Mandatory Paperwork for Collections

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Letter to Branches






To: Branches with POSTAL Members

Dear Colleagues,

Mandatory Paperwork for Collections

As part of the ongoing work of the Collection Joint Working Group, we have been in dialogue with Royal Mail regarding the existing approach to Mandatory Paperwork for Collections (MPC) which was agreed in 2012 to try and close the revenue gap between posted volumes and billing paperwork received for PPI mail. Essentially this was designed to ensure that Royal Mail got paid the right amount for the PPI mail posted.

MPC reinforced the standard that all PPI mail must be accompanied by the correct posting documentation to show that the appropriate payment has been made. This also involved utilisation of new software on the PDA. In essence this means ‘No PPI Documentation - No Collection of PPI mail’.

However recent analysis has revealed a further revenue gap in posted traffic versus billed, most noticeably for Special Delivery/International Signed for, which shows an annual national traffic gap of 2.3 million items.

As a result we have jointly agreed to review the Mandatory Paperwork for Collections processes to find ways to close the revenue losses and as such have agreed to trial a revised process within Royal Mail House Oxford and Coventry South DOs which involves.

1. All non RED X posting documents are consolidated in one place at point of acceptance
2. All non RED X posting documentation will travel to Revenue Protection in one pouch. This avoids Revenue Protection staff searching the Mail Centre to find documentation & potentially unnecessarily holding customers mail, ensuring we get fairly paid for mail processed
3. Consolidated paperwork allows Revenue Protection to investigate & RED X future suspect customers
4. Identifying knowledge gaps for further coaching/training

Full training will be given in the locations, via WTLL sessions and utilisation of the Workplace Coaches. There will be regular reviews during the trial to understand the scale of the revenue gap, and then formal discussions to agree the next steps which may include an extension to the trial or national rollout.

Any enquiries to Bob Gibson’s Office, quoting reference 532
Email address: hnutley@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Bob Gibson
CWU Assistant Secretary – Outdoor

[TrueBlueTerrier]

TERMS OF REFERENCE
Mandatory Paperwork for Collections Trial

Background

In 2012 both Royal Mail & CWU agreed a new initiative called Mandatory Paperwork for Collections (MPC) which was intended to close the revenue gap between posted volumes and the billing paperwork received for PPI mail. Essentially MPC was designed to ensure that Royal Mail gets paid for the PPI mail posted.

Recent detailed analysis has revealed a further gap in posted traffic versus billed services, most noticeably for Special Delivery/International Signed for, which shows an annual national traffic gap of 2.3 million items. Additionally a relatively small (but significant in revenue terms) amount of postings are made with no paperwork which will be processed free unless manually captured through Revenue Protection checks.

As a result we have jointly agreed to review the Mandatory Paperwork for Collections processes to find ways to close the revenue losses.

Aims

1. The introduction of a Revenue Protection (RP) pouch for collectors to consolidate all non-RED X posting documentation into one place.
2. All non-RED X posting documentation to be consolidated in a Revenue Protection pouch at the Hub and transferred with the last collection to the parent Mail Centre.
3. Understand how many customers are not adhering to RM terms and conditions by not providing appropriate documentation.

(Note: Non-RED X is all PPI mail that Revenue Protection does not want to sample)

What are the benefits of consolidating PPI Posting Documentation?

Currently PPI posting documentation can be found anywhere in Royal Mails pipeline. The benefit of consolidating paperwork at the Hub is:

1. All non RED X posting documents are consolidated in one place at point of acceptance
2. All non RED X posting documentation travel to Revenue Protection in one pouch. This avoids Revenue Protection staff searching the Mail Centre to find documentation & potentially unnecessarily holding customers mail, ensuring we get fairly paid for mail processed
3. Consolidated paperwork allows Revenue Protection to investigate & RED X future suspect customers
4. Identify knowledge gaps for further coaching/training

Training

In line with Royal Mail’s current terms and conditions, and supporting getting fairly paid all PPI mail presented by customers must have the correct paperwork. This includes relief and adhoc collections and mail that is handed over via our enquiry offices and loading bays. Drivers, enquiry office and loading bay OPGs are currently required to check that every PPI posting has acceptable documentation and that the amount and type of items posted is in line with what the paperwork says.


All collection customers must provide the appropriate paperwork when PPI mail is being presented. For relief collections this can be a Customer Collection Receipt (CCR) in lieu of the final system generated paperwork. Where there is no paperwork made available with the collection then the mail must not be collected and the manager notified upon return to office. This will allow Revenue Protection to investigate and contact the customer where appropriate.

The training for the above processes will take the form of a WTLL, which will be taken by the Hub Manager and the Workplace Coach. Materials to support the WTLL will be:

One point lessons
A Yellow Revenue Protection pouch for each collection route.

Trial Locations

Two Offices will form part of the trial and the locations below will be supported by strong Revenue Protection teams:

Royal Mail House Oxford
Coventry South DO

Timescales:

W/c 27th October HUB/Unit WTLL
W/c 3rd November Commence trial activity
28th November Trial activity due to cease
28th November – 8th December Analyse trial data

Review

Upon conclusion of the trial (4weeks) all the relevant information and data collated will be shared with the CWU, which will be reviewed nationally and will form part of the discussions to agree the next steps.

Note: RM and CWU will review progress during the trial activity and if appropriate and agreeable, agree an extension or national rollout where data collected suggests that the operation is viable and business benefits are significant. 




Signed…………………………………………. Signed…………………………………………
Kevin Cooper, Royal Mail Bob Gibson, CWU




Date: 21 October 2014

[SpacePhoenix]

How much of that gap will be down to stuff posted at PO branches?

[NWpostie]

How much of that gap will be down to stuff posted at PO branches?

Which they shouldn't be doing, there is a specified meter mail box, I haven't seen PPI drops points, as far as i am aware as these have to be collected in person and scanned.

[Deadly]

PPI can be left at a Post Office but the staff are supposed to fasten red x labels to the bags. This rarely happens in my experience.

[Mr_Pink]

Just dump it all in a Red X york, Revenue Protection will soon get bored of sorting it out, we had a WTL about it months ago, after 6 extra yorks a day of Red X mail Revenue Protection got a bit peed off and sorted it with the local PO and customer.

Had a similar thing when the price of metered mail changed along with the introduction of smart metering, no one informed us or a lot of our meter mail customers of the changes, so instead of traying & segregating it all up as per usual we dumped it all in Red X (our managers decision) for them to sort - worked out around 60-70 trays a day.