Hi folks, i've really enjoyed reading this thread and forum in general, my dad and uncle were posties in the 70's + 80's, i remember how much they loved it and the stories they used to tell.
I applied in mid October for a delivery driver position, and weirdly enough gained employment with an agency as a temp in the run up to Christmas.
I have to say that the DO i work at is an absolute joke, i thought RM had standards and ethics, managers that tell you to ask someone else if you have an issue, the only training i got was a road safety video, no training at all on the PDA which i have figured out with trial and error.
I turned up for my first day and was given 70-80 parcels in a trolley, a PDA, and a set of van keys and told to scan them into the van. WTF, i had to ask a few posties how to use the PDA to scan a parcel until i found a really nice bloke who gave me a brief bit of training on the PDA and together we got my parcels numbered and loaded, everything else i've learnt myself or had a few tips from this forum.
This has all the hallmarks of a failing business.
It's a shame as RM has such a history and to an outsider is a quality business to work for, two weeks in and i've withdrawn my application for a role with RM.
As said by a poster in this thread, you are working for shareholders now, very different from my father and uncles days eh.
My overall view is that my particular DO is very shoddy, i treat the parcels i have to deliver as i would like my parcel dealt with, i had one parcel i took back as neighbours weren't in, a manager told me to find a house on the same street with someone in and see if they will take it, i won't do that as i wouldn't want a parcel of mine 15 houses down the street with someone i don't know.
I can't see much profit margin here judging by the DO i am working at.
I wish you all the best, and thank you to those on here who gave me tips and advice.
my first ever delivery we had British Gas bills and Electic Bills for every single house on the delivery. I took it all out on 2nd , trapped a nerve and was in pain for years. Small brown envelopes. With the bill and booklet inside..makes me laugh when the older people still say today , if it's a bill you can keep it. What bill ? All online now.