is because all items will be walk sorted.
Unfortunatley in order to "save" the lost hours of indoor work, RM will push for longer delivery times, or shorter hour contracts for all new employees, which is already happening.
Tommorows postman will be a part time occupation.

[Creditshampoo]

The CWU will blo k anything like tha....not to mention the cost.

They already try and walk sort as much as possible
And business's with the PPI Mail especially are not going to bother paying for barcodes on their letters

[jimmynailsalive]

you just need to get used to it and you can scan and walk at same time.

You're not at Whistl any longer chief, we have health and safety issues at RM that clearly state you would not be scanning a bar code on the hoof

[franco1]

I hope your right but....
It will eventually happen.

[franco1]

you just need to get used to it and you can scan and walk at same time.

You're not at Whistl any longer chief, we have health and safety issues at RM that clearly state you would not be scanning a bar code on the hoof

There are many H&S issues but how many of us actually abide by them when where pushed for time??
For example where supposed to do van checks everyday but i have not seen 1 person do so.

[franco1]

And business's with the PPI Mail especially are not going to bother paying for barcodes on their letters[/quote]

At Whistl i delivered the same letters that i deliver now with RM just now there without barcodes.
I dont think companys pay for the use of barcodes, at mo RM dont have the machines for the barcodes on letters but im sure they will eventually.

[Lounge Lizard]

I previously worked for Whistl but now with RM and i think that we will eventually be scanning every single item of mail including letters.
At first this seemed to me to be an absolute nightmare but i can tell you all that with Whistl our scanners were designed differently.
Basically the scanner is constantly emitting an infra red beam so you dont have to press anything, just point at barcode.
We had them attached to our wrists and i can tell you that it doesnt slow you down much, you just need to get used to it and you can scan and walk at same time.
I firmly believe that this will be in the pipeline for RM now that they are fully private and investors pump money in to modernise and compete with competitors.
Track and trace is the next big thing for customers. They want to be able to know where their items, whether they be parcel or letter, are located in the delivery pipeline.
The internet will allow for this as it already does to some extent.
Also sadly, 90% of indoor work will go.
This is because all items will be walk sorted.
Unfortunatley in order to "save" the lost hours of indoor work, RM will push for longer delivery times, or shorter hour contracts for all new employees, which is already happening.
Tommorows postman will be a part time occupation.

Franco, do you have any evidence of "RM now that they are fully private and investors pump money in to modernise and compete with competitors" or are 'investors' only interested in asset stripping ?
I think it will be a long wait for new vans, new uniforms, new machinery, new anything.

[A2B]

Franco, do you have any evidence of "RM now that they are fully private and investors pump money in to modernise and compete with competitors" or are 'investors' only interested in asset stripping ?
I think it will be a long wait for new vans, new uniforms, new machinery, new anything.

Personally i think the other way, they will throw millions at new machinery and vehicles basically anything to enable them to reduce headcount Unfortunately they will no doubt continue failing to invest in their staff when we are the key to getting the job done

[97gaz]

[

[meercat]

i think that we will eventually be scanning every single item of mail including letters.

Absolutely no chance. The only way that could happen would be with embedded iris scanners and I am not allowing RM to implant a scanner into my head.

Also stop scanning while you are walking, if you have an accident it will be MY company (I'm a shareholder now) paying YOU to sit on your backside for 3 months while your broken leg heals due to YOUR OWN negligence.

[ThatsNotPlumb]

The CWU will blo k anything like tha....not to mention the cost.

They already try and walk sort as much as possible
And business's with the PPI Mail especially are not going to bother paying for barcodes on their letters

The CWU don't have a say in the matter and realistically can't block or stop RM from doing whatever they want hense why the company is where it is.

You can expect with the company becoming private fully for a lot of changes in the coming years..

[Lounge Lizard]

The CWU will blo k anything like tha....not to mention the cost.

They already try and walk sort as much as possible
And business's with the PPI Mail especially are not going to bother paying for barcodes on their letters

The CWU don't have a say in the matter and realistically can't block or stop RM from doing whatever they want hense why the company is where it is.

You can expect with the company becoming private fully for a lot of changes in the coming years..

A lot of changes in the coming years, yes, lower pay, worse terms and conditions, etc.

[ThatsNotPlumb]

A lot of changes in the coming years, yes, lower pay, worse terms and conditions, etc.

Sure this is already happened with these Angard agency staff, in lots of DO's & MC's Royal Mail know for the most part that they are short staffed the majority of the year. Rather than putting adverts out to hire a couple of extra proper 3-6 month contract staff, they just dip into Angard's pool of regulars & bring them in for a day here a day there basically as & when needed. Effectively they are 0 hour contract staff, less money per hour with completely different terms & conditions to RM's own staff.

[crazyshrew]

I previously worked for Whistl but now with RM...
...
...I firmly believe that this will be in the pipeline for RM now that they are fully private and investors pump money in to modernise and compete with competitors.

If the TNT/Whistl way was so good it would still be operating its end to end service and you'd possibly still be working there. The fact that they couldn't get the Investment and were forced to cease it's operation should be telling you a lot.

Track and trace is the next big thing for customers. They want to be able to know where their items, whether they be parcel or letter, are located in the delivery pipeline.

I hate to say this but many if not most people really don't care about the vast majority of their letters. But yes there really should be a better tracking service for parcels and the important things like personal letters and Christmas /birthday cards, somewhere between the Recorded signed for (lost in the system until delivery is attempted) and the Tracked will be ideal.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Absolutely no chance. The only way that could happen would be with embedded iris scanners and I am not allowing RM to implant a scanner into my head.

Perhaps they'll change the C in CWU to Cylon