MRM.COM : New PDAs now in use in all of our Collection, Delivery and Processing sites

Post by **POSTMAN** » 27 Mar 2017, 14:53

https://www.myroyalmail.com/news/2017/0 ... t-complete" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

One year after the first delivery office trial sites piloted our new PDA technology, the national rollout of the devices across Collections, Delivery and Processing is now complete.

Around 68,000 PDAs are now in operation at more than 1,900 sites nationwide. Feedback from colleagues who piloted the PDAs played a big part in shaping how they function every day. And feedback will continue to shape the improvements made to the PDAs, as we look to use them to improve operational processes and bring new services to market.

Raj Tailor, project manager for PDA transformation, said: ‘Our biggest challenge was the sheer scale and pace of the rollout. With the help of colleagues, we’ve been able to achieve it successfully.

‘Looking ahead, we’re working to enhance the devices so we can improve the services we offer in the parcels market even further. We’re in an exciting position.’

Colleagues at Docklands delivery office helped trial the new PDAs last year. Richard Wynne, an OPG and workplace coach said: ‘They are so much easier. The improved scanning ability on 2D barcodes is particularly useful.’

postslippete · Post by **postslippete** » 27 Mar 2017, 18:32

Obviously the new PDAs have an excellent battery life and they scan most of the 2D barcodes well. However, they could be tailored better for our purpose. Every time you need to scan a barcode on deliveries, its top down menu and adhoc delivery every time and I've lost count of the number of times the volume control button on the other side gets in the way of everything when doing it! Does anyone know of a setting that stops this from happening??

visigoth · Post by **visigoth** » 27 Mar 2017, 18:59

Is it not the case that when you've processed an item, you can then short-press the power button to kill the screen ... and then short-press again to wake it for the next item?

claretandblue · Post by **claretandblue** » 27 Mar 2017, 19:33

They really are rubbish, crash at random times and then don't connect to the network in the morning when logging on.

elteleltel · Post by **elteleltel** » 27 Mar 2017, 19:59

Supposed to be the size of a mobile phone , must be a big phone

Shaders · Post by **Shaders** » 27 Mar 2017, 20:12

We've only had ours a few weeks, and yes the battery is great and they do scan much beer than the old ones we used to have, but I honestly dont find them easy to handle, I find it far roo easy to push or knock the wrong button or touch the screen when I don't want to.
Also find the pen holder on the strap a very poor idea, almost an after thought, it should be built into the main body like on the old ones.

OscarPanda · Post by **OscarPanda** » 27 Mar 2017, 21:00

And don't forget about all the times you have to remind / tell the customers not to lean on the screen, or they're just doing their invisible writing. Bit embarrasing really...

toomuchcoke · Post by **toomuchcoke** » 27 Mar 2017, 21:27

postslippete wrote:Obviously the new PDAs have an excellent battery life and they scan most of the 2D barcodes well. However, they could be tailored better for our purpose. Every time you need to scan a barcode on deliveries, its top down menu and adhoc delivery every time and I've lost count of the number of times the volume control button on the other side gets in the way of everything when doing it! Does anyone know of a setting that stops this from happening??

Erm, I've never used the ad-hoc delivery function. Just grab PDA and scan the barcode.

DirtyHarry · Post by **DirtyHarry** » 28 Mar 2017, 15:51

Like most of the equipment Royal Mail expects us to do the job with, those f***ing PDAs are absolute s**t, and certainly not fit for purpose.

postslippete · Post by **postslippete** » 28 Mar 2017, 16:51

toomuchcoke wrote:
postslippete wrote:Obviously the new PDAs have an excellent battery life and they scan most of the 2D barcodes well. However, they could be tailored better for our purpose. Every time you need to scan a barcode on deliveries, its top down menu and adhoc delivery every time and I've lost count of the number of times the volume control button on the other side gets in the way of everything when doing it! Does anyone know of a setting that stops this from happening??
Erm, I've never used the ad-hoc delivery function. Just grab PDA and scan the barcode.

Does the screen show up the barcode when you scan it?? If so, do you click 'continue' to confirm delivery of it there and then, or do you just leave it on the screen and keep adding more barcodes for different customers on the same screen? Please explain.

As for the little stylus and getting signatures, Ive found that its better to hide it in the strap and get customers to use their fingers to sign. At least then I get something written on the screen.

datasaint · Post by **datasaint** » 28 Mar 2017, 20:24

They actually make the job slower, like people say random menus appearing when you pick it up, takes longer button sequences to do the same things as before, signatures often don't write on screen, randomly restarts itself.

South_London_Postie · Post by **South_London_Postie** » 28 Mar 2017, 23:34

MY one kept asking me my location today? First time I ever seen that prompt. Must have done it five times today

toomuchcoke · Post by **toomuchcoke** » 31 Mar 2017, 21:43

postslippete wrote:
toomuchcoke wrote:Erm, I've never used the ad-hoc delivery function. Just grab PDA and scan the barcode.
Does the screen show up the barcode when you scan it?? If so, do you click 'continue' to confirm delivery of it there and then, or do you just leave it on the screen and keep adding more barcodes for different customers on the same screen? Please explain.

Pick up PDA, scan the barcode. The screen goes from showing whatever outstanding collections you might have had to showing the delivery barcode. Scan any additional parcels. Then confirm (non)delivery.

postslippete wrote:As for the little stylus and getting signatures, Ive found that its better to hide it in the strap and get customers to use their fingers to sign. At least then I get something written on the screen.

The problem IMHO isn't the length of the stylus (I don't think people would hold it further away from the tip if it was longer), the problem is that the signing area in the screen is in the middle of the screen thus meaning there's plenty of scope for their little finger / edge of their hand to press on the lower corner of the screen. In theory it shouldn't be that hard to update the software and move the signature box to the bottom of the screen - though frankly you'd think this would've been picked up during the trial period? Though also get old people who somehow manage to wrap the cord for stylus around their hand, press the cord against the screen and then say the stylus doesn't work. Not entirely worked out how they mange to do this!

Deadly · Post by **Deadly** » 31 Mar 2017, 21:58

South_London_Postie wrote:MY one kept asking me my location today? First time I ever seen that prompt. Must have done it five times today

I've had that too when logging on, not sure if they've done an update or something?

datasaint · Post by **datasaint** » 31 Mar 2017, 22:09

Will the old ones stop working at some point then? (The PDAs, not the staff

)