DTN Signed For - Add House Name/No?

[yellowbelly]

Just seen this on RM website here: https://www.myroyalmail.com/news/2017/1 ... ards-right" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"If the customer is not home, please ensure you follow the below process:

...

If the item requires a signature, enter the following details into the PDA:
- House number or house name.
- Full name of the neighbour who has agreed to sign for the customer’s item.

"

Is the inputting of the house number/house name a new thing? Never done it before or told to do it.....

[clashcityrocker]

It isn't new.
We have always been told to do it.
Whether anyone actually bothers ......?

[ArthurPewty]

It isn't new.
We have always been told to do it.
Whether anyone actually bothers ......?

I've always done it as a bit of an insurance for me, so if anything happens and there's a query (postie prime suspect whenever any parcel goes awol). I just put '15 J. Bloggs' if number 15 has taken the parcel in. Takes 1 second longer and gives you some protection if the flak starts flying.

[yellowbelly]

Thanks guys, never been told that it was a standard operating procedure.

[DGH]

Thanks guys, never been told that it was a standard operating procedure.

It's only because they were stupid enough to forget to include a 'delivered to your neighbour' option on the PDA. It's like Local Collect not defaulting to the Local Collect option but needing to be selected - just typical of RM's inability to set up anything properly.

[Interested-seeker]

Just seen this on RM website here: https://www.myroyalmail.com/news/2017/1 ... ards-right" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"If the customer is not home, please ensure you follow the below process:

...

If the item requires a signature, enter the following details into the PDA:
- House number or house name.
- Full name of the neighbour who has agreed to sign for the customer’s item.

"

Is the inputting of the house number/house name a new thing? Never done it before or told to do it.....

I saw this on the RM channel yesterday. Was never told by anyone at my office but will start doing it now.

[bmccoll]

I have never asked a neighbour to sign for anything. Surely the whole point of these is to ensure delivery to the correct person/address (firms excluded, of course)

[DGH]

I think the point was/is to prove to the sender that the item has been delivered. With the advent of tracking it's almost a redundant service now, really - it only persists because RM have been unable to roll out domestic Tracked services to Post Office and online sales.

'Delivery to Neighbour' is a thing and with the exceptions of international signed for, special delivery and address opt-outs and in cases where there is a genuine (really genuine not just 'I can't be arsed so I'll pretend there's a reason') reason to doubt the integrity of a neighbour, it is now policy for it to be attempted. Failing to do so could very reasonably be construed as failure to comply with a reasonable request.

[answer=42]

'Delivery to Neighbour' is a thing and with the exceptions of international signed for, special delivery and address opt-outs and in cases where there is a genuine (really genuine not just 'I can't be arsed so I'll pretend there's a reason') reason to doubt the integrity of a neighbour, it is now policy for it to be attempted. Failing to do so could very reasonably be construed as failure to comply with a reasonable request.

I beg to differ. Walk spans are based on an average of how much mail and how many parcels are delivered over a model week. When these calculations were made they were based on the number of calls needing a 'knock' for whatever reason (oversize or signature required). When the issue of delivering to neighbour became a priority the industrial engineers measured how long it took to deliver to neighbour per item. It takes so long RM were not able to include that time in walk planning, it would have meant adding too much time on. It might be 'policy' to attempt DTN but there is no agreement to do so. If doing so is going to take you over your time I suggest it is a 'reasonable request' to cut off! No allowance has been made for scanning the 2D bar codes we have to deal with now or for trying one neighbour let alone several to take tracked to or anything else. I'm sure manager performance and bonus level is partly based on the level of first time deliveries of tracked items and on the rate of 2D barcode scans achived. It's not them that has to do it though is it. Don't get me wrong, I DTN whenever I can, sometimes its quicker than the 739 right off the bat. I'd also rather save people having to go to the callers but the point is I do not think you should be bullied into doing something there is no time allowed for.

[DGH]

If you have too many signed for items, you should not not attempt deliver to neighbour, you should cut off instead.