The word “Fragile”

[rhino49]

Is it a magic spell or a declaration of stupidity?

As a magic spell it seems to have lost it’s effectiveness in the Royal Mail new era under the auspices of the Grand Wizards Leightonstein and Crozilla. It no longer offers protection to the meek and mild packets and parcels that it once protected as the world they struggle to survive in gets faster, heavier and less sympathetic to those who despatch and await them.

The once powerful word meant that a degree of consideration would have been given to any weak or helpless wearer of its proud declaration to enable them to reach their destination intact rather than in tatters, but now, alas, the Dark Lords have weakened the power of the word with the help of their minions, Cramitin, Stackitup and Chuckit-there.

Now, the terrified travelers emerge from the gloomy depths of packet bags and pouches, blinking at the stormy skies through torn garments and coverings rent by tired hands that were once caring and gentle but are now harried and clumsy from the punishment brought by constant change.

I tried to deliver one of these poor creatures today – it’s sender had used the fifth level of the spell which incorporated the use of the word “very” in front of the spell, both written in large black permanent marker on each side. Alas the power of such a potent variant of the “Fragile” spell was neutralized by the inexperienced user because they forgot something very important…………….

NOT EVEN THE “FRAGILE”SPELLWORD TURNS TATTY BROWN PAPER AND SELLOTAPE INTO ARMOUR PLATING.

This is where stupidity kicks in – most people will appreciate the trauma that their packets and parcels will go through on journeys of hundreds of miles in varying weather conditions and overstretched logistics systems and yet they trust the word “Fragile” to protect against every eventuality.

Have they never noticed or wondered why many vendors charge for postage and packing - the clue is in the term just used !
Sensible senders which incorporates most of our business customers, package so well that they don’t need spells – or luck, to protect the items they send, but the everyday domestic customer can’t wrap for toffee – or wrap toffees for that matter.

Paper doesn’t protect – bubble wrap under paper doesn’t protect – heavy items in an envelope is packet suicide.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE customers, if you value what you are sending then treat it with the respect that we try to – wrap it properly and carefully expecting the worst, because we are no happier delivering a victim of the new era than the person who receives it’s broken body.

[andy2007]

Although I agree with you, that people should use proper packaging for fragile items. I find it infuriating, to hear stories of people failing to treat items marked "fragile", without the extra care they require. The vast majority of us at my RDC (and presumably the others too), treat such items carefully. Even though it takes longer, and we sometimes get mythered about taking too long over them.

If your DOM starts giving you hassle about taking longer over such items. Tell him/her to get off your back (politely of course). Just because we're a Business now, doesn't alter the fact that we're still providing a SERVICE. People trust us, to carry their items (be they leters, parcels, etc.) from one place to another, intact.

Obviously, with normal items, we sort them as fast as possible. So they do get treated a little rough. But they aren't likley to break. unless of course, someone forgot to label it as fragile. And a "blind eye" seems to be turned, towards Agency Staff, who don't take that extra care with Fragile items. Could they be, being encouraged to sort as fast as possible, despite the items being marked fragile?
If so, the Managers aren't admitting to it......

[baldrick]

Andy, there was a time long ago when we could treat 'fragile' packets individually. I remember when I
was a Road Officer wrapping fragile packets in empty bags before placing them in an individual bag for
despatch with a 'Fragile' sticker on the label, hoping that subsequent handlers would ensure that it
wasn't crushed under a pile of heavy bags.
But packet levels have increased while staffing has decreased, and the pressure is on to just get the mail
sorted and out of the MC asap.
Today we don't have Road Officers, everything is thrown first into autolevels and then into bags on the DBF,
tied up by whoever is nearest when it is full, and then thrown onto a Yorkie, with other bags on top.
We don't have the time to treat packets individually, and it is really up to the sender to wrap them with
sufficient protection.

[andy2007]

Admittedly, i work in a different environment to you. We get RSCs, RCCs, Yorkies, and sometimes Pallets, full of Mail. We sort it into the appropriate destinations, and load them back onto the Lorries. But whenever we come across anything marked Fragile, we put it on one side, until the RSC is nearly full, and put the fragile items on top, so they don't get crushed. We also of course get criticised for taking too long, if there is a lot of it. But it's better to arrive a little late, but intact. Than for the recipient to recieve a jigsaw, on time.

Of course, we get a lot of pre-sorted Mail. And we often see fragile items, squashed at the bottom of a lot of other Mail. But it's too late for us to do anything about it then. Except ask the Quality guys to contact whoever sent it like that, and complain. Plus there's probably more, that we don't notice. But that doesn't stop us taking care of the Mail ourselves.

[NWpostie]

I do try to take care with Fragile items, the isn't made easier by some customers not packing with the same level of care, one parcel's wrapping came away in my hand ! exposing the contents, knowing what I know , I would advise my friends to pack them well and double tape them especially corners and edges witha sturdy box or bubble wraps etc, it won't make much difference to postage and saves a lot of hassle.


Agreed on the Business comment, I think we should go back to being a Service we can start be reintegrating Parcelforce and Counters into Royal mail, if taxes have to be paid to subsidise services, they should think about what they are getting for their money and go back to the old 2 delivery system, things got done then, we must still however be proactive with the Postal market to keep up with whats going on, I don't think that will happen with current EU rules on state subsidy, delivery timescales.

[Stormproof]

I delivered a parcel this morning that sounded like whatever was inside was in hundreds of bits, it seemed to have been put in a box loose with no bubble wrap etc, there was no FRAGILE sticker or HANDLE WITH CARE sticker. I hope it was a box of lego.

[k979aaa]

I delivered a parcel this morning that sounded like whatever was inside was in hundreds of bits, it seemed to have been put in a box loose with no bubble wrap etc, there was no FRAGILE sticker or HANDLE WITH CARE sticker. I hope it was a box of lego.

Could it be adam :cfo and his crystal balls jangling together?. :cfo :cfo :cfo

[Lounge Lizard]

Andy, there was a time long ago when we could treat 'fragile' packets individually. I remember when I
was a Road Officer wrapping fragile packets in empty bags before placing them in an individual bag for
despatch with a 'Fragile' sticker on the label, hoping that subsequent handlers would ensure that it
wasn't crushed under a pile of heavy bags.
But packet levels have increased while staffing has decreased, and the pressure is on to just get the mail
sorted and out of the MC asap.
Today we don't have Road Officers, everything is thrown first into autolevels and then into bags on the DBF,
tied up by whoever is nearest when it is full, and then thrown onto a Yorkie, with other bags on top.
We don't have the time to treat packets individually, and it is really up to the sender to wrap them with
sufficient protection.

Yes, and sadly the punblic has little or no idea of what is involved in processing mail - why else would they write "This Way Up" with a couple of arrows on a package little bigger than a cigarettte packet ?

[andy2007]

That's a good point. Although we try our best to keep them the right way up. They do someimes end up at an angle. But I've no idea how to get around the problem.

[Bobstolemycookie]

Interesting...... being the receiver of tons of parcels labeled fragile i have no problem if its broken on its journey and i completely understand if it does .... i only have a problem when the mail man decides to post is through the letterbox with a 3ft drop with fragile labels written all over it and on top of that most of my fragile items require a signature! Fortunely my usual mail man doesnt do this as he has the ability to apply common sense.. it tends to be the relief mail man when my usual is on a holiday..

[johnsouthwales]

my parcel (in another post) was packed correctly. standard 10mm cardboard, taped blah blah blah.. an impact to the box caused some internal contents to burst open.

my own investigating concludes that it took a tumble toss and dropped from a height of around 2 metres.

lots of problems getting royal mail (parcel force) and austria post to sort it out.

[tiredwalker]

Unfortunately some item going trough the post just arn't packed correctly to ensure they arrive safely. I delivered a parcel (well half a parcel) today and ws enbarrased to be delivering it, thankfully they where ok with me (thankfully since it was not my fault) but it was obvious that the sender had no idea on how to pack it but had printed fragile all over it, and the thin one layer of brown paper had just completed ripped off expossing and lossing some of the contents. If they are not packed correctly it does not matter how much care RM takes they can still get damaged as it goes through the mail system and unfortunately its normally the postman who get the blame as we are delivering it on its final part of the journey.