Royal Mail plans mobile working for 130,000

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.computerworlduk.com/manageme ... ewsid=7458

Royal Mail is planning to give more of its workforce mobile devices to link up remotely with various back-office applications in use across the organisation.

It has put out a tender for a framework agreement to supply mobile application, systems integration, service management and in-life management support for a pool of up to 130,000 mobile devices that it is yet to buy.

The framework agreement – a formal arrangement with suppliers to establish the precise terms of numerous linked contracts – will run for an initial two years with annual extension options available for a further three years.

The contracts up for grabs include one to provide project management and lifecycle assurance and another covering systems integration.

A third contract covers service management, including but not confined to incident management, problem management, change management, release management and security management.

The management of the 130,000 or so handheld devices is covered in a separate contract designed to keep the hardware working and up-to-date at all times.

Royal Mail has said it expects to engage in a “competitive dialogueâ€

[sevenandseven]

My heart sinks when I hear of major companies embracing technology the way Royal Mail plans. Has any project relating to computers ever come in on budget and actually done the job for which it was intended? The NHS comes to mind, the continuing expensive debacle over ID cards is another. Unfortunately this one is being planned by Royal Mail which cannot even supply delivery pouches that don't fall apart within days or waterproof clothing that are actually waterproof. More of the millions the government gave the RM destined to go up in smoke.

[norbert]

--Exactly ! , couldn't organize one of these .

[F0zziebear]

I have plenty of sympathy as I saw the early ABC scanners, which when used sratched the barcodes and didn't work.
My only point would be that express parcels companies use remote electronic devices. This allows for real-time informaiion to go back to the customer. Devices are already used in other postal companies. The question is whether RM can successfully deploy an I.T project.
It sounds from the soundbites that the new procurement system in RM is looking alright.
The devices would provide further benefits to the products such as Special Delivery and Recorded Delivery. Will this remove some of the locker duties, and further speed up a delivery round and remove further jobs?
Ultimately the investment has to provide a return in increased revenue, less jobs etc... otherwise the investment become a cost.
It might also help remove more paper and card from the process. Would these be combined with GPS, which is currently a union no-go area as seen with the implementation of telemtry within the vehicle part of the business?

Food for thought?

F0zz

[DGP1]

I don't think we have anything to worry about because these devices will be the cheapest, nastiest crap that RM can buy so they're more than likely to break within days

[Edward Hunter]

Load of new fangled nonsense, bring back the yellow bits of paper for reg, and the orange book for recordeds

[POSTMAN]

Wont speed up delivery rounds,i've seen these type of things when couriers deliver stuff to me.
If anything,this could slow us down!

[dvbuk55]

The new technology is already in use at parcelforce - my son had an item delivered and I signed for it and my signature appeared on the screen within an hour or so - magic!

[DGP1]

The new technology is already in use at parcelforce - my son had an item delivered and I signed for it and my signature appeared on the screen within an hour or so - magic!

I had to sign for a packet from parcelforce but lo and behold the device stopped working as I tried to sign it, so can you imagine it being in someones pocket for 3 hours in the rain.

[jemima]

New technology - it has the potential to be helpful - but the service costs could be crippling in the long-term unless the technology is as simple as it can possibly be. A signature-collector with mobile phone, barcode scanner and GPRS capability, you wouldn't need anything more than that, with a simple operating system. If it's to be integrated with IT, that all needs to be based on open-source programming solutions, so servicing contracts are not permanently locked to any one company. An in-house solution should be considered alongside the invitations to tender. Unless the real purpose of the exercise is to provide an RM-profit redistribution service for the benefit of persons approved by RM directors.... I hope the details of the contracts are to be made public when awarded.

[Phantom]

I hope they are seriously waterproof. After I'd used mine I would leave it in the bag drop and pick it up when i've finished.

[dvbuk55]

The new technology is already in use at parcelforce - my son had an item delivered and I signed for it and my signature appeared on the screen within an hour or so - magic!

I had to sign for a packet from parcelforce but lo and behold the device stopped working as I tried to sign it, so can you imagine it being in someones pocket for 3 hours in the rain.

Not in the pocket no - but .......................... maybe that was what the vaseline was for.

I can picture it now - could you sign for this madam --------rrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiip - thank you - could u pop it back for me.

[DGP1]

The new technology is already in use at parcelforce - my son had an item delivered and I signed for it and my signature appeared on the screen within an hour or so - magic!

I had to sign for a packet from parcelforce but lo and behold the device stopped working as I tried to sign it, so can you imagine it being in someones pocket for 3 hours in the rain.

Not in the pocket no - but .......................... maybe that was what the vaseline was for.

I can picture it now - could you sign for this madam --------rrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiip - thank you - could u pop it back for me.